lørdag 29. oktober 2011

American Motorcycles Norway

One more pic from my recent scan session. This show the ever popular and as always spectacular sidecarclass ready for take of in a Norwegian ice race held sometime in the mid twenties.
There are several cool details in this photo,
the first and most important is the fact that there is one Norwegian Harley racer with a FLXI mounted to the right side, this is the bike third from left in the picture.
Those fully flexible sidecar hacks where hard to compete with due to their roadholding capabilities, and soon after their arrival on the US race tracks they dominated the sport.
From my knowledge there is only one FLXI sidecar that have partially survived in Norway, though there must have been a few around, this as they where frequently advertised in early twenties newspapers.

Then there are two more hacks where the sidecar is visible, both home made attempts to streemline the body to allow for more speed. Keep in mind the monkey of these hacks where laying on his back looking straight into the air, my gosh, just the thought could give chills.

It is so cool to know there have been such impressive Harley racing hacks in use on Norwegian race tracks, just wish more had survived.


onsdag 26. oktober 2011

Pic from Uffe

Uffe lives in Sweden, he has a bunch of HD bikes and they are not for display. Uffe and his mates go riding as soon as there is an opportunity to. Uffe shared with me & you this epic moment from one recent late autumns spin. Uffe riding his 1929 and mate Perre a 1926,(hence no front brake).
I love the 29 J`s, when they have the I-beam drop forged rear front fork, the oil pump cover and the bullet style twin headlamps.

torsdag 20. oktober 2011

American Motorcycles Norway

What an evening yesterday. Visiting the son of another