Elephant - Magic Or Madness

Elephant - Magic or Madness

KEN CRAVEN

WHY DO MORE THAN 10,000 motorcyclists slither and skid to Germany's Nurburgring race circuit through the snow and blizzards of an European winter? There is no simple answer. It's the magic of the "Elephant Rally," a unique, yearly gathering of riders from all over the globe. Elephant enthusiasts could write books on the troubles and dangers they must overcome to reach the rally the first week of every January. Yet the Elephant is not an organized competition. There are no gold medals or high cash prizes to be won. Even

its advance publicity is almost nonexistent. This year's crowd was a record. More than 6000 motorcycles, including two Har ley-Davidsons ridden by American service men stationed in Europe, were parked in the Niirburgring. The man who covered the greatest distance to reach the Elephant was Australian Alan Westwood, who rode his BMW R69 outfit 4800 miles through Europe before arriving at the Ring." The gallant 10,000 accomplished the famed nighttime torchlight ride round the 14-mile circuit despite 15 inches of snow. it's real Elephant weather," said rally or ganizer Ernst Leverkus.