Noot

RIX '64: Sportster Factory Luggage Rack

These racks are hard-to-find...and when you do find one, they go for $200-$300 bucks. Thanks to my friend Dennis for selling me a rack. (I sold him my own rack about 5 years ago, then wished I had it back) I modified an H-D Hummer seat (I like them since they have no seat tee bar) but they're the same shape and steel pan as the original XLCH solo seat. McFarland helped me make special brackets to mount the seat (which was restored by: Heathers Leathers of South Carolina).

I have a restored, original 1960s Tour Pak that quick attaches to the rack. It works slick - and I can now carry more stuff ! We reinforced the stock fender struts too (just for insurance).
All parts are moved back about 1.5" for added leg room - and "lean back" room. It rides and handles awesome - and I just need a long trip for a test . . . Where we goin'????

Mothership - City Nights

I've seen this band live about 4 times - and I like them. A good "biker music" kinda vibe. They are playing in Iowa City on Saturday night, but I go to bed by 10pm anymore - and I'm old - so I probably won't go. I met 'em through my friend Shea, and it's the kinda crowd I like to hang with . . . so maybe I'll crank a few on their videos, run 'em thru home theatre Bose - and rock out Saturday night before bed - and drink a couple beers to Mothership !

TECH: Pushrod Modifications

LEFT: Stock H-D Panhead

CENTER: Aftermarket Colony

RIGHT: Aftermarket Colony (modified end)

__________________

I got this weird sound on my '54 panhead engine. It's coming from the pushrod/rocker arm area, under the pan covers. It's not spring collars hitting, loose rocker arm bores or springs rubbing together. However, I did make a comparison with the fitment of the stock pushrod end ball fitment in the rocker arm versus my aftermarket pushrod ball end.

The aftermarket makes a little "click" sound . . . and that's when it's not even under pressure. The aftermarket ball doesn't have that flat on top,(or it's really small) and it kinda catches on the oil hole area in the center of that ball rocker socket.

I belt sanded a flat on it - now it doesn't do it... Maybe that was it??? The oem H-D pushrod didn't do it - now the aftermarket aluminum doesn't either. Hope that was it - or at least I did something - Gotta really check this shit.... These aftermarket aluminum pushrods are so big in diameter, they want to hit on the inside of your tubes, etc. I like the narrower aluminum ones...but nothing is as good as the oem H-D parts.

1952 FL Chopper

This things just runs so good . . . got it all detailed yesterday.

1936EL

This thing was pretty farted up. On the verge of self-destruction sums it up about right . . . My dad worked really hard on it the last month. Now it's solid - and when the gasses mix with the correct amount of oxygen - it should provide years of enjoyment powering around this great heart of American back roads. 1936 - A year in motorcycle engine production for Harley-Davidson that changed things for H-D, and all manufacturers - from that year onward.

Decorah, Iowa Run

I took this old blacktop A46 all the way east . . . The weather started out kinda foggy and damp, and later turned to sun. Back roads all the way...dodging Mennonite buggies fresh from Sunday church services. Their horse-drawn buggies leave deposits - so stay alert or you may squash a clump.

This is a good spot to regroup, look at the map - and hope your bike starts - it did !

Pulpit Rock Brewing ain't bad . . . I sat outside and got stung my a bee. My arm is all swelled to shit, and I just got the stinger dug out (after 18 hours) I didn't see it at first - but now it's almost tool late.

This DC11 Linkert works great. It likes it best when the rpms are kept up, so when you see a hill coming - keep it pegged and in the upper power band - no problems. My starting issue didn't come around on this run. 1 to 2 kicks max . . .

A stop near Bassett, Iowa to adjust my backpack . . . riding so fast, it got all shifted and kilter. Low beam burnt on this trip - and back home I noticed no tail light or brake light. This thing only has a 3 wires - so I should be able to figure it out. Thanks to Shane Einck for the refeshments. T-Bocks in Decorah has great grilled chesse sandwiches ! The Sugar Bowl wins for ice cream !

The Iron Maidens' Jam Session

...One of the breast bands I've seen in awhile -
. . . and you gotta love Iron Maiden !

Much goodness . . .

Photo Above: XLR Struts

When the Harley-Davidson race department made all these XLCH (original steel) parts from aluminum for the XLR race bikes, their goal was to lighten this thing up - make it go faster, and win some races ! I had steel fender struts on it for years - and my fender was fine. I put these aluminum struts on - and this thing vibrates like a tuning fork back there - cracking paint and buzzing like a true Milwaukee vibrator ! No rigidity....
No wonder most I see are cracked, missing the tacked on spacers - and if you are fortunate enough to find the aluminum fender (which my buddy Jeff has, but won't sell it to me(smiley face here)) they are all cracked too. Pretty to look at - not all that practical. But I still like 'em !

Edison-Splitdorf

Above: Bakelight Edison-Splitdorf rotor with broken off contact tab...

I'm working on a WR race motor that came factory with the big, square Edison magneto. It had no spark, and dad found that this was the culprit. Ordered one - $75.00 off Ebay - Ouch !

