Noot

Vintage Road Racing

I'll bet this one sounds good wound up . . . ?

Dry Clutch

From LIFE Magazine

Is this a 2 Cycle ?

Brush with Crest

I was at a bike deal this summer, drinkin' a couple beers with a dude I know. He said any guy that rides an ironhead Sportster needs one of these in his tool kit.

Timing Plug (on-the-road-fix)

I guess it's less weight than my Heli-Coil Kit, cordless hand drill and grease I carry now?

The British

Momma likes Short Track Short Track Short Track . . .

Indians

I'd ride an Indian like this(if I could run the shift/clutch and throttle)

. . . sweet bike !

Up to $21,000+ now (Reserve Not Met).
This WR thing is gettin' out of control . . . Holy Shit !
TROG Racers Unite ! Now they all want to do it - Vintage Flat Track is the hottest thing since the "Waffle Iron" - Iron XR !
Ka Ching Ka Ching !

I just got an idea . . .

I should go through all the old shop tickets (customer lists) of all the customers my dad had who rode panheads and knuckleheads and see if they still got 'em . . . FXRs, old stroker Sportsters, big and fat dresser FLHs . . . It's a heck of a full file. Or maybe not.

Lists

1961 XLCH

From the Cut & Mat Book . . . we should make some shirts !

Al Knapp's Race Bike

This '48WR is on Ebay . . up to $14,000 Reserve Not Met

If you can't afford it . . .

at least get some great photos for future reference !

Al Knapp 26e

Dice Magazine Issue No. 80

Get it in the USA

Get it in Ontario

Get it anywhere in the world

They got cool grips too !

and shirts !

DICE MAGAZINE

S&S Kit: 11-2902

Replacement parts from your local speed shop . . .

Earlier Version . . .

This one has the choke as a separate entity attachment. For racing you can remove the choke casting on the end and affix your velocity stack. The choke housing will accept a velocity stack or an air cleaner. GB=1 3/4" bore (I think?) I know the Model GBL is 1 3/4" bore.

1965 Cast Iron Pump

. . . with straight threads for the sending unit. Usually, you get people who try to screw pipe threads into the straight threads or vice-versa. If it's flat on top(for a brass washer) it's straight threads. The straight threads are for the old "all steel" sending unit, with the knurling on it. The newer plastic sending units have tapered threads.

'65 Panhead

This same panhead engine (with the flywheels full o' holes) has these sleeved cylinders. Looks like a good job however.

The inside of the cases are all gooped up with some type of yellow sealer? It looks weird, but I guess it's ok too . . .

Check out these lifters. Kinda neato. They have sealing rings (like a piston ring) that runs in tappet bore. Fancy.

You must compress the rings to get them in the tappet block. I'd never seen these before. Which aftermarket company made these?

Floyd Emde

Californian Floyd Emde was a very dominate racer of the 1940s. His career would have gained many more victories if not interrupted by WWII. He excelled at hill climbs, flat tracks, TTs and road racing. Emde won at The Milwaukee Mile - and was the 1948 Daytona 200 Winner.

PHOTO ABOVE: Tom Sifton with racers Floyd Emde and a fast youngster named Joe Leonard.

He raced Harleys and Indians and whatever could win and put money in his pocket. His son Don Emde also won the Daytona 200 (the only father and son to separately win the event). Floyd ran his dealership and lived a great life of racing, selling and enjoying the great sport of motorcycling.

1965 Panhead Flywheels

I disassembled a '65FLH lower end . . . and these are the flywheels. It looks like someone tried balancing these in an unorthodox method??? I never like seeing all the holes opposite the counterweight (near the crank pin). The flywheels are in nice shape otherwise . . . and I'll have them dynamically balanced before reassembly. This could be the reason the motorcycle sat for years and years. It shook so bad it cracked the fenders, made your hands numb, and was an overall "buzzing" experience for the rider and/or passenger. "Honey, Let's Just Take The Car."

Knuckleheads (Click Photo for a BIG View !)

I really like all 3 of 'em . . . when I build one someday - It will be like one of these. Knuckleheads are expensive$$$$$ . . . and Bill Mize has a unique ( 2 for 1) way of looking at this fact . . .

It goes something like:

2 Ironheads = 1 Shovelhead

2 Shovelheads = 1 Panhead

2 Panheads = 1 Knucklehead

Fixin' my ice tire next week . . .

. . just got my tube in the mail

Jerry and Jack

Ol' Sporty Boys from Illinois . . . and lots of valuable information has been gained from these two brothers. We always have a great time at the Davenport Swap Meet with them. They dig anything 1952-1969 in the K,KK,KH,KHK,XL,XLC,XLH and of coarse . . . XLCH !

House of Large Sizes

I spent some time in the late 1980s at a bar called Steb's Amusement Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The singer/guitar player and his girlfriend (on Bass) made some decent records - and I loved going to their concerts. The Dig Mandrakes, Drednex, Boys with Toys . . . all great local bands, but House was just my favorite.

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."