Noot

The Horse Backstreet Chopper Show

It's held on MONDAY every year at the Full Throttle Saloon. Stevenson Cycle (Michigan) does a great job with the show - and the magazine of coarse. The best door prizes, and cool awards always.

Always more than just choppers . . .

Here's a chopped ironhead - in more ways than traditional . . .

Scenic, South Dakota

I've stopped at this church/trading post every year since it opened. Ice cold beer and buffalo meat. This rancher found a dead mother bison out in the grassland, and he could tell she'd given birth recently. After a 1/2 day search, over a rise he spotted this buffalo calf. Under weight, picked at, sores from coyotes, bites - and really pissed off. His name is Scooter, and he's tough as hell. Weighs almost 100lbs now after 4 short weeks. Maybe he'll tame him down, and we can ride 'em next year?
I'll let you go first !

The Sidehack Saloon and Loud American Roadhouse

This band rocked . . . that's about all I remember.

I woke up with all these ONES around me?

Survivor

Please Don't Thouch ???? I hate it when that happens . . .

HUX

Darrel rode his superb FXRT out this year . . .

Bugs to prove it !

Fun drinkin' with ya buddy !

Black Hills Rally'n . . .

. . . and I hooked up with some road rebels.

Chad's ignition switch took a shit out in the middle of nowhere,

But who cares ? Who needs a switch???

It's a panhead so you just keep on truckin' . .

I got me some tail gunners . . .

There ain't much out here . . .

so keep those pistons jumpin' up and down !

First thing I do is hit a bar. Beautiful night.

Sturgis Main Street

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Michael Lichter Show

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Races were good this year too . . .

Buffalo Chip TT

Black Hills 1/2 Mile in Rapid City

The baby 450s . . .

Frames with Slicks

Byron, Illinois Trip

I like to stop for a break on this dead end road, next to this fancy brick home. Check my bungee cords, look things over. I've gone about 120 miles on back roads(with a detour) at this point....

Nice scenery most of the way - winding through woods with some climbs to small towns on the top of hills. Almost every little 'burg has a building that would make a really cool motorcycle shop !

My destination is the Meltdown Drags in Byron. Illinois - but I've seen 3 cars shows already along the way !

This is what it's all about today !

The moderate tail-wind made for some quick times.

Fun times just hangin' out with friends.

Luke is so funny, Maggie is just so cool - Thanks for the good times.

Most all the cars pulled the front wheels a bit . . .

My journey was right at 500 miles for the weekend. Nice weather, not too hot. Bike ran strong. Next, I'll replace my worn front Avon Speedmaster, maybe stiffen the clutch springs, new cable, oil change, adjust the rear chain and re-lube. It should be ready for the 1500 mile trip coming up !

Christian Newman

Last year at Sturgis I ran out to Buffalo Chip early Monday morning to check out the Michael Lichter Show (better when nobody was around). Christian Newman, Brad Gregory and Danger Dan all had the same idea. I'd never met Christian, and he had some innovative features of his Evo Sportster to adapt it to long range touring. His bike is a chopper custom all-the-way . . and you don't notice his engineering genius here and there until you get lookin'. We ended up all riding together out to check The Horse Show at Full Throttle, snapping pics and gawkin' at the scenery. I see Christian is one of the (3) selected builders of the new Indian Scout Custom Project - to be unveiled at this year's rally at Buffalo Chip.
SEARCH: The Wrench, Christian Newman at You Tube Pretty cool there Newman !

Big Smiths

The Black Sportster

Now I'm running those Alto Red clutch fibers (wet). I soaked them overnight, then lightly wiped 'em off. I left the clutch basket cover off. The clutch in this thing has always been touchy as hell. Tiny adjustments make big differences - dragging or slipping in high under acceleration. Better hit neutral before you stop type-o-deal. Just a little draggy. As the clutch warms up - there goes any free play you had at the lever - not good. After a lot of testing, I can live with it now. I made a "clutch cable luber" from a piece of rubber hose - and ran everything from Motion Pro Cable Lube, DuPont Chain Lube, a shot of Lincoln Spray Grease - and finally some lube from a 30 year old can of genuine Harley-Davidson chain lube . . . which works perfect since it dribbles out (with no pressure in the can shooting back at you from the straw). Now it works a bit better. Wiley has a genuine H-D clutch cable for me, and I'm getting it soon - gotta get this bike working for The Meltdown Drag Run.

Ultra dark shield on the Simpson Street Bandit is so I can ride across town and not have to wave at everybody . . . small town life. They know who I am anyway.

Sturgis

I know right where they're standing....
(I didn't know that used to be a One-Way)
Mick's got his clear specs so he don't get busted !

1954-1957 Saddlebag Brackets

I bought these original Bubble Bag Brackets for rigid frames. I blasted off the rust and peeling paint, which exposed a crack. After welding, some sanding, primed and painted with original H-D Silver Barrel Paint - they are ready for installation.

Bubble Bags for Rigid Frames

This style of saddlebag was first offered in 1954. I believe they were designed by William Harley, and he patented his design? I bought the bags(without lids) for $75/pair since they had holes, and were all beat to shit. Using sheet metal, old sign material, license plate metal, pop rivets and Gorilla tape . . . they are now solid. I sealed the seams with gasket maker - then lined the bags with speaker cabinet carpet(when I was in a rock band for 3 months) and 3M spray fixative.. They look crusty from the outside, but nice and soft on the inside. Ready for your leather jacket, clothes, camera or a bag of chips and cookies.

PS. Last night I sprayed 'em with the garden hose all over to see if they'd leak - Nope ! But we all know a garden hose ain't no match for Mother Nature....