Motorcycles

[Redleg Reilly, SASS #46372]

On 10/9/2023 at 5:30 AM, Pat Riot said:

Yep, we no longer bounce like we used to, I’m sure. 

 

I don’t ride as much as I did before retiring, but then I rode my bike to and from work nearly every day. The bike I currently have has a seat height of 33 inches plus hard saddle bags. Sometimes getting on the bike is, I won’t say difficult, but it is harder to do than it used to be. 
All of a sudden this bike looks much more appealing to me with a 26” seat height. 

 

If I remove the hard saddle bags my bike is much easier to get on to. I may just take them off unless I absolutely need them. 
It’s funny, I don’t have a photo of it without the saddle bags. 

My V1K is just as tall and when I get lazy swinging the leg over the saddlebags, I stand up up on the left peg and swing the leg.  It's not tall then.  Now stay away from the cruiser....

[Pat Riot]

2 hours ago, Redleg Reilly, SASS #46372 said:

My V1K is just as tall and when I get lazy swinging the leg over the saddlebags, I stand up up on the left peg and swing the leg.  It's not tall then.  Now stay away from the cruiser....

I have tried that twice. It’s a strange maneuver as the bike has a bit of a tilt to the left on the kickstand. I haven’t done it since I saw a guy do that on, I think it was, a VStrom. The peg snapped off and the guy raked his leg down the two pieces of metal where the peg broke and he cut the heck out of his leg from his ankle to his mid calf. 
He bled like crazy. The guys at the 7-11 called 911. I got out my first aid kit and gave him the only gauze I had to help with the bleeding. An ambulance arrived about a minute later and I got out of the way. 
A motor patrol officer showed up and I gave him my card and left. The officer called me later and said the EMTs bandaged him up and his wife came and picked him up. When I rode passed the 7-11 after work the bike was gone. 
I haven’t stood on the peg to get on the bike since. Though I did call Kawasaki and they said those pegs could handle a 450 pound man doing that. I just can’t bring myself to doing that again. 

[Redleg Reilly, SASS #46372]

Never seen a peg break before unless it was after the bike was laid down at speed.  And if I use this technique, the bike is on the center stand.

[Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L]

Not a peg but my kickstand broke when I put it down and rested the bike on it causing the bike (500# Harley) to fall over on me! Fortunately I was in a bank parking lot and two men were there to lift the bike off of me. No injuries.

 

It was fun getting the bike home and on a motorcycle jack all by myself without it falling over.

[Sedalia Dave]

[Smuteye John SASS#24774]

Meanwhile,  somewhere in Australia.....

 

[Perro Del Diablo]

3 hours ago, Smuteye John SASS#24774 said:

Meanwhile,  somewhere in Australia.....

 

Wallaby Jack

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062]

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      ...... yes? what?  

[Subdeacon Joe]

CHP - Coalinga 

  · 

 

 

On Thursday, the Coalinga CHP Office had a special visitor show up for a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) verification. This motorcycle is a 1951 Vincent Rapide, a rare British motorcycle. The owner, a Coalinga local, had recently purchased this bike from the UK. VIN verifications are done by the CHP on salvage vehicles, out of state vehicles, or vehicles with other issues that need confirmation by CHP. If you see this amazing piece of transportation history traveling along the highways and byways of western Fresno County, give him a thumbs up or wave.

 

 

[Pat Riot]

On 10/11/2023 at 6:38 AM, Redleg Reilly, SASS #46372 said:

Never seen a peg break before unless it was after the bike was laid down at speed.  And if I use this technique, the bike is on the center stand.

Neither had I. It creeped me out that it did.

 

My Kawasaki does not have a center stand. Only a kick stand. The exhaust system passes directly under the bike. There was a center stand available but it added weight and looked like crap and would interfere with general maintenance on the bike, according to the dealer. 
Because my bike sits high it would be a real long and lanky assembly. 

[Blackwater 53393]

I broke the kickstand on my old Harley on a Saturday night while I was on an extended trip.  The whole weekend, I’d find a tree or a post to lean it against until Monday morning when the bike shops opened!

 

I’d lean it against something and then run my chain and lock around whatever it was so that I could bed down for the night.  Some folks thought it was strange or funny, but it didn’t get stolen and it wasn’t laying on its side somewhere.

[Eyesa Horg]

Never broke one, but have had the spring get weak and dragged it thru left turns! But, dragged it thru left turns with a good spring too! Seems I musta liked the angled look on it, as well as the foot boards!

[Pat Riot]

7 minutes ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

 

I’d lean it against something and then run my chain and lock around whatever it was so that I could bed down for the night.

That was one of the things that really drove me nuts about owning my Sportster back in ‘86. I had to chain it up everywhere I went to keep it from easily being stolen. 
I lived in Redondo Beach, CA. That city was the Harley theft capital of the USA. Not kidding, it really was. 
I had several hacksaw marks on my “American” brand chain and lock from scum trying to steal my bike. 
As it turns out a friend of a friend and a good acquaintance of mine was involved in a Harley theft ring based out of San Bernardino, CA. 
He and his buddies went to prison in ‘88 or ‘90 for stealing, conspiracy, selling stolen goods, RICO act violations and a bunch of other. The guy I knew was sentenced to 21 years. He probably got out in 2, knowing CA’s revolving door policy of coddling dirtbags. 

