Our history
The BC Section of the CVMG, locally known as the Classic Motorcycle Club of BC, traces its roots back to the spring of 1975 when the "Obsolete Motorcycle Club" was formed by 40 members, all with an interest in vintage motorcycles. Their June 25, 1975 newsletter begins with what we might today describe as a mission statement "A non profit organization devoted to the hobby of seeking out, preserving and restoring old motorcycles, and to the exchange of fellowship and information." The newsletter goes on to point out that the word "obsolete" was creating "a bit of flack" and a more fitting name was under consideration. While I could find no written record - and none of the founding members recall exactly when the name change occurred - soon thereafter the club's name was changed to the "Classic Motorcycle Club of BC".
Moving ahead, the Oct. 18, 1975 issue of the CVMG Newsletter begins with a letter from Peter Clegg (a founding member of the Obsolete Motorcycle Club) to the CVMG advising that "after a bit of talking the members decided that the Vancouver Group (it appears that the Obsolete Motorcycle Club moniker may have already fallen by the wayside) should become a chapter of the CVMG" and committed to provide a monthly report. The rest, as they say, is history and that is how the BC Section of the CVMG came to be.
While today the CVMG knows us as the BC Section, locally we are still the Classic Motorcycle Club of BC. Membership has fluctuated over the years with a couple of local motorcycle clubs spinning off of our original club over the years. Coincidently, current membership is 41, very near the founding member total of 40.
Without the dedication of the late Mona Parsons, who took it upon herself to chronicle and document the history of the Classic Motorcycle Club of BC, most, if not all, of the above information would have been lost to time. Gordon Salisbury also warrants a special thank you as the current keeper of the binder and unofficial club historian.