Have you heard of the legend of Motorcycle Hill?
Let’s go back to the early 1900s. Motorcycles have just been invented and made their way to the U.S. and the vehicle quickly transformed beyond a mode of transportation into a sport. The most daring of the time began partaking in motorcycle hillclimbs, which became the foundation of American motorcycle competitions.
Motorcycle hill climbing became popular throughout Southern California. The hobby is just what the name entails; fans congregate to watch motorcyclists climb a steep hill as quickly as they can. The risk is that if you don’t time the vehicle just right, you could flip over and get seriously injured.
So, where does Motorcycle Hill come in?
A few Orange County motorcycle dealers organized a hill climb contest on Capistrano Hill. The inaugural event took place on Sunday, April 16, 1916, and it’s said that roughly 2,500 people gathered to watch.
Santa Ana resident, Calvin Lambert, was the first to successfully make the trek, via a 3-speed series 18 Excelsior.
As the event rose in popularity year after year, Capistrano Hill became known around town as “Motorcycle Hill.” Just 7 years after the original event, the 1923 competition was said to have nearly 40,000 people in attendance. To put that in perspective, the population of Orange County around that time was only 60,000 people.
However, at the time the area was rapidly changing as new homes were built and freeways constructed. It’s said that you can still see what remains of Motorcycle Hill today by standing in the Costco parking lot in San Juan Capistrano and facing Interstate 5. Meaning that it’s entirely possible you’ve driven on what used to be Motorcycle Hill without even knowing it.
While Motorcycle Hill no longer exists today, its legacy lives on through local motorcycle clubs, including the Orange County Motorcycle Club. The group was founded in 1905, making it one of the oldest motorcycle clubs in the country, and it continues to meet each week.
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