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Here's our winter project. This is all we have done for now. This motorcycle was a mess. Totally cobbled together. The bottom end has been gone through now. Cylinders bored, pistons ready. We've got a nice set of heads to run. I''ve got an old frisco-style peanut tank and original Z-Bars. 16" rear - 19" front. Powdercoat the rims - black spokes. It would look real sweet in a rigid - but, stock frame and some struts is ok too. The neatest thing that came with this roach was the original, perfect patina Bates Seat (it's the mini one) . . . oh yes.
Big Noot has a '65 panhead. It once was a CHP bike from LA. It's been "modernized" a bit with CV Carb(with Dyna Jet Kit), Spike Distributor, Primo Belt and some other goodies. Mileage is over 100,000 - fairly documented. I rode it last weekend and it didn't start - so I had to kick it. Got it going, but seemed flat for awhile. Got home - charged the battery - and it took forever. Guess what? Very low on water. Hmmmmm - don't overlook the obvious. Check your equipment . . . it runs like it should now.
This guy calls me up and says his all original 1976 FLH with only 6,000 original miles was crusin' just fine down the highway and all of a sudden - the tranny exploded. It blew out the ratchet top, and the case and left a crack all the way around the thing - Whoa. The cause I believe is the smaller shifter clutch gear broke - and all hell started after that. For some reason they don't work very good with big chunks of metal flying around in there? It bent the shift fork shaft so bad I had to die grind it into 3 pieces to get it apart. It also ate the mainshaft and chewed up a couple gears.
This month's Horse Magazine has my name in it - Hey, I'm fuckin' big time. All that work - and they give ya a piece of wood. All the bikes kinda looked the same this year. Your basic, no rake, rigid, spool front, knuckle/pan chops. Yawn. I brought a digger. Thanks Eric for gettin' me my wood. Next year I'll bring somethin' different. Get wood again. No photos - WTF? Shit. Damn. Fuck. I need more coffee.
See: harley-ironhead.com
Look - It's one of those neat, backwards jumpy tachs . . .
It's like, if I have to explain it - you really wouldn't understand. I cruise go over to Todd Miller's and watch him work on the '57. His car wasn't a '55, but, it was all primer with lexan and fiberglass panels, tunnel ram, huge meats, lots of gauges. Badass. He even had hair like "The Driver" James Taylor. Then later that night, I'd go home and watch it again on the VHS I recorded off the CBS late movie. Laurie Bird (she is forever an icon) Dennis Wilson (a legend) and GTO? Wouldn't have been the same without him.
Two Lane Blacktop: Not at a theatre near you.
One of my favorite albums is from Jim Carroll - and I heard he passed away today at the age of 60. When I attended UNI, my room-mate Doug Wright had all these record albums - and this one totally punk rocked. I had to buy the CD version last year (since my home recorded Maxell UDXLII cassette was shot) I guess Jim was quite a writer, poet and musician - just ask Keith Richards. RIP Jim - you made my life a happier place.
This guy was having too much fun - too bad his machine never did run right . . . in the end, it didn't really matter.
Harley-Davidson built the XLR to be competitive at tracks like Peoria, Ascot and Houston. Unfortunately, the XLR in the hands of the very capable Resweber, never really won all the races it was supposed to win. The motor was 883cc with hot cams, big compression, roller bearings, aluminum rims, struts, motor mounts and factory ported heads. These suckers run hard. But, being a little heavy didn't help matters. This bike was at Springfield, and the proud owner was more than happy to talk about it. Good stuff.
Bart Markel's short rod iron XR was at Springfield. The barrels look like regular iron cylinders with the bases cut off for the shorter rods. A very rare race bike indeed.
This guy from New York stopped by to ask directions from my "Sturgis Landlord" and . . . man was his bike loaded ! Obviously, he had a bed mattress, canteen, tools, all sorts of packs and bags - lots o' stuff. His motorcycle never shut off for the 20 minutes they talked. It's motor running - tick tick tick tick tick tick like a sewing machine. Oil spewing from most of it's gaskets. Steam rolling off. All the way from New York. He gets my respect.
I found this old Custom Chrome box the other day in a pile of parts. That company wasn't bad back in the day - now, I don't know what to think of them - a bunch of junk mostly.
Coming soon: Peoria, Indy, Davenport and Springfield !
They never really did do much with bicycles . . . but, their motorcycles aren't too bad (at least the old ones).
My new buddy Jason, from the great state of Texas, built(and restored) this totally rad ironhead. Many of the parts were from his dad - who bought the stuff back-in-the-day from Arlen himself. Nice job !
She gave me a free, cold one . . .
This guy is one very cool Canadian. He's also quite the horseman - and his kid Daniel builds bitchin' knuckles.I hope to see him again next year . . .
I just heard Billy Lane got sentenced today - Aug. 14th, 2009.
I had almost forgot Samantha Morgan was gone - until I saw this tribute last week. I met her once with Goth Girl in Sturgis at Lavallee & Spina's paint booth, and saw her ride many times. The first time I saw her ride the "Wall of Death", I just couldn't believe her skill. She could ride a motorcycle. We talked for a minute or so . . . but, we kept getting interrupted because everyone knew her, they were friends from all over - a true VIP. When I heard she was sick and had passed - I was taken aback a little - 'cause she seemed so invincible. I saw the "Wall" crew in Davenport this spring - and said hello to Jay . . . (who's had his own bout with health problems). It's a rough life on the road riding the wall - but, they will always be our true heros - in life and in death.
Spina checks out the pool situation at County Line . . . quite refreshing. Just have a seat and a busty babe will swing by and take your drink order - damn !
Stopped in to see Cole and the boys - what a place ! Pre-1929 Harleys, Indians, Popes, Cyclones - totally cool. A very professionally run operation. Museum and collectibles up front - and high end restorations and machine shop in the back. I saw the "Wheels Through Time" rig parked out back and realized - Hey, this is the place they told me about. I could work here !?!?
My dad's buddy "Killer" Carter gave me these huge boxes of magazines a while back. I went through them last night and I've got to tell you - I have quite a collection here. He had subscriptions to Choppers Magazine, Street Chopper, Easyriders, Hot Bike, Custom Bike, The Enthusiast and a few other oddballs. A time span from 1972-1982 covers it.
