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The winner of the second ever motorcycle class at the 60th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was the real bike whose faithful copy was seen by millions throughout the world when ridden by Sir Anthony Hopkins in the movie “The World’s Fastest Indian.” But, here on the 18th green, was the actual bike that New Zealander Burt Munro rode and set land speed records on at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

One of the requirements of each and every vehicle entered at Pebble Beach, whether two, three, or four wheeler, is that it must run. I was privileged to be within a few feet of Munro’s historic 1921 Indian Scout when with one gentleman holding a fire extinguisher, another poured some methanol into Burt’s old Indians fuel tank. He then inserted a starter drive into the side of the body and hit the button, firing up this 89-year-old championship bike. Unf**kin real, the sound and the smell. I just love the smell of methanol in the morning.

It was a great bike show overlooking the Pacific Ocean on the most famous golf course in the world. The course closes for the Concours for one day each year with golfing available and expensive the other 364 days. Many hundreds of workers and volunteers are required for a show of this size, and all profits are donated to charity.