Motorcyclists

This is my father in 1934

That Harley engine is a generator shovelhead.
H-D produced these from '66-'69. But it is most likely a Pan-Shovel, a very popular conversion of the earlier Panheads. Just swap the top end from the Shovel onto the Panhead lower end. I'd guess it's a 1948, if that springer front end is original to that wishbone frame. He's also converted those Shovelheads to dual plugs.
He's the real deal.

I agree George. I took a Motorcycle training class through MSU. Now I have a Electra Glide, I can't stand the idea of all that Harly gear people wear. If fact I bet some of those guys in my class were wearing closer to $2000 worth of leathers and boots, one guy even was wearing a full set of Under Armor.
That was the hardest class I have ever taken. The slow speed handling was brutal. I took the class with a guy I work with and his 18 year old son. He made my day when the 18 year old told me I was the best harley rider there, and I was struggling!
Jeff

I just got my license and a bike. I think I was the only non-harley guy in class. None of them had any gear (for class, anyway). When I ride in my boyracer leather, I get all kinds of looks for wearing something other than shorts and a t shirt.
It is a fashion show for most. Heck, at least they wear protection.

I've owned a couple motorcycles back in the day, the last being an 85 Suzuki GS700E. It wasn't a Harley, but it was the fastest production bike you could buy stateside in 1985. That bike saw more of Death Valley, the California Big Sur Coast, Highway 1, and Baja California every Summer than most will see in a lifetime. I can tell you stories of running out of gas in Death Valley in the middle of July (it was 120 degrees during the day, then snowed in the middle of the night), exploring ghost towns in the Nevada desert, camping on the beach in San Felipe Mexico, racing around a sweeping turn at about 85+ mph on a Mexican highway South of Mexicali to find a posse of Federale's in the middle of the road pointing automatic weapons at me (they got pretty excited too when I couldn't stop before their human roadblock), and many more. And, I didn't need no stinking campgrounds either.

Through all my adventures on my bike, I've always enjoyed the camaraderie of my fellow bikers, regardless of what they rode. I've been to a Hog Rodeo in Ventura, stopped to help out guys on Harleys broken down between Barstow and Las Vegas, and they've stopped to help me when I ran out of gas in Death Valley. Exciting times!

One of my favorite memories was on my way home from that trip to Mexico where I had the unfortunate run-in with the Federales. I was riding North through Simi Valley and came up on a strange but wonderful sight - a grizzled hardcore Hells Angel-looking Harley rider was astride a rice-rocket resplendent with full bodywork, a pipe, steering damper, and race decals. And the boy-racer in his full-race leathers was in the saddle of the seasoned Harley, and they were cruising down the highway together. I don't know who they were, how they met, or who came up with the idea to trade rides for a few miles, but it was a funny sight to see - and great at the same time.

Thanks for the memories George. Damn! Now I miss my bike. Or, do I miss the freedom and lack of responsibilities I had at that point in my life. Regardless, they were good times indeed!

OK Larry, ya gotta educate me. I have an easier time identifying Harleys from the right hand side. How can I ID those heads as ShovelHeads from the left?

I looked at the bike, saw the primary case & said to myself that's pre-shovel, then I looked at the heads, they didn't look like pans, so I assumed that's a knucklehead.

Now I'm the knucklehead, not the bike!

cowboy from hell

Garth Great stories, the most I have done is the ride to The Dragon, 750 miles to and fro, hit a very bad storm front in Cleveland, those sirens were so faint at first I was looking all at my bike thinking something was wrong with it. When we got off the Interstate we pulled in a gas station and just made a loop to a motel. First thing I said to my group was did you see the TV reporter standing there giving a report, they all said no, then they asked me if I had seen where the gas stations sign had been blown over and I said No??? great run at the dragon to.
The friend that took the class with me and his son are leaving for the four corners in a couple of weeks. You really sound like his type of person. He went to CA acouple of summers ago on his bike(GS1200 BMW)just to watch and officiate at a big bike race.
He bought his bike six months before I got mine and he already has close to 50K on it I have 12K.
Thanks for the stories!
Jeff

Garth,

"85 Suzuki GS700E. It wasn't a Harley, but it was the fastest production bike you could buy stateside in 1985."

I think the guys who rode Suzuki GS1150's, and GSX750's might disagree more than a little. Not to mention Honda 650 Turbo's and 1100 Sabres, Kawasaki 900 Ninja's, Yamaha FJ1100's and V-Max's (all of these were 1985 models.)

