I never seen a Harley Rider that had ATGATT

FAR OUT MAN!!! That was killer BB...Funny thing is my tastes havent changed that much from when I first started listening to music. It kinda started for me listening to Fleetwood Mac - Rumors which I had on 8-track. Used to play the chit out that thing. That was back when I was in 6th grade, I happened upon that same disk at a garage sale recently and bought it for a dollar. Kinda took me back and I could still appreciate the music.

When I first heard Black Sabbath's Paranoid I couldnt believe it! Same goes for Highway to Hell from AC-DC. Good stuff is good stuff. Music is a subjective thing and if your talking to someone that doesnt get it or doesnt listen, your kinda clapping with one hand.

My collection is a time machine that can take me back any time I want, it is kinda kewel. You have to excuse me now, cause I am gona blast the Backyard Babies and watch my plasma television while I ride my stationary bicycle. btw it got 54,000 miles and counting. :smile:

Gawd save us from the days of Iron Head Sportys. Right foot shift and some coat hanger wire as a carburetor cable, total garbage. Dont even get me started on exhaust gaskets that were black rubber thingies. WTF were they thinking?

 

Rumors is timeless on any format. Shockrock and "metal" were not my cuppa. All I could think of "listening" was, these dudes need to invest in some decent sound equipment and some diction lessons and learn at least two more chords.

A bit of sucker bet trivia: Most dudes think the venerable Allen Freed coined the term "Rock and Roll." In chapter 7 of The Voyage of the Snark" ,by Jack London a pier rocking and rolling is found. c. 1904. London was also a surfer.


The HD's of that era all shifted on the right. One up and three down. Many of the Moto-GP bikes are RH shifters. The HD XR track bikes that still dominate are RH shifters. There was a time when bikes shifted on either side and both up and down for first cog. Early flatrack rules (AMA) did not allow shifting once in top gear on any track. Speedway bikes have an in and out gearbox.

I am surprised that no one as yet has a racing class for Gold Wings running in reverse. That would be right up there with tractor pulls and rap.

 

Yeah something involving gearing up for a major war somewhere in Asia.....I'll have to ask Long about it next time I see him

 

Just to get back to ATGATT. I ran across this early Harley race mask

Here is a direct link: Weird Harley stuff

I still have my "Nixon now" Pin. I thought that they were referring to Gary Nixon.

 

Masks with attached goggle were used by many riders on dirt tracks from day one up until full face helmets improved. Tear away lens covers for goggles were cut from templates from WWII flying goggles. One might even google goggles if in doubt.

Mention the "Japanese" Harleys to most harleydoods and they either shit bricks or deny the existance of same. Same doods that are 50-55 and fought "The Japs" in WWII.

Once again with that three wheeler HD is copying other designs.

 

Bring out the Gimp.

 

its not a mutually exlusive thing regarding Vets that fought in WW2 hating Japanese stuff. Some do, some dont. I am sure the ones that are haters that ride Harleys are kinda hyprictes anyway, with their Seiko watches and their Sony Cameras (not that their made in Japan anymore) :smile: Going to rallies acting all badass and chit (wont even get into the manufacturing of their bikies.) List probably contains; Germany, China, Japan, who else???

My father told me back in the 50s the Japanese made crap. Little doo-dads and things, kinda comprable to a third world country.

Why do I have to hate Goldwing riders? I am sure some of them are nice people, maybe even the kind you would want as neighbors. Wouldnt wana go out and have drinks with them though ; ) and I used to despise working on their crap!

I met Gary Nixon when I was turning wrenches for a certain British bike manufacturer. Talk about a hard man, sheesh. Can I say that there was a bar across the street from the shop that we went to afterwards, where Nixon proceeded to down two doulbe vodka tonics and switched to beer :smile: Sad thing is I didnt even get a picture with him. My bad.

 

Being in Harley country, and listening to that SOS over and over from dudes that weren't even born when WWII began or ended in defense of thier overpriced POS bikes wears thin. Same type dude the other day brought his HD into the local shop to have his battery terminals cleaned. He may at one time have been a Junior Woodchuck.

Actually got roped into going to a tractor pull and monster truck bash once. Lots of harleydoods there too. Had some National miles near Seattle for three years. Harleydoods galore and I doubt most had a clue about what was going on except for a very few. Kind of sad really.

Had to see a guy in my club one day. He is #1 wrench at a big Honda car and bike dealership a few miles South of Seattle. This guy is built from bucking hay on his farm. I walked up and he was down into this wing. I thought for a minute I was having a Sci-fi moment. The unfaired one's look easier to work on but the new ones have to be a PITA.

Good bikes but not my cuppa.

 

Funny thing is I read what you wrote BB and had a flash back of working on an older wing, did a carb service on it and had everything buttoned up enough to run the bike (had to invest in some long reach hose Mac Tools pliers):smile: and I accidently hit the starter button and it fired right up. It caught me by surprise and as I was standing there and had that Ah-ha moment (satisfying when your work isnt in vain) it was so quiet it had the exact sound of Pink Floyds song Welcome to the Machine. Kinda kewel how the old noggin works. Its a virtual filing cabinet :smile:

Plastic parts on todays bikes suck bad, not designed for mechanics removing and replacing IMHO. The wing required you to keep track of different length allen bolts to the point where it was a good idea to use an egg crate :sad:

The better long distance scooter is the older K1200LT bike or maybe a hex head 1100 RT/I dont dig the ABS stuff on German bikes just cause serivicing becomes an issue of re-thinking all the brake bleeding techniques you learned. That K1200 bike I could honk along on and scrape the darn foot pegs with (plus it has an electric assist center stand.) The Germans dont mess around with their touring, they mean Blitzkrieg Touring :smile:

 

I have a 79 R100RS. It started life as an R100RT. Got some busted fairing parts and converted it. All fiberglass. Easy to fix, modify and paint. Not real easy but a lot easier than ABS.. I used to call it "Der Bumblebeemer" but now call it Der Moneypitter." Too many speed goodies made it unreliable for much but hauling ass.

I am looking at a Yamaha FJ 1200 to maybe buy if I can get it at the right price. Never had an inline four..Rode a few but never owned one..

 

Make sure you take a thorough test ride and make sure it dont jump out of second gear. If it does then shift forks are shot and its engine out and split the cases, not bad since it is an air/oil cooled bike. Parts do cost money though, Der Bumblebeemer put a smile on my face.

Wife asked me why I dont have any names for my bikes other than dah "Black one" and dah "Silver one"...I scratched my head and said, "I dont know." ...Cheers ; )