VIP - Tours - Archives - Food & Friends - Milwaukee, Wisconsin ! MAMA TRIED

Scott was nice enough to grant us VIP tours of the H-D Factory (Powertrain Plant) and the H-D Archives at the museum.  Photos were not allowed at the factory, but it was interesting to see how the new Twin-Cam engine is built . . . even if we don't give a shit about anything made after the 1970's.  The x-rays are of a guy named Robert Craig Knievel.  The "Sturgis Softail" is the only one ever built by H-D.  Turkey Burgers,  Mac & Wisconsin Cheese . . . & Kruse . . . round it out.   
Quote of the week:   
"I miss you - love you . . . but, I love choppers more."

Fast Mothers ! - MAMA TRIED

One aspect that made this show unique was the variety of motorcycles on display.
- Real Race Bikes (not just wanna-be race bikes)

There's a lot of customs out there with race parts - which is cool . . . but, it's easy to get confused with a real race bike, or a retired race bike.  Real race bikes serve only one purpose - to go fast.  To go fast in a certain direction for a fixed amount of time. 

A White Knuckle Ride @ MAMA TRIED

One of my favorites of the show . . .

Leave Wednesday for the Show - Saturday !

 

Ricky, Shea & myself in the Noot's van . . . headin' to Milwaukee.  We all needed a mini vacation to get our minds clear and relax . . . What a trip-out !  We check out Warren's workspace . . . meet a cool cat Kendall (who hand builds all his shit - and is a kick-ass painter ta boot . . .)  Ricky (being the total punk-rock historian of all time) needs to czech out Acme Used Vinyl .
Fuel Cafe for lunch. ( I have 180 photos )  MAMA TRIED

Living Lost - Josh Kurpius

The Mama Tried Show is the reason.  The other reason is Living Lost by Josh Kurpius at the Harley-Davidson Museum.   I want to see the photos.  I want the dirty, greasy and envious feeling I'll get when I view the history Josh captures of his trials & travels with his friends.  Friendships forged on the road, on motorcycles, on vintage choppers especially, most likely last forever.
Pictured above: Josh's trusty 1000cc Sportster which is captured in a very rare moment of repair.

Class C Racing

This racer has his street bike outfitted for a race.  Low bars, big tank, fender pad, early XLR shocks . . . he's ready to go the distance.  He probably found out later to ditch the high-pipe, bore the carb(X-9 butterfly), XLR pipes . . . then maybe cams, turn the cylinders . . . or just sell it and buy a boat. 

This guy was bitten . . .

by the "early Sporty" bug.  On his desktop and everything . . . 

Pipes, Shocks and Speedo !

XLCH Admiration . . .

 . . . knows no boundaries.

Billy's Shovelhead

We jammed all week . . . and got Billy's motor done.  The rocker boxes were pretty corroded, so with some wet sanding, buffing . . . and the wondrous powers of Mothers Mag & Wheel Polish . . . we gave this ol' girl a little sparkle to go with a fresh rebuild. 

Race Shit

I like street bikes with a couple race parts . . .

Cop Bike

Aluminum Stroker Cylinders

 . . . I see he's got his oil tank turned around too ?

Dave Polgreen & Pete Mason

Here they are adjusting the straps on Dave's UL . . . on it's way to The One Show a couple weeks ago.  I like all the customs they put together - all their builds are runners.  I've had the opportunity to grow up in a family of Harley-Davidson all my life, so guys who are "into it" come and go.  I know Pete & Dave are here to stay.

Very Cold in Iowa

A month of below zero freezing pipes, ground frost, engine blocks . . . 

Never saw Main Street Dam quite like this.
Warm up this week !

Gak & Me . . .

 . . . we both love '61 Sportsters. 

Billy's Shovel cont . . .

Billy had low-compression pistons (nothing really wrong with that), but he had a bit too much cylinder clearance.  So, I found him a set of (standard compression) pistons that were actually a little on the big side.  I just had to hone a little more out to give him proper fitment (.0015-.002).  It had a big duration cam, low compression with leaky valves.  He said it was kinda a dog . . . that's why.  Now, we upped compression to 8.5:1 - with a better torque-type cam - and new valve job.  He just wanted a stock, reliable engine - it's paid it's dues . . . rumored to have over 100,000 miles of service already.

This was pretty awesome . . .

If you know about any type of music whatsoever, your band may not have happened if it wasn't for these 4 boys who America gave a welcome to come over.  Gracious as always, they took America's very own music and gave it a twist of badness, sadness and soul.  I don't know how many people of all ages asked me "If I saw this the other night . . ???? "   Most of the tribute songs were very good - but, when McCartney hit the mic it was pretty awesome - he can still play and sing his rock-n-roll.