Throwback Thursdays: Reviewed

Click the link below to read the article.

A review of Throwbacks Thursday from back in June. Enjoy:


Local Event Report: Throwback Thursdays in Grass Valley



Photo Slideshow of the event:

Throwback Thursdays


The third Thursday of each month, the streets of Grass Valley thump and rumble to the tune of “throwbacks.” No, it’s not the name of a band, but refers to the “pipe music” produced by numerous vintage motorcycles of the bobber, chopper and club racer persuasion. They gather at Paco’s Tacos, 550 Mill Street, literally a stone’s throw off the intersection of Highway 49 and Empire Street/Highway 20 West.

Throwback Thursdays is the creation of Jared Wambaugh, a former US Army Infantry Captain and life long motorcycle rider. Part of his enthusiasm for motorcycles stems from the influence of his father David, owner of Paco’s Tacos and a life long rider and customizer. The Wambaugh’s tastes in motorcycling have tended toward the home-built customs that place function over form and constructed with hand built pieces instead of bolt-ons. When the idea arose of having a “meet” of some kind in the foothills, it was only natural that the bikes would be throwbacks and the place would be Paco’s.


Their July meet brought out about 35 throwbacks, a relatively low turnout owing to the 100 degree heat of the day. But the scoots were true to their billing: lots of hardtails, straight pipes and no-frills builds. A true bare-knuckled display of the metal and fire that motorcycles embody. Even though Harleys and Triumphs do constitute the bulk of the pack, throwbacks are not limited to brand names or countries of origin. Some of the bikes were vintage Japanese, such as a really cool hard tail Yamaha twin, a mildly bobbed early-80’s Kawasaki 4-banger and there was even a raked out chopper powered by an old Honda 750 single cam. Cool stuff.

The parking lot and restaurant make an ideal venue for an event of this size and the strong local “buy in” by the riders I spoke to make it clear that Throwback Thursdays is making a name for itself in the “Northern Mines” area (thanks for the history lesson Dave). Grass Valley may be a bit of a ride for some of you reading this, but stop whining and do it. Do it just once this summer. The ride is beautiful, the bikes are bitchin’ and you can grab some great Mexican food while you’re there.

Be sure to check out the slide show and captions for a better idea of what throwbacks are all about. Big thanks to Jared and Dave for their hospitality and to the Grass Valley locals who were friendly and engaging when talking about their bikes.

Until next time, stay tuned and upright,

Jack