Terry

Well, firstly, knuckleheads were made of cast iron, panheads and shovelheads of aluminum.
Also from the angle of the photo, another way to distinguish the Knuckle/pan/shovel is the way the exhaust pipe attaches to the head.
Shovel pipes are secured with a bolt through a flange, pan, a circular clamp on a pipe over a spigot, knuckle, pipe into the spigot. Couple more clues visible just under the tank.
I had great fun assembling many of this sort of bike from bits scavenged at swapmeets and wherever. The parts interchangability on these things is amazing.
Kept my favorites, sold the rest to buy the pantera!

I'm not sure if these photos will print. There was no preview of them on the screen.

Anyway, here are a couple of shots of my '41 FL Knucklehead. You can see the obvious similarity to two cylinders of an aircraft radial engine. The first Knucklehead appeared in '36. It was Harley's first mass produced OHV engine. There are some OHV racing engines that pre-date it, but they are very, very rare and were not produced for the public. The Knucklehead was cutting edge technology...from the late '20s!! Unlike most antiques, my bike will keep up on today's modern highways. It just beats you into your grave doing it! Rigid frame, bouncy springer, jocky shift, but, I blame my condition...not the bike's.
I've owned it since I was 17...35 years now. In my day, we built our own bikes, that's right whipper-snapper, BUILT OUR OWN! The frame came from Wyoming...the engine came from a barn in Nebraska...the tranny from a small-town shop in Colorado...the springer came from a swap meet.
I dig grimy swap meets...I despise modern Harley shops.
Once you examine a Knucklehead closely, they're easy to spot. You just won't see many. Kinda like that gray car in the background!
Later, Mooso.

OK...here's the other shot!

You know the difference (used to be) between a Hoover and a Harley is that on a Hoover the dirtbag is on the inside...

Yeah we call em RUB's rich urban bikers, or starbuck cowboys. Personally I wont buy a a harley (bagger) till I 'm too old to ride my Duc and would buy an FXRunless I get prospected (which I probably wont) There are posers in every hobby unfortunatley and that is what makes the hobbies too expensive for the common man. Who would want to ride an antiquated pushrod V twin that redlines at 5000rpm when a Desmodromic four valve 90 degree twin setup sounds ohhh so much nicer to the ear? yes everything you see thatonce was plastic is carbonfiber including the the tank.

George, like you I grew up riding on the gas tank of my dad's Mustang (not a car) and progressed to a Harley flathead 45. When Honda came out with the 750 I moved up to a 69 model and it was like getting into a Caddy. The bike is like the Pantera, it makes you feel like a kid again. When I ride its the same as when I drive the Cat. Pedal to the metal. Some things you don't seem to outgrow.
Richard T.

PWT...in case you haven't guessed...I...would rather ride an antiquated V-Twin. That's why I do.
Mooso.

Huh!

Twin cylinder Harleys? Twin cylinder Ducatis? Four cylinder Hondas?

Huh!

In the 1950s the American motorcycle industry was taken to its knees by the British. Brit bikes ruled the american roads from the mid 1950s, throughout the 1960s and that reign began its decline about 1970 with the introduction of the Honda 750.

So what's better than the sound of a twin cylinder Ducati, the potato-potato sound of a Harley twin, or the growl of a four cylinder UJM (universal Japanese motorcycle)?

I'll tell you what. Three cylinders of a Triumph Trident!

What I am fellas is a died in the wool Brit bike lover. I drool over the thought of riding a Vincent Egli

As a young man I lusted over a Matchless

Before John Penton convinced KTM to install a lightweight two stroke motor in one of their motorcycle frames, 4 stroke Brit bikes ruled off road motorcycling in the states too. Here in the west the big British off road bikes came to be known as "Desert Sleds". Off road, the Matchless was the king.

Or a Triumph powered Cheney

Or a Triumph powered Rickman Metisse

What's a better sound...the throaty roar of a pushrod Cleveland stroker when the four barrel kicks in...or the raspy whine of any Techno-Euro-Japo multi-valve, multi-cam sewing machine you care to name?
I LIKE Potato-Potato!
Mooso

The bikes preferred by the old guys I grew up around, the Triumph Bonnevilles

OK...you got me on the Vincent. What a beautiful machine. THAT I would like to ride!

George,

A man after my own heart, now you got me all nostalgic.....

My first bike was a stripped down BSA Bantam, an extremely rare 3 speed! Bought it for 14 quid (about $25) when I was 13 and turned a profit to a guy who wanted it solely for the 3 speed. Then I moved up to a Greeves 250 Challenger, complete with Ni plated frame. From there after a year it was another Greeves the 380 Griffon, man what a bike.

Later on I moved from Scrambles (known as MX today) to 'Enduro' and raced a 500 single Husqvarna.

