By Sibley Poland

Bill “Bud” Wentz gave up riding motorcycles just last year, at the tender age of 99. But, even though he is no longer astride his two-wheeled ride, more than 60 people attended his 100th birthday party in Kenton, Ohio, in September. And many of them were longtime friends from the Kenton Lightning Riders Motorcycle Club, which he joined in the 1930s.

Dozens of plaques of recognition and trophies for participation are the tangible things Wentz owns that reflect a lifetime of dedication to motorcycling. He has been an AMA member for 41 years.

It’s the association with fellow riders that means the most to him.

“The main motivation for joining the club was, of course, to have an excuse to ride and to ride with friends, but also because the price was right. Each meeting cost 10 cents in club dues,” Wentz said.

There was a lull in club activities as World War II took the men away. At the time, women were not allowed to be members. At the end of World War II, 18 men, including Bud, returned to their homes in Kenton to resume running the Kenton Lightning Riders. The club eventually joined the AMA North West Ohio Association District 12.

Wentz had bought his first bike around the age of 19 or 20. He would have done so sooner had his mother approved.

During the decades Wentz rode, he noticed that riding motorcycles became more acceptable in society. And he marvels at how, nowadays, many families buy their children dirt bikes and spend all summer long at motocross tracks in support of their passion.

Wentz’s first bike was an Indian that he lamented he had to work on 10 times more often than he got to ride it.

Upgrading to a late 1930s Harley-Davidson in the early 1940s, he bought a used Ohio Highway Patrol bike with backward controls that allowed police to brandish a firearm in their right hands.

Being a family man, Wentz started riding Harley-Davidson side-car rigs so his wife and two sons could go along.

During his riding years, Wentz owned three Harley-Davidson touring bikes, one Harley-Davidson Sprint, two Honda Goldwings and the Indian.

Even though he didn’t get in as much riding as he would have liked when he was working full-time and raising a family, he made up for it in retirement.

Wentz and his wife, Mary, racked up 100,000 miles in no time. The couple also enjoyed traveling all over North America in their motor home, towing their side-car rig. Wentz estimates he logged at least 300,000 miles during the course of his motorcycling career. He and Mary were able to visit all 48 lower states, many of them several times.

His favorite story about Mary is the time he came home with a used Harley-Davidson. She had an absolute fit, asking why he had bought the thing.

Wentz: “Because I want to get back to riding more often again.” Mary’s response: “Then why didn’t you buy a new one?”

The intangibles that mark a lifetime of dedication to riding are the countless numbers of friends Wentz made over the years through motorcycle clubs, the time he was able to spend traveling with Mary and the memories they created as they traveled the open roads of America.