Motorcycles

[Railsplitter]

Last bike I owned was this 2004 Road King. Sold it in 2013 and still miss it occasionally.
Passenger seat removed.jpg

And my first Harley. A 1992 1200 Sportster. Photo taken by my friend's wife from the back seat of his bike.
Harley slide show 001.jpg

I not only like your taste in knives, Rick, but now your taste in bikes.
I wanted a Sporty so badly at one point I actually thought of saving up for one but never did.
In the picture it appears you have colors on, might I ask what your patch reads? Thx!

It’s interesting that you mentioned saving up for a Sporty because that is exactly what I did to get that bike. I worked a second job at a gas station/convenience store for 8 months.

I got that job solely because I wanted a Harley. Didn’t really need the money otherwise. I put every penny in the bank and worked overtime at my primary job until I saved up enough for a hefty down payment. It was my first loan so I had to have a large down payment so the bank wouldn’t have anything to lose. I wanted to make sure I got that loan.

They aren’t colors but I did have a large patch on the back. It was a HOG patch (Harley Owners Group) because I was a member of the local HOG chapter.

[Madmarco]

Thanks for taking the time to explain/type that all, Rick.
How you explained your method to save the money is exactly what I'd have done, except my main job WAS as the Manager of the very first Texaco gas bar/car wash in Winnipeg, and it had been offered to my Dad who was already the lessee for one of their other service stations, so he sent me over to the new place as the Manager and began an advertising campaign about where to go for all your gasoline, service, and wash needs. With all the responsibilities I already had at the new location it was impossible for me to get a second job, so I made an attempt from only my existing wages to start saving for a Sporty, but with a wife and 1yr. old the savings quickly went elsewhere.
I often wonder had I been able to buy the bigger more powerful Sportster if it wouldn't have slowed me down a little and made me more responsible when riding, instead of just blasting away top speed every time I got on the Triumph. Probably not though, the problem never was the bikes, it was always me!
I was praying your patch didn't read, "Hell's Angels"! lol!

[Unk]

...A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. 1982 or so.

Me with my 1979 Honda CR 250 Elsinore. Sold it in 1984 to pay for a semester of college. It was the last of 8 motorcycles I had between the ages of 6 and 22 - all dirt bikes (my parents rode dirt bikes too.) We never rode on the street.

[Madmarco]

Great story, Mike!
It's fortunate that your choice of bikes kept you off the busy and dangerous streets, yet you still got to experience the thrill of riding a bike. I wish I'd been so lucky! lol!

[Ridgegrass]

A friend of ours just restored a Bonneville 650. He put 10 coats of paint on the tank! It looked better than new. I wanted it sooo badly! But I flipped my Joanie off the back of a Matchless back in '72 and I knew she'd never get on it. He sold it for $9K. The Matchless was a 500 single that I stretched out for hill climbs. She was a great machine. Marco, I was a Triumph addict. My fastest was a TT. Back then that was moving. Have you seen the new Triumphs? They are unreal fast. When I look at the kids and adults cruising along with cell phones in their faces I think maybe I'm better off on the couch with my knives. O'.

[Madmarco]

It's really odd, John, I was excited when I heard that Triumph would be making their bikes again, even though my riding days are over!
The first thing I did was look them up online to see how they look, so yes, I've seen the new Triumphs if only in pictures.
In the Switchblade forum under "Roy's Italian Switchblades", Roy posted a picture of a 2018 model he had highly modified, and although the picture is in the distance you can still make out it's gorgeous profile.
I totally agree with you that the safest place nowadays is at home with our knives, cuz the folks on bikes these days seem to have even less respect for their vulnerability factor than I did back in 1975. I can't even wrap my mind around riding a Scoot and using a phone at the same time, no respect for sure!

[Ridgegrass]

I was thinking of the cell phone addicts in the cars. Joan and I call them, "Robots". O'.

[Madmarco]

Of course, John. I got so wrapped-up with irresponsible bike riders I totally forgot about all the "Robots" in cars, who are the original offenders and who started the whole driving/phone controversy in the first place.

[1967redrider]

...A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. 1982 or so.

Me with my 1979 Honda CR 250 Elsinore. Sold it in 1984 to pay for a semester of college. It was the last of 8 motorcycles I had between the ages of 6 and 22 - all dirt bikes (my parents rode dirt bikes too.) We never rode on the street.

My brother traded firewood for one of them, but it never paid out and the owner is deceased now. Who knows where the bike is now. The owner used to sleep at the local watering hole bar.

[Madmarco]

He might not really be deceased, John!
Did you check the local watering hole; he maybe just sleeping!

[mqqn]

2006 FXDi

1961 DuoGlide

1997 Kawasaki Concours zg1000

1980 KZ1000A4

1986 FXST Softail Standard

1992 FXSTS Springer

1999 FXST Standard and the pan before I refurbished it.

2015 Kawasaki Concours ZG1400

The pan when I was putting it back together.