Harley thefts dropped dramatically after that in LA, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties after that. 

[Blackwater 53393]

5 hours ago, Eyesa Horg said:

Never broke one, but have had the spring get weak and dragged it thru left turns! But, dragged it thru left turns with a good spring too! Seems I musta liked the angled look on it, as well as the foot boards!

The back ends of the running boards on my old bike are pretty ground down!  The bike is pretty low to start with and I tend to get a lean on in the turns.

 

Back when Schoolmarm was a new rider, we traveled over to East Tennessee and the North Carolina border for a two week riding tour.

 

She was still fairly inexperienced and we took a lot of backroads so that she could get plenty of practice without having to ride too fast.

 

We got over to “The Dragon”, a well known section of very twisty road that many bikers and motorcyclists visit to get their jollies. The Dragon is an eleven mile stretch of road with 318 turns!

 

 I led her through there one way, allowing her to take her time and get comfortable, while I would ride ahead and then stop and take pictures of her riding by!

 

She had a great time and when we stopped on the side of the road at the other end, she was particularly relieved. Then I told her that we had to go back the other way to reach our destination for the night.

 

She said, “Fine! You go on and ride it like I know you really want to and I’ll meet you at the other end and we’ll get some lunch!”

 

 I turned myself around and when two crotch rockets passed, I took off.  I rode back, dragging the running boards and occasionally getting on them so hard that the back tire would spin a little and leave a trail of smoke in my wake.  The two guys on the sport bikes stayed well ahead and pulled away far enough that I’d lose sight of them now and then.

 

When we got to the other end and parked, these two began ragging a couple more rocket jockeys that came in right behind me!

 

”You two let that old man on a damned Harley beat you down that road?”  “You mean to tell me that that thing outran…”

 

Just then, Schoolmarm pulled up. The two trailing riders we’re defending themselves, “That old bastard was throwing sparks and smoking the back tire and blue flames an’ fireballs were coming out of that damned header and we were scared to get close to ‘im!!”

 

Schoolmarm busted out laughing and then said, “Don’t be too hard on ‘em!” indicating the two trailing riders. She pointed at me and laughed some more, “He’s crazy!”

 

I just realized that that was twenty-three years ago!! I’m starting to get OLD!!

 

 

 

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by Blackwater 53393

[Eyesa Horg]

Every biker should ride the Dragon!!. Mine have been dressers and somehow the lower corners of the crash bars are all scratched too! Don't think I could ride like that anymore. Aged here too!

[Pat Riot]

I went to the Dragons Tail in my 2005 Miata. Didn’t have a bike at the time (2006). It was early Spring on a Saturday. My plan was to cruise the road up and down then highball it up and down. I made it about a mile, maybe two then turned back. The road was full of Squids and idiots on big bikes that had no idea how to ride those types of roads and then I came upon a f***ing RV! Some ‘tard was taking his RV up that road. Looked like a 36 footer. I picked a judicious location then turned around and headed for home. 
I never got a chance to go back. 
Thank you @Blackwater 53393. You just gave me a goal for my FUN list. I had forgotten about the Dragon’s Tail. 
 

Here’s a really cool video. I used to do this on my Sportster.  I gotta run but I will tell you about a race I had with a crotch rocket guy a little later. 
 

And they say you can’t ride hard in the twisties on a Harley…

https://klipland.com/video/biker-with-harley-shreds-through-canyon-road

 

 

Otto’s a PITA!

Edited October 16, 2023 by Pat Riot

[Sedalia Dave]

33 minutes ago, Pat Riot said:

I went to the Dragons Tail in my 2005 Miata. Didn’t have a bike at the time (2006). It was early Spring on a Saturday. My plan was to cruise the road up and down then highball it up and down. I made it about a mile, maybe two then turned back. The road was full of Squids and idiots on big bikes that had no idea how to ride those types of roads and then I came upon a f***ing RV! Some ‘tard was taking his RV up that road. Looked like a 36 footer. I picked a judicious location then turned around and headed for home. 
I never got a chance to go back. 
Thank you @Blackwater 53393. You just gave me a goal for my FUN list. I had forgotten about the Dragon’s Tail. 
 

Here’s a really cool video. I used to do this on my Sportster.  I gotta run but I will tell you about a race I had with a crotch rocket guy a little later. 
 

And they say you can’t ride hard in the twisties on a Harley…

https://klipland.com/video/biker-with-harley-shreds-through-canyon-road

 

 

Otto’s a PITA!

 

In the one RH corner I'm pretty sure he was Dragging his pipes.

 

 

[LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L]

Went by the local H-D dealership to pick up a couple of HOG tee shirts Sunday.  They had this on the floor, and now I've got an urge that I need to stay away from...2021 Fatboy 114.  

