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

_________________________________________________________________

Michael Lichter Show

 

_________________________________________________________

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....

Luggage Carriers for Cycles

Filed:  Aug. 5, 1953

Last Night Working in The Garage

I got these shovelhead cylinders for the 3.4665 pistons.
(QUIZ: Know what oversize that is???) 
I give 'em +.002 piston/wall fit.

These fancy panhead head gaskets - made for me in Italy.  Fire Ring style . . .

They line up nice, and fit tighter around the cylinder fire-ring than my other gaskets.  They feel sticky.  I super cleaned the surfaces with electrical contact cleaner - installed them dry as directed.

ABOVE: Heads on - Intake lined up and sealed.  These clamps don't work for everyone, but they seem to work for me?  Lube up the O-rings (with oily fingers) sure helped . . .

45 Short Block

This motor came with .325 lift cams (stock are more like .318 or .320) so, I'm not sure if they're a later model camshaft?  Hmmm?  I went with my patented cast-iron-gray high heat paint on the iron parts.  It will run an FM magneto.  This motor will power a TROG-ish, period race-type 45 with original frame and springer. 

All tappet faces were resurfaced on the valve grinder stem attachment.  WR/early XLCH solid mount magneto base plate.

Wide Exhaust Seat

I keep the exhaust valve seat "on the wide side."  I've read where a wide seat on the exhaust helps dissipate heat when the valve is shut . . . cooling the valve.  I could easily cut a 60 and a 30 and narrow the seat, but I'll leave it wide.  The 60 takes away material (which a guy might need for future valve jobs on this old iron) !

1952-53 K Model Cylinder (restored)

These are my K Model cylinders with standard bore.  I'll bore 'em +.010, and they'll replace my current +.070 cylinders (that are about wore out with +.006 and .008 clearance).  I smoothed out the ports.  I have some nitrite valves too.  I'll run the larger KH Intakes(seats cut accordingly) with new cast iron guides (I cut down the guides a bit for better air flow).  The cylinders had nice bores, but everything else was wore out.  I rounded up some better valves covers, new springs, collars and keepers - all NOS H-D.  The broken cooling fins have all been repaired.  This has only taken me about 2 1/2 years !  Ha . . . but aren't these cylinders beautiful ? ! ? !   From looking at the 45s all the time - the K-Model intake ports are HUGE !