[edgy46]

Andy I love that pan. The best engine Harley ever built.

[mqqn]

Thanks Bill.

It was a smooth ride for sure, especially with the stock pogo seat.

I took it down to get the paint done, converted it to 12v and new seals etc.

I sold it to a mailman in a southeast Houston suburb.

[knife7knut]

Although I haven't ridden a bike on the street in many years(1974 to be precise), I still enjoy painting them. Here are pics of one I painted & another that belonged to my great uncle.The 1928 H-D Model JD competed in the 2012 motorcycle cannonball run from Newbergh NY to San Francisco CA. Art placed 11th out nf 71 entries. It was won by a 1912 Henderson 4!The pic of my great uncle & his 1910 Indian was taken in Pittsford VT in 1920 after he & his wife rode from there to St. Augustine FL & back. The trip(one way) took 3 weeks(!) and they had TEN flat tires!

[Madmarco]

Very cool stuff, Ray!
Nothing like a road trip on a bike to lift your spirits, but 10 flats would put a bit of a damper on that!
What the heck though, one can always use a break from all the vibrating!

[Ridgegrass]

Here's a Matchless like mine. It was black when I got it and I painted the tank orange, very chic in 1970. It was a strong runner. Wish I'd kept it. The old Brit's are bringing nice money now. O'.

[Madmarco]

Nice Scoot, J.O'.!
They're making Triumphs again, but as you say an older model commands big money these days, to say nothing about BSA's, Norton's, or Royal Enfield's.
NOTHING made now can compare with those old beauties, IMO!

[TPK]

Great thread, enjoying the show!

Had a green Honda back in H.S. It was fun to ride but we lived on a sand street & there were a lot of sand roads & strees in FL so ya had to be careful riding on them.

There is a new motorcycle shop in the town I drive through to work each day. The guy restores & sells Suzuki old timers from the 70's. Beautiful! He's got some Suzuki GT 750 Water Buffalos. Man they look nice!!! I'm affraid to stop & ask what they cost. Could get myself in debt real quick. It's easy getting in, but it's hard getting out. I checked the prices online & they normally sell over here for about (average) €10,000 in the near mint condition that they are in.

Oh well, I'll just continue dreaming of them. That's what I do best.
Maybe when I retire I'll have some money left over for stuff like that. Right now though, I gotta keep food on the table.

[Madmarco]

Those darn priorities, huh Tom, food over knives! What's next, toilet paper over knives? lol!
Seriously though, good on you for being responsible with your money, not everyone can do that!

[TPK]

Those darn priorities, huh Tom, food over knives! What's next, toilet paper over knives? lol!
Seriously though, good on you for being responsible with your money, not everyone can do that!

My pocket knives, a few Hot Wheels, a few Zippos, I feel like these 3 collections are winding down. Still need a few more license plates till I have all 50 states. Then that will probably also wind down.
We'll see what comes next or maybe I am finished "collecting" things. I really don't know yet.

Of course I will still pick up some pocket knives now & then but probably only if I find good deals on them. And I would like to buy one or two more customs from other AAPK members. And then some day, when my kids are grown up, a Case Tadpole & a TC Barlow.

Sorry, this is all off topic.

[1967redrider]

He might not really be deceased, John!
Did you check the local watering hole; he maybe just sleeping!

Just saw this, Mark. You could be on to something.

[knife7knut]

Here is one I used to keep in the back of my 1964 Mini Cooper estate wagon. Called it, '' Despair Tire ''. Actually had to ride it nearly 5 miles once when I broke down in the middle of nowhere( a story for another time). Bought it in the late 70's from a friend who used to race them. Still sits in my shop. Made by Dandy w/ a Subaru chainsaw motor, it was timed(with me on it) at 37 mph.

[Unk]

That's hilarious! You went 37 mph on that little thing? You cray-cray!

[RobesonsRme.com]

When I was a boy, I really wanted a motorcycle.

Triumph Tiger Cub was my target bike at the time..

Dad had the wisdom to see that didn’t happen.

When I was at Ft Bragg in 1968-69, guys were going to a dealership in Greensboro and buying Triumph Bonnevilles, still in the shipping crate, for $800.00 and bringing them to the Motor Pool to uncrate and prep.

Uncle Sam had the wisdom to not allow me to accumulate the necessary $800.00.

When I was involved in heart transplantation, we called motorcycles, “Donor-Cycles”, as brain dead riders were a common source of viable organs.

Now, I’m seventy-six and really have no business on a bike…..

But, given my affections for vintage things, if I lost leave of my senses and had the funds, I’d buy a Janus 450cc.

https://janusmotorcycles.com/product/halcyon-450/

[Tasky]

Mine was an FJ1100. A gentleman's express.

Nothing else on the planet like the roll-on of an FJ throttle!!