Corky Coker, president of Coker Tire Company in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is Motorcycle Cannonball rider #88, a sponsor of the Cannonball, and will be hosting one of our scheduled stops during the run, which will include a trip through the Coker Tire Company Museum in Chattanooga.

Corky and his crew will be hosting the evening meal during Stage 4 of our coast-to-coast expedition this September and the riders will be able to view the collection of antique automobiles and motorcycles Coker has in his exhibit that date back to 1907.

With a constantly rotating stock of vintage survivors and restorations (there are 36 motorcycles to view at any one time), there’s always something exciting to see. Corky has personally ridden/driven every item in his inventory of classic machines and takes joy in being able to share his collection with the public, which is actually more like a giant toy box for the active businessman and his staff.

“Having driven the Great Race over a dozen times, and sharing a love for pre-1916 American motorcycles, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to participate in the Motorcycle Cannonball. As a tire supplier (CokerTire.com) for collector cars and motorcycles, I’m in contact with folks from all around the world, and this endurance event gives me a chance to hang out with my vintage motorcycle buddies and make new friends along the way. I speak often about how there should be no more Garage Kings or Trailer Queens for cars, so I am charged about us guys and gals getting out and riding our early bikes from Coast to Coast!

I didn’t buy my first motorcycle until the age of 18, since my father never liked the idea of motorcycles, but it didn’t take long for me to get hooked after the first one. My first collector bike was a 1947 Harley Davidson, but I really get a kick out of this pre-1916 stuff. For the Motorcycle Cannonball, I’ll be riding my 1908 Thor Single, which is an original un-restored single speed, which puts me in Class I.

It’s just the idea of riding or driving this old iron and actually putting it to use that keeps me excited about the collector car and motorcycle hobby in general, and events like the Cannonball keep it going strong. To say I’m looking forward to this event would be a major understatement—I can’t wait!”

As the world’s largest supplier of antique tires and wheels, Corky is a Cannonball sponsor and is offering a sweet deal on tires to his fellow Cannonball entrants. Contact Coker Tires direct at www.cokertire.com for more information.