1964 XLH Engine

The battery had 11.8 volts. The water was low. Front tire had 11 lbs., rear had 14 lbs. Oil was black, primary oil a bit milky. Dead bugs on the windshield and the carb stained with old sticky dry gasoline. I wiped it off, did a bit of maintenance - it fired after about 10 kicks - and I rode it 12 miles on the superslab to Nashua, Iowa for a birthday party. I hadn't ridden it for over a year really. It felt small - rev'd high, wiggly - and a couple times I reached to my lower left, feeling for the jockey shift ball. Rusty at best.

On the return trip home, in the dark, with lightning strikes to the west, I headed west back home. Up to speed on the on-ramp to 65+mph....I hit the high beam and it went dark. Shit, high beam burnt out, back to low beam (which was pretty much shining on the ground). I'd wait for speeding traffic to catch up - then pick it up to 75+mph to run with them and use their headlight, then as they'd get away, back down to 60-65mph - completely overdriving my headlight distance. The headlight was too tight to move it as I reached up to mess with it at speed. Only 8 miles to go anyway.

I made it to my driveway, just as I could now hear thunder - no rain yet. I even got Cheryl to walk with me down to a high bridge on the river to watch Mother Nature's rapidly approaching light show.
As I wheeled this thing into the garage, I really felt pumped up after riding this thing again. I miss it.
This motorcycle has taken me so many places over the years, and always gets me there and back. It's been with me on so many adventures, and these early Sportsters are really awesome touring machines for the 2000 mile or less trips - which is about what I run anyway. I'm currently in preparation for a traditional Labor Day Run as always . . . and just decided - the '64 is goin' this year. Again.

Above: Some slick haired gent named Kurpius snapped this years ago during The Dice Party at Kung Fu Tap & Taco in Des Moines, Iowa. I had brought my tent, but I slept on the ground that night under the awning of the building??? All night I could hear mumbling, groaning, gagging, snoring, laughing, lighters clicking, beer tops popping - and other human created sounds. The soft talkin' continued until the sun was shining . . . me and my motorcycle were covered in morning dew.

Sarah, Chris & Josh . . .

What's the future hold for us?

Epic photo - eh? . . .

Aces & Eights

at Spirit of Sturgis . . .

Morty - The Official Shop Cat

Morty says,

"This water sucks . . . the raccoon's 'been drinkin' it again."

...or maybe it's the green mold on the deck???

Clean this shit off !

He'll drink it anyway . .

...sorry bud, I'll get right on that.

Gooseneck

The Future will be The Past

These are a few photos of the real natives of this land . . .The originals. Not immigrants. The hunter, the warrior, the rider, the traveler. Most of these politicians would have never made it livin' in their neighborhood. They were the Kiowa, Lakota, Sioux . . . about 200+ different factions. For thousands of years they lived off the land from Oklahoma, Texas, the Dakotas, Wyoming and all the way westward . . and looks like we'll have it fucked up in a mere 300 years?? I'm pretty sure they'll have the last laugh as the world will all be fighting with sticks and stones again . . . then we'll know what it's like to live the good life. Everything else is just "stuff."

It's just the way I see it.

Sitting Bull saw the future - and it happened as he said.

Here's to saving something worth saving for future generations.

Riding with Dad . . .

650 miles home - riding your chopper with your dad following on his FLHTCU (a lot of letters, if I got all of 'em?) Pretty classic times over the last 20 some years. One last kick before pulling in my driveway.... I look pretty dapper, but I was glad to be home !

Rollin' Thru The Black Hills

Spearfish Canyon
Whitewood

Nemo
Vanocker Canyon
Rochford

Custer

Deadwood

Johnson Siding

Old Side Car

TECH: Return Oil Passage Leak

You ever hear of a panhead leaking between the fins (on the 3rd fin near the exhaust ports - directly on the return oil passage) ??

I roughed up the area after cleaning and scrubbing, and using a propane torch to get all the oil out. Then, I applied JB Weld with a Q-Tip up between the cooling fins - let it dry and coated with a couple shots of H-D Silver Bead Blast paint. Previously, I noticed it was leaking a bit, so when I had the heads off - I ran some red glyptal down the passages to coat the inside oil return passages - it worked on the front head, not the rear. Must be a casting flaw?

I kept gettin' drips of oil on my trans ratchet, and running down the fins in the back. What the hell? I'd dry it all off, go for a ride, and discovered it was seeping out between the fins. Hope it stops the seeping. My goal is to have a well ridden panhead, with a clean engine - and look like I only get the thing out a couple times a year. (smiley face here)

Fulton Street Car Show

Live Music, Food, Beer and plenty of hot rods.

They block off the street and have at it !

Sturgis, SD

I like to hang around and watch 'em leave the party . . .

Varrooomnbaaa ! Screech !

The state of South Dakota doesn't use much salt on the roadways in winter months - they never have. The classics are all pretty much rust free.

I go to it every year. I just get in town for a bike deal -

.....and I go to a car show party.

...what the heck?

Jordan Dickinson at Union Speed & Style

He's a wizard at doing things correctly, and trying new techniques and methods - and twisting the norm with vintage components. That's the best way to describe it . . .