[Subdeacon Joe]

This photograph goes back some time, believed to be around 1914-15 outside the Enfield Cycle Co office.

Capt. J.E. Alkin & Segt. J. Cocker can be seen trying out the the Royal Enfield 6HP V-Twin with machine gun sidecar. What a fascinating setup!

 

Edited October 26, 2023 by Subdeacon Joe

[Subdeacon Joe]

Pipeline Rider - This photo from the mid 1910’s shows motorcyclist Johnny Hogg and his wife riding on an aqueduct pipeline with a Harley-Davidson sidecar rig. The pipeline ran about 15 miles through Los Angeles’ Mint Canyon. Mere days after this stunt was completed, another daring rider on a solo machine attempted the same stunt and found himself in the hospital.

 

[Pat Riot]

Six horsepower pulling 2 people and a machine gun with ammo. Amazing. 

[Subdeacon Joe]

12 minutes ago, Pat Riot said:

Six horsepower pulling 2 people and a machine gun with ammo. Amazing. 

 

Six horsepower each:

[Pat Riot]

21 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

Six horsepower each:

I should have said “Amazing by today’s standards” 

[Three Foot Johnson]

Rated at 6.7 BHP, so engine shaft HP should be a bit more yet.

[Pat Riot]

72 Horsepower and you can ride it and it isn’t limited by the speed of an individual horse. 

[sassnetguy50]

9 minutes ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

Rated at 6.7 BHP, so engine shaft HP should be a bit more yet.

Brake Horsepower is measured from the crankshaft.

[Three Foot Johnson]

Ya, bad wording. I don't know how HP can be measured before the crankshaft, but the gist is the engine develops slightly more HP than Stihl's BHP spec.

[sassnetguy50]

3 minutes ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

Ya, bad wording. I don't know how HP can be measured before the crankshaft, but the gist is the engine develops slightly more HP than Stihl's BHP spec.

No, the crankshaft is where the stroking piston energy is converted to rotating power.  A manufacturer can under rate their power to avoid lawsuits later or to make the power gap bigger between models.

[Three Foot Johnson]

??

Regardless of what a manufacturer decides to print, HP will always be higher than BHP. More HP cannot be developed as it is transmitted through the drivetrain.

[Subdeacon Joe]

49 minutes ago, Pat Riot said:

72 Horsepower and you can ride it and it isn’t limited by the speed of an individual horse. 

 

But can it tow ~4,000 lb. if gun and lumber, plus the drivers? 

Edited October 21, 2023 by Subdeacon Joe

[sassnetguy50]

Possibly you mean BHP (before the drivetrain) will always be more than WHP (after the drivetrain).  

 

Regardless of HP, lets talk about stump pullers.  The vulcan tuned to 144 ft-lb, twice the peak torque of the original R1.  Where is that 4,000 pound wagon?

 

[Pat Riot]

31 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

But can it tow ~4,000 lb. if gun and lumber, plus the drivers? 

Yes, but slowly… 

[Sedalia Dave]

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

On 10/20/2023 at 9:45 PM, Subdeacon Joe said:

This photograph goes back some time, believed to be around 1914-15 outside the Enfield Cycle Co office.

Capt. J.E. Alkin & Segt. J. Cocker can be seen trying out the the Royal Enfield 6HP V-Twin with machine gun sidecar. What a fascinating setup!

 

 

Sure would like to have that setup for all the morons who insist on tailgating at 70 mph. Honestly, some are so close their grill isn’t visible in my rear view mirror. 

[Blackwater 53393]

1 hour ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

Sure would like to have that setup for all the morons who insist on tailgating at 70 mph. Honestly, some are so close their grill isn’t visible in my rear view mirror. 

For a number of years, when my sole transportation was my old Harley, I worked in an automotive repair shop and rode to work every day, rain or shine.

 

 I always carried spark plugs and ball bearings in my jacket pockets, just for those idiots that followed too close!  You dump three or four big ball bearings and let them bounce up off the pavement and that driver would back off pretty damned quick!!

 

For those who were more incorrigible, flip a couple spark plugs over your shoulder!  They always got the message.

 

 I would always flash the brake lights a couple of times and even give the proper hand signal to warn them to back off first. But a 750 bike and a 235 lb rider with three disc brake rotors can stop a lot shorter than a ton and a half automobile, especially if the biker stops first!! I’ve been hit from behind twice! Fortunately, both times were in slow moving downtown traffic. I was only knocked down on one of those occasions, resulting in a skinned up knee and a broken tail light and scrape marks on my pipes.  The other time, I was running a bobbed fender and it just slid me and the bike forward ten feet or so!  

The knockdown was some dumbass in a small Toyota pickup!  I made him pay for the damage and buy me a new pair of jeans for the ones he made me rip the knee out of.

 

The second one was a teenage girl!  It think she was so scared that she wet her pants! I walked back to where she stopped and read her the riot act!!

 

And YES!!!  My EDC was always visible as well!!