Trouble

Lifted from Nostalgia on Wheels. This is one of the coolest old photos I've seen in a long time. There's a lot going on in that bunch. I'd kill to know what the lady stage right is thinking...

Beezer Bikini

Toasted

Another post from the Jamesville blog. Tragic story but this photo is hauntingly beautiful.

Fill 'er up

This photo from the Steve Stocker's blog is so cool it almost looks staged. Crazy how many of these guys don't even bother running lights. And people off the street give me crap about how "stripped down" my bike is...

Another One Bites the Dust

I pretty much knew within the first month it opened the Ace Hardware near my house was not going to make it. It didn't. I HATE HATE HATE Lowes and Home Depot. Damn! That quick trip for some stupid bolt or whatever is gonna mean a trip across town again.

Supercross

This weekend's LA Supercross main was probably one of the best races I've ever seen. Too bad the CBS coverage completely sucks. Stewart, Villopoto, Dungey... this season is gonna be a knife fight.

How to Chop a Top

The concept of chopping the top on 40's or 50's car always strikes me a seriously balls out move. Fascinated by this Butchered Kustoms post.

So Cool

Shamelessly lifted from Jamesville. Rules.

The Decker-Sheene Connection

Jeff Decker at the Cannonball in ABQ complete with high zoot rain gear. Justin said he read somewhere Jeff dropped out later that day. No question it was a brutal day.

I was seriously wondering what the story with that helmet. Now I know.

Buffalo Cafe

Kinda diggin' this one. It's been listed about a dozen times so the reserve must be ridiculous. I'm not sure I could run a stock tank if I were gonna build a GT750 cafe, they're kinda bloaty. I'd prefer a seat section that looked less like it should be on a flat-tracker too. Still cool. Wonder how much work GT750 in a Featherbed would be...

MidAmerica Recap

Wayne's Triumph Motorcycles has a nice Triumph centric recap of the MidAmerica auction in Las Vegas. I never noticed that Wayne Hamilton lived near Seattle part of the year before...

This post is really just an excuse to post another big, pornographic quality photo of the 1939 Tiger sold at MidAmerica.

Falcon Parts

Hmm, Falcon Motorcycles is getting into the parts business. Could be interesting. Here's to hoping Ian is going to reproduce the cool Triumph factory racer oil tanks he used to always use on all his bikes.



I remember seeing something several months ago that Paul d'Orléans of the Vintagent and Falcon were entering into a joint project to build Cafe Racers, perhaps around something like a Thruxton. That effort was equally shrouded in mystery.

Sure suspense generates interest but at this point I'm starting to wonder if they are just wild-assed ideas never executed.

Knuck

Lifted from Full Throttle or Bust. I think this might be the support bike the English guy was riding in the Cannonball. Loves me some Hollywood bars. Seat is a little too manly for me.

Forks Finished

Before:


After:


After lots of experimentation I ultimately only shorten the fork 1.25". My goal was to make it look like it was stock length rather than goofy. If no one ever notices I'll be satisfied. Now the rake looks odd to me. Maybe I went too far. I gotta just finish this thing and stop obsessing...

Forks 2.0

Did you know polishing sucks? Especially when you are doing the same job twice (the castings on the new lowers are in much better shape than my originals). Believe it or not the polished leg was in rougher shape than the remaining leg when I started.



If I can find the gumption to finish the polishing my newly shorten forks may be back together today.

Forks

I received my eBay GS forks yesterday. Other than the stanchions they are much nicer than they appear in this photo. Tore them down last night and only had a problem with one bolt (thanks whomever invented the extractor). All the internal parts look pristine. All the castings on the lowers are perfect. I think the lowers will clean up really well (not looking forward to polishing a second set). New York state inspection tag said the bike had 11,000+ miles when last registered in 2003.

Bettie's BSA

Did you know that Bettie Page rode a BSA?



Purloined from the Iron Wigwam page...

ABQ Motorcycle Club

Thanks again to BitMonkey for arranging the visit to Robbie, where we got an amazing look at his extensive collection, but even better, a really amazing oral history of NM motorcycling.

Based on Robbie's description, we tracked down the original 1940's clubhouse for the Albuquerque Motorcycle Club... These were the Harley riders, and Indian and import riders joined the New Mexico Motorcycle Club if I remember what Robbie told us.



Thanks, Robbie!

GS Update

I'm really reluctant to share pics of the GS project as it's still in the getting uglier phase. That said a couple of friends have asked for an update. Honest, it'll be pretty cool someday. Flathead45 helped me a bunch over Christmas as I'm still pretty limited physically from the surgery.

The front fender & integrated fork brace will go back on once I get the remaining fork pieces. I've also decided I'm gonna use the same trick I did on the Triumph to shorten the fork a little. As is the fork looks too long and a little goofy to me.

Suzuki Cafes

Speedo Delete

I was working on Flathead45 to whip out a speedo delete for the rear wheel on 'Liv given his new found lathe chops. Today I discovered Troy Fab is making exactly what I had in mind, sold through Lowbrow Customs. I may have to pick one up if the the cafe project ever stops sucking every spare cent I have.