Greeves Challenger

Greeves 380 Griffon; Note the advanced dual exhaust ports on a single 2-stroke motor!

I was poking fun Mooso. All of my red and wht friends ride harleys. They all sneer ducati but at least I ride a twin. Oh I 'll get a road king or electraglide eventually. FXR well already have a fast bike. Still want a norton commando with cafe bars. delortos, upgraded electricals,and some hogged out boysens badly. Just want a 73 so it has the kick and E start. Alreadsy had a KTM and I dont like kicking ion the wrong side or in the case of my Husky supermotard at all. The Duc well it east batteries so I'm bumping her from time to time.

SO tru on the camraderie statement. I like that bikers wave at eachother (except of course RUB softtail riders in their 50s that dont like us sportbike types...and I ride in a black vanson)and jeans (with avr shinguards and aplinstarboots hidden under) I've had more fellow bikers stop and help me on a breakdown than I ever have from a Cage or a cop(and they raley help anyone anyway but the moto cops like the duc.

PWT Pantera,

I just picked up my second Italian.
1998 Ducati 748S

quote:

Originally posted by PWT Pantera:
You know the difference (used to be) between a Hoover and a Harley is that on a Hoover the dirtbag is on the inside...

Yeah we call em RUB's rich urban bikers, or starbuck cowboys. Personally I wont buy a a harley (bagger) till I 'm too old to ride my Duc and would buy an FXRunless I get prospected (which I probably wont) There are posers in every hobby unfortunatley and that is what makes the hobbies too expensive for the common man. Who would want to ride an antiquated pushrod V twin that redlines at 5000rpm when a Desmodromic four valve 90 degree twin setup sounds ohhh so much nicer to the ear? yes everything you see thatonce was plastic is carbonfiber including the the tank.

A Harley is nice to putt around on, but this makes more sense to me. It showed me what fast really is. For those that that are not up on Jap crotch rockets, it is a 2003 Suzuki Hayabusa.

PWT, I have a buddy that rides a Ducati. It is quite a machine. He has cranked it on numerous occasions in my presence (right beside me and up the canyons near here) and it is just stunning to an old tractor rider like me to see something go like that. He really knows the bike inside and out and can talk intellegently about any aspect of its mechanical workings. I enjoy conversations with any guy that puts forth the effort to know about his machine.
There are a lot of engineering marvels in the motorcycle world right now, but it's hard to get a knowledgable answer out of their riders. The thing I hate most is a guy that mouths off without knowing that he's making a fool of himself. You definitely find most of those guys riding NEW Harleys these days. Makes a me shake my head in embarrassment.
What's most fun is getting in a conversation with a guy in his early 20's who knows every little detail about his bike and is excited to tell you. Doesn't matter what kind it is. Just that energy and interest is infectous. We used to blather about that stuff for hours. I guess that's why my best friends are still the same old guys. Can't bring myself to take anybody else seriously.
Mooso

quote:

Harley is nice to putt around on, but this makes more sense to me. It showed me what fast really is. For those that that are not up on Jap crotch rockets, it is a 2003 Suzuki Hayabusa.

JFFR Did you ever see the Hayabusa that ran at Bonneville a couple of years ago, handlebar adjustible Turbo, man I think that guy went over 300 MPH on that bike!
George a old Trident??? So cool!!! I bought a Trident new in 95 when they first got to the states rode it for two years. Man that Cosworth designed THREE Cylinder was freaking crazy!!!
Now I ride a 06 Electra Glide, Twin Cams, she can get up to 52 MPG when I want her too! Sounds sweet, the engine is all stock. I have added a couple of things just to keep me comfy(Taller seat, extened floorboards for my long legs) And I love it!

Great picture Jeff.

This is turning into a great topic. What other members of the DTIC ride motorcycles?

Let us know. Show us some pictures if you got 'em! Tell us a story.

cowboy from hell

quote:

Originally posted by JeffS:

quote:

Harley is nice to putt around on, but this makes more sense to me. It showed me what fast really is. For those that that are not up on Jap crotch rockets, it is a 2003 Suzuki Hayabusa.

JFFR Did you ever see the Hayabusa that ran at Bonneville a couple of years ago, handlebar adjustible Turbo, man I think that guy went over 300 MPH on that bike!
George a old Trident??? So cool!!! I bought a Trident new in 95 when they first got to the states rode it for two years. Man that Cosworth designed THREE Cylinder was freaking crazy!!!
Now I ride a 06 Electra Glide, Twin Cams, she can get up to 52 MPG when I want her too! Sounds sweet, the engine is all stock. I have added a couple of things just to keep me comfy(Taller seat, extened floorboards for my long legs) And I love it!

