For a few hundred bucks you could have a bike. For a few hundred more, you could have it custom. Photos like these just blow me away - the way it was - and never will be again. A guy I used to work with told me he had a 1946 Harley overhead valve 74. The year was 1951. It was beaten and broken. He sold it for $150 and a push mower. I'll bet we could've fixed it !
I'm kinda startin' to get into those dressers with all the lights & fixin's . . . but, this is a little excessive.
I haven't talked to Jeff for awhile. I hope he's doing alright. Jeff is fun to be around due to his infectiously positive demeanor that emulates all around to everyone in the direct vicinity of him. Did I just say that?
Bob will give you the bird if you want it? You want the bird? This bird is bad ass. If you want one - ask me - I know where you can get one. If you can handle it. This bird is the best !
Whenever I'm in a city I haven't been to . . . I stop at the local shops and 'hang around' eventually asking if they have any old ironhead stuff to get rid of . . . Most of the time - I can pick up some parts. Cheap. Hell - not lately. The reply is, "Oh, we got some stuff - but, I think I'll hang on to it - or it's not for sale." How much you give me for it? Naw - I'll just keep it - Gettin' hard to come by . . . oh come on fucker - so is H1N1 shots . . .They'd rather let it rust than sell it to someone who'll actually do something with it. And the world goes round and round.
I don't know what it's like where you're from - but, it's Fall in Iowa - the leaves are almost all gone and the temps are going down. This weekend is set to be about 60 degrees (Indian Summer) so it may be one of the last for motorcycles. It's all downhill from here. Snow, cold, ice, wind . . . nasty stuff coming - always does. My dad (big Noot) is back home after his heart valve repair. I was just starting to keep up with him - now, he'll be in front of the pack again. Good deal. If you're in the area - stop over and say hello. PS. Swap meet season comin' up !
Thinkin' about making the K Model into a rigid - KR style racer . . . hmmmmmm?
Hey, even that T-Bucket guy was there . . . uh, the old dude with the razor cut - Norm Grabowski - holy shit. A gathering of the true legends of paint and customizing. Barris, Hines, Watson, Spina, Winfield, Bo Huff, Mr. J, Artie . . . did I mention Hines?!?!? Hell, even Lil' Daddy Dennis found his way there.
How many of you guys get a package of fun stuff from Bob Spina . . ? 
Wally is a good friend of mine. I've known him for years - but, the last few we've taken some short trips together. Most are about 100-200 miles with beer stops along the way. He owns 3 Triumphs, 2 Harleys, a Yamaha, and a couple minibikes. He's always wanted to go to the Springfield Mile - and this year he finally made it. The 700 mile trip was his longest. He rode his new Triumph this year - but, his other machinery is usually a little rough lookin' - however, I can't say I've ever seen him have a problem on the road. But, wouldn't you know it - when his new Triumph American got wet from the downpour - the thing would kill. Something with the kickstand switch - WTF?
Back when trikes were cool . . . no Training Glides, no FLHXXXs, no pussy's . . . .
Morty "the official shop cat" chowed a bird this morning and wanted everyone to know it was pretty damn tasty. I just made the observation that Mort can run down a sidewalk covered with leaves and not step on a single leaf. It's gettin' colder and the 50wt oil ain't flowin real good now. It takes about 10 kicks to get the K- Model started . . .
I stood at the local grocery store last night and read the entire 40th Anniversary Issue of Street Chopper Magazine. It has a lot of the same information that's from "The History of the Chopper" with Jesse James. You know the documentary . . . the one with Irish Rich at the beginning firing up his chop. ( bought a bag of chips - and opened them and read the whole issue and paid for an empty bag of chips) It has a good history of Ness inside the issue. I think I'll go back and actually buy one today. (Temp: 40 degrees F. and sunny in Iowa)
I've had the top page torn from a Street Chopper magazine since I was about 13 yrs. old. I thought the chic was totally hot - and the sporty (built by BACC - Bay Area Custom Choppers) was the most kick as bike I'd ever seen. I wanted both someday. The bottom custom was built from a kit by Perewitz and painted by Horst. I've got another fiberglass rear fender with lucas tail light - I just need the short, narrow springer - anyone have one they might sell me???????
A couple weeks ago I went out to Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware to see some sights. It wasn't what I expected. The East Coast is great. It's where it all started. The people that made us who we are . . . the greatest country on the face of the earth. I'm much prouder to be an American after seeing the sacrifices that were made before us. In Delaware, the beaches are nice - not crowded. The crab cakes delicious. Thank you to my tour guide(my brother a special agent). I'll be back.
I was being a rebel on Sunday. Riding from one friend's house to the next. Having a beer at each stop - exercising all the bikes me and Big Noot have . . . and generally raising hell in our little town. It was fun. The temp was about 50 degrees and nobody was on a motorcycle. Some rain was spitting sometimes. A perfect day in Iowa. My new Czech Army coat worked very well. My Coors Light tall can flew out of my pocket - whoops - that's alcohol abuse.
Jay and his brother both started racing together. Jay had a 125 or 250, Ken had a 360cc. Jay had to learn to ride harder to keep up. We see it paid off. Jay won his first #1 Plate when he was just 19 years old, beating out Roberts and Scott to take the title. Here he's 65X (before he got national number 25)
