Choices

Lee Bullock Art

The Dream

From Cycle News 1976

Pre-Unit Pup

Daytona

Eli wins Daytona!

Wedge

These guys followed Flathead Rob home a while ago. The cyclist is pushing hard in the draft.

Unobtainable

I think everyone vintage motorcycle guy has a mental list of the motorcycles he wishes he could own but but probably never will. This one is #1 for me. Given their scarcity the pre-war T100's don't bring crazy money. Comparable bikes, like Velocettes of the same vintage are double the price. Many of the bikes in my top 10 (Crocker, HD JD, Vincent, Crocker Indian Scout) WAY WAY more expensive. Maybe one day I'll trade everything I own for one. I honest think they might be the most beautiful production motorcycles every built.

Bobby J's

Flathead Rob pointed out this nice video biography of Bobby J's Yamaha in Albuquerque, NM. The piece claims Bobby J's is the oldest Yamaha dealer in the US. The Johnson's opened Bobby J's carrying Indian in 1954 and swapped to Yamaha in 1958. Bobby J's is the first place I purchased parts from, at 8 years old.

Albuquerque Dealer

2017 ABATE Motorcycle Swap Meet

Newsreel - Packard Merlin Engine

Packard made them too! You can see the same Packard plant today in this incredible drone shot video.

Ride On Mr Tingley

It is with a heavy heart I learned of the passing of one of my most pivotal childhood mentors, Cedric Tingley. Ced left this earth just 6 days shy of his 100th birthday. Mr Tingley graciously fostered my love of motorcycles, taught me to ride safely and generously showed me almost everything else I could latch on to about being a great friend, father, well rounded man and role model. We'll all miss his smile, charming chuckle, wisdom and Maine-ism punctuated sentences with "Ayuh." I've written more than I feel up to saying about him here before. I can't thank you enough old friend. You touched my life, made me a better man and I will never forget you.

Newsreel - Development of the Roll Royce Merlin

I spotted this gem through British Ironworks Brian. Brian finds the coolest stuff.

Windham

One of my all time favorite riders. Kevin Windham.

Dewey's Cycle Appointment Calendar 1966

Paint Chip Cuda

The legendary "Paint Chip Cuda" appeared in Plymouth’s 1970 “Rapid Transit System” brochure as a brilliant means to demonstrate the 25 paint hues available to buyers that year.

Happy St Patrick's Day

Many Uses of the Indian 4

Thanks to Flathead Rob for sharing this one.

PhotoChop

Cab over engine Cadillac.

Glenn Miller A2

I spotted one of these Avirex Glenn Miller A2's in a store in 1988. At the time I was a very active bassist and wanted one desperately. It didn't however fit into my starving musician budget very well. I never forgot it. I've still wanted one for nearly 30 years. Avirex stopped making them in the early 1990's. Guess what I got for my birthday today! Rob, Lynn and Joey, you guys are incredible! It means more to me than I can even say.

MX Camp

My Mom & Dad generously sent me to the Suzuki School of Motocross the summer between 8th and 9th grade. It was a fantastic experience. I learned a ton and got both WAY faster and smoother. The school was hosted at the then famous Carlsbad GP raceway. I remember being so excited about riding the same track the best riders in the world then rode.

When my wife texted me the MX camp ad below a few days ago the whole thing came flooding back. I haven't wanted to be 30 years younger so much in a long time. That said, I'm super thankful motorcycles are still such an enjoyable part of my life, even if I can't clear an 80' triple jump.

 If you have a kid the camp would be suitable for... send them!

Green Monster #6

Walt and Art Arfon's Allison powered Green Monster number 6.

Knuck

New old '36 from Olsen land. Wow. Beautiful.

PhotoChop

Triumph Custom

Wiring

I've been trying to decide if I should cut up a stock wiring harness or build my own for the project I'm currently working on. Wiring sucks. It's pricey if you only need enough wire to build a simple custom harness. Especially if you choose to use cotton braided wire and period looking terminals. Last night I found CottonBraidedWire.com. From a price, selection and quantity perspective (10' increments rather than only full rolls) it looks promising. Anyone have any experience with them or any other source you'd recommend?

Tabletop

As my son Vaughn is rolling into the new BMX season we've just started working on his jumping a little. Naturally Vaughn has been asking a lot of questions about what I could and couldn't do when I was younger and less breakable. The sport has evolved enough over the years that I spend a fair of time saying stuff like "Back flips just didn't exist back then." I did however spend hours and hours working on the perfect "tabletop" when I was a kid. I wish I had some photos from that time but cell phone cameras didn't exist then either...

Just in case you need to work on that perfect 80's tabletop here's a "How To" from Bicycle Motocross Action magazine. I actually remember reading this article.

 Granted, BMX freestyle has evolved in unbelievable fashion since then but a tabletop (now a "whip" if you aren't prehistoric) still just exudes style in my book. If I was forced to choose I'd take being able to execute a textbook perfect tabletop/whip over a backflip any day. It's not a choice I'll make in my lifetime. It will be cool to see where Vaughn lands someday though.

1938 Norton Model 18

Here's a little research on getting the originality of my future Norton Model 20 just so. Ah, George... have I mentioned the Model 20 yet today?