The turbo Hayabusa crowd is all about top end speed. I don't know much about what they have done at Bonneville, but some have gone about 250 mph in one mile from a dead stop. At that is on a public road.

I keep mine below 150 mph and don't intend to go any faster. If you ride one of these cycles at legal speeds and don't get to crazy with the throttle, they can get 50 mpg without any problems. The down side is they arn't the most comfortable cycle around.

I read yesterday in the American Motorcyclysts Mag that there are a number of states enacting laws to prevent extreme riders on public roads in this country. You know the guys who do wheelies on the back and front tires, excess speed, standing on the handlebars. They talked about one gentleman who at 60 years of age who was going way to fast on his own street lost control of his bike and was killed when he hit a parked car. Firstly, all of these acts as far as I have known are reckless driving, suitable for ticketing and loss of your driving privlages. Now the states are saying they cannot enforce the laws for this class of vehicle and are enacting these laws to make them a misdemeanor, second offense a felony.
Some states are making these rules for all vehicles, while others are making them motorcycle specific.
My point is if you ride, join the AMA so you may have a voice, and can continue to ride!
Sorry about my soapbox, thanks for the compliment George Im sure my wife will take it well.
Jeff

quote:

Originally posted by JeffS:
I read yesterday in the American Motorcyclysts Mag that there are a number of states enacting laws to prevent extreme riders on public roads in this country. You know the guys who do wheelies on the back and front tires, excess speed, standing on the handlebars. They talked about one gentleman who at 60 years of age who was going way to fast on his own street lost control of his bike and was killed when he hit a parked car. Firstly, all of these acts as far as I have known are reckless driving, suitable for ticketing and loss of your driving privlages. Now the states are saying they cannot enforce the laws for this class of vehicle and are enacting these laws to make them a misdemeanor, second offense a felony.
Some states are making these rules for all vehicles, while others are making them motorcycle specific.
My point is if you ride, join the AMA so you may have a voice, and can continue to ride!
Sorry about my soapbox, thanks for the compliment George Im sure my wife will take it well.
Jeff

I agree with the extreme rider problem and don't have the skill or desire to ride that way. I live in a rual part of Arizona and can pull a quick speed run on the Hayabusa once in a while and only endanger myself. It would be hard for me to believe that there is a single Pantera owner out there that has never driven over the speed limit. I must agree that driving a car fast and having an accident is not as bad as crashing a motorcycle at the same speed. What I can't figure out is why Harely riders tend to not wear helmets or any other protective gear and the sport bike crowd wears all the safety equipment available. Arizona doesn't have a helmet law, but people out here do wreck Harelys.

I used to always wear a full face helmet, well when it gets hot that half helmet is so nice still warm but better then a full.
The AMA publications are a great read, thats where I first read about the Dragon, they list issues by state that pertain to the motorcyclist, always have great bike trip stories, how to's,they let people know what companies discriminate against motorcyclists( ever heard about the major medical insurers that leave you high and dry if injuried on a bike?) and they sanction just about every motorcycle race in the country.
Jeff
PS: George, I was just showing my wife the compliment you gave us, and I was looking at the picture of your father on his old hog. I know I have seen that picture before can't place where. But that back belt he has on is so unique, just trying to jog the memory. Thanks again.

No equipment is going to help this guy when he finally does make a mistake.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx1CkPcICaY&mode=related&search=

quote:

Originally posted by JeffS:
...the picture of your father on his old hog. I know I have seen that picture before can't place where...

This is the first time I've ever posted this picture on the internet, to my knowledge it has never been published.

cowboy from hell

quote:

Originally posted by Joules5:
Greeves 380 Griffon; Note the advanced dual exhaust ports on a single 2-stroke motor!

Julian! a fellow dirt biker! BITCHEN.

One of the fellas I rode with had a 380 Griffon. The dual exhaust on a two stroke was first done by CZ on their earliest two stroke motocross bikes. Check out this picture of one of my two motocross heros, Joel Robert, on his early CZ two stroke:

OK, I gotta tell you a story, this comes straight from Joel's CZ teammate Roger DeCoster.

Joel was the consummate athlete. The reason he won so many championships was because he physically trained harder than anybody else. In other words, he had more drive, more heart, more focus than the other competitors.

Joel would take an empty whiskey bottle, fill it with iced tea, and walk the pits before each race sipping tea from his whiskey bottle. All the competitors would see this and think, "this guy is a drunk". Of course, he would then go out on the track and best all of them, which thoroughly humiliated his opponents, that they could be beaten by a drunk.

Of course, a rascal like me just loves such rascalian behavior.