Noot

September 29th

Vintage drag racing is really catching on . . . It's back for good - and that's a good thing ! Too many of these race cars and motorcycles have sat in fields and museums far too long. "Vintage" drags are different from "Nostalgia" in that there's no modern powerplants, wheels, nitrous, etc. It's better. You can't believe how fast these cars run until you see it yourself. Vintage roar out those headers. So get out your old Wynns Friction Proofing pit jacket, grease that hair . . . and we'll see ya at the strip.

ABOVE: That same day, September 29th, we got this pro mile motorcycle race going on at Canterbury Downs horse track. I love AMA flat track - since my first race at the '76 Indy Mile. But this venue is a total black tie, fuzzy affair at a ritzy "horse racing track" that just doesn't do it for me.
$45+ admission price with $9 beers, $8 popcorn and $12 hot dogs. Free parking? Maybe? I know, that's harsh, but . . I just can't get into it. There's no history at this track - and horse tracks are dangerous for motorcycles. The promoters more interested in the fact the facility has VIP suites over rider safety or history. Can we bet on the races too? Yuk. I couldn't even find a decent poster showing the event - (but you can find Ticketmster!) The whole place just smells like corporate rotten fish eggs. Sponsored by Indian (which I'd never own one of those brand-x ugly turds(no offense really) . . . and I hope an H-D wins the whole thing - but we all know it won't, since H-D is trying to win these pro races with a production engine with a Vance & Hines pipe on it - competing against race-only motors. Hey, Harley did it for years with the XR750....but I'm a Harley guy, always will be. I don't jump around with motorcycle brands, I ride old Harley-Davidsons - and put more miles in than most, so I guess I get my say? It's what I do for now.

I guess Sept 29th I'll hook up with a buddy on his pan chopper, meet another dude on a knuckle, throw in a couple ironheads and a vintage Kawi and hit the vintage drags this time. We'll have a grand ol' time and we know it. Hopefully No breakdowns, no problems, no cops - 2 laners all the way with beautiful scenery. No super slabs. We'll meet some new people and make new friends that like old bikes like we do. PBR and Miller beer signs through every town- and hot rod drags all day !
Just sounds like more fun to me?!?! See ya then. -Noot

Brakes are Brakes

If you ride a motorcycle without a front brake (spool wheel) you get some flack about it from time to time. The old H-D cable brakes aren't much better. If you panic and over-brake, that's worse than not having a brake at all. It's best to just ride a reasonable speed for the conditions, and don't override your motorcycle or your skill level. We all want to be doin' this stuff for many more years. Use your head, use your smarts and experience, and when necessary - Don't use your brake.

Fixin' all our friend's stuff . . .

Randy's '48WL cylinders are bored, honed, valves ground, seats cut and lapped - No leaks !

Troubleheads . . .

Knucklehead shortblock . .

'48 heads and '37 cylinders - ready for blasting . . .

Ray Weishaar

Two of the most widely published and recognized photographs of Harley-Davidson Racing history . . . these of Ray Weishaar. He won many races, and set multiple track records. He crashed through a fence at high speed while racing at age 33. His internal injuries went unnoticed until it was too late.
Ray was a member of the original "Harley Wrecking Crew" and one of the "Hog Boys."

You're not supposed to . . .

. . slide on pavement !
#Metzeler #Dunlop #Avon #Goodyear #Pirelli #Bridgestone

No. 98

Terry Hux & Noot Sr.

. . . a couple panheads on the City Tap Run.

This is Incredible !

Joe Leonard doesn't let up one bit . . .

The ambulance on coarse - and they just go on racing !

Leonard and Resweber could ride a motorcycle !
The last minutes have Leonard slidin' both wheels...

When in doubt . . ?

. . . give it just a bit more.

XLR

There's one of these in a garage or barn somewhere? We just gotta find it ! You can see the aluminum front motor mounts - and extra reinforcing dome on the clutch/primary cover.

Gettin' High in Davenport

The guy that rides this bike is an eclectic individual. High pipe, Grasshopper, flat lens, stock shocks . . . What's this color called?
Hi-Fi Green?

Panheads, Mississippi River and Smoke

Sunny day on Saturday . . . after a few adjustments from my 300+ mile Davenport Run, (like fixin'the fuel shut-off rod)
. . . it was time for a river run to the Mississippi.
Let's Go !

My dad rode along on his 1965 FLH.
Took our first stop in Clermont, Iowa. All is workin' great at this point . . .

Waitin' on road construction, flagman, pilot car, all that jazz . . .

Hey ol' man.... You still back there??? The Great River Road.

My speedometer is about 12mph slow due to my 25T trans gear.

Not long after this photo . . . I'm thinkin' to myself how great my bike is running, and what a beautiful day it is . . . then smoke started rolling from under my dash, and around my battery. Holy shit ! I killed the motor, coasted to the side and found a shorted wire. I wired BAT to the wrong side of the circuit breaker, it got pinched, and shorted. We robbed the horn wire off his bike, ran it direct from battery to coil, and I made it back with a total-loss electrical system - about 80 miles. Can't kill a panhead I guess? Got it fixed Sunday. Ready to go again ! Now where ?

I fixed my camera fellas . . .

My Canon A570IS had a screw loose, so I took it all apart and fixed it. Gotta keep this blog alive - now - pics of vintage iron with a vintage camera ! I've been riding around on my low bike lookin' at the high water from recent heavy rains. We got 8 inches over a few days here.

My PM front brake was squeekin' a bit today.

I had to do some hard stops to get it deglazed...

- too much sitting in the garage under a bed sheet !

This GBL carb is the shit. Perfect response, starts great . . . but, it likes to spit on ya. Arlen Ness would be proud.

Blown Head Gasket Fix

This friend of mine thought he had an exhaust leak. It wasn't the pipe. He had a blown head gasket and rode the thing about 30 miles like that . . . I coulda slapped him ! It cut a nice ditch right across the head. Never fear - I blasted it, Dustin welded it up, McFarland surfaced the head, Noot recut the seat . . . and it's ready for the motor.

John Boy's 45"

This rare '46WL motor is finally completed. It runs a thrifty set of cams, took the sharp edges off the ports . . . runnin' the good heads, magneto - hey, it should be a runner. It was a mess, but I cleaned up the mess.

The aftermarket valve covers had this really cheesy zinc plating on 'em. I soaked all of it in acid for a bit, painted the uppers with cast iron gray - and the lowers (I think?) are stainless steel. I like the look. I painted the oil pumps and other small parts cast too.

I lapped the sprocket taper to the shaft taper for a solid fit. The aftermarket gear needed a modified key to work.

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 !