Noot

Competition Tires: Goodyear Grasshoppers

In the days of scrambles racing - the Goodyear Grasshopper tread design was a proven winner. They came factory on the early XLCH models. Restoration guys are known to fight over these. Like any old part, once it's reproduced, the originals aren't worth quite as much, 'cause some guys don't really care. Plus, used tires are usually hard and weather checked.

Coker Tire Company produced a reproduction version, but I'll have to see their website for details and specifications.

Schwinn offered their own version of Grasshoppers - with slicks, and front runners in green and black. I have a set of green ones - and I've heard they're worth about $250 each, so I try to keep them out of the sun . . . I should sell them and take a trip !?!?!

Vintage Show & Swap Meet this Saturday

. . . at The National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa. If you haven't been to the museum, this is a great opportunity to check it out ! I'll be vending with used and abused parts under my EZ-Up Tent with a cold cooler of ice water, ready for the 95+ degree heat. Vintage Parts, Bike Show, Vendors . . . then slip into the museum and see some race bikes, dragsters, relics, choppers . . . and more historic memorabilia than you can image - all assembled by our late, great and never forget him ever - John Parham that put together one of the best collections in the world. Jump on a bike (or in the car) and come and see us !
Respectfully,
Noot

Month of May Photos . . .

Above: Nate's Bike

Above: Aztec Gold (I want some of this color on my latest build)

Above: The '64 is ready for a run !

Above: Sore knuckles after workin' on a knuckle . . .

Nicky Hayden(69) Chris Carr(20) Scott Parker(2)

This blog is Harley Country . . . if you don't like it . . .

stick around - you might start to like it ?

Mees ain't the only one . . .

. . . who likes to jam it in there !

North Iowa / Southern Minnesota

My camera stopped working? So this is the only photo that came out. Maybe it was the "12 mile gravel road detour" I took that didn't look too bad at first - but then turned into the Mojave desert, complete with water ruts and huge rocks. It shook me - but nothin' fell off !
Chopper motocross . . .
200+ miles = 60 interstate, 130 two-lanes, 12 gravel, 2 farm field fence line, 1 mile cow path and only (1)PBR.

The GOOD: Heavy Duty Transmission Door

All the transmission gears look good and spin freely. No chips or nicks on initial inspection.

. . . and special Center Case Bolt. The big bore cylinders (and bored cases) require a modified bolt to clear the larger cylinder spigots. All looks ok . . .
The BAD: The No. 2 ,3 and 4 cam bearings(case side) are toast (lost many rollers which went through the breather and were in the lower end). I picked at the rollers and they easily just fell out.

This motor was ready for a redo . . .

Micro Motorcycle

I found another one of these tiny toy motorcycles at an antique store. I wonder if they're from a game of some kind . . . ? Tiny dirt bike.

Lita Ford TONITE !

She's been doing it for a long long time . . . Ready to Rock !

The First Lady of Metal

80s Metal Goddess: Lita Ford - Still Rockin' !
(with very special guest; Steelheart )

Ironhead Sportster Performance Tricks

Chris's stroker motor has a few upgrades . . . Like inverted screen and milled oil reservoir for faster oil return and less camshaft drag. (NOTE: The screen was full of shavings, pieces of piston rings and some aluminum chunks)

The stock gear cover was modified to run needle bearings for less resistance. This feature has been debated as to how much gain to expect . . . but every little bit helps.

The No. 2 cam bushing fell out on dis-assembly. The pin was out too - yikes ! I have to fix this with a new bushing, or get the old one back with a tighter, press fit?

The original 1/4 speed pump (marked with an R for racing) now runs 1/2 speed gear breather.

This funky one-way breather valve is pretty cool. A diaphragm type breather with custom made base - pretty trick kids !

The original builder stamped his mark in the cases.

Welding and Milling and . . . Thinking

Above: The steel insert plug (near the breather bolt) was cracked - and falling out. Crooks removed the plug and welded it shut.

DC Welding tig'd up all my cracks and breaks, then McFarland machined and spot faced. I had the relay boss milled off (to clear my magneto base).

The stroker flywheels (small stroke) only needed minor clearance (to clear the pinion nut) The case cylinder spigot for rod clearance) was machined by Jeff Wiley. Lots of little stuff to check on these stroker motors.

WLA Jiffy Stand Spring

Do I have this hooked correctly? It was the only way it worked, and it still barely hits the top nut when parked. New-old-stock spring in H-D package. I greased it a bit too . . .

Fresh

Waiting for advance weights . . . set the timing and bolt it in . . .

Axtell vs. Stock

I met Chris about 5 or 6 years ago at the Davenport Swap Meet (near the bathroom party area) and we talked strokers, Doc Dytch, Leo Payne, drags, big bores . . . who the hell is this kid? He goes by Lil' Chris outta New Berlin. He runs his S&S big bore stroker on trips to Chicago, Des Moines, Byron . . . it's his "road bike" complete with 25T trans sprocket. Well, it gave up the ghost on May 6th and he needed his AAA(triple A) roadside assistance. The 900(Axtell Cylinder) on the left, and a stock 1000cc on the right. Taller with lots of meat . . . special head bolts, it runs modified, original Branch heads too . . . Crazy ass cool shit kids !

Full Moon Nate's '66 CH

This '66 has the nicest set of cases. No heli-coils, no welds, not abused - just about factory fresh. The trans mainshaft race was shot and the rods were cooked. A few new shafts, rebuilt rods, trued the wheels, all endplay up to snuff. Nothin' to sniff at . . . it's 1966 all over again.

Knucklehead Digger

You just don't see a lot of these. If they use a knuckle motor, the build is usually a long chopper or a bobber - but hardly ever the low digger style.

1988 Entry List

Nat'l No. 76 Buffington from Prairie du Chien? I wonder if he still lives there, or has any old XR parts he doesn't want anymore? I know he raced the Super Trackers a couple years.
Names that made a national number . . . Brian Atherton, Bryan Villella(still rides), Dave Hebb, Delbert Beck, Don Wilson - all fast as hell once to earn national digits. Others went on to greatness like Doug Chandler and Jim Filice. Many familiar names that still race today, with one family member or another. Some are deceased, but Flat track Racing goes on for generations . . . like the Texters.

The Born Losers

Last night after applying Bondo to my fender, lube of the WLA primary chain, adjusting a rear chain, painting white trim on my house, painting cylinders and finishing the internal wires on my handlebars . . . I ordered a pizza from Cedar River Pizza Co. (the best) and watched this movie on VHS. I didn't remember it being quite this violent. My wife yelled from upstairs, "What's all that screaming going on ????"

It would probably be rated X by today's standards. The best parts are when Billy Jack kicks ass ! I kept hittin' PAUSE to check out the chops. The chics ain't bad either. The guy in the bug gets thumped hard, but he had his chance to shut-the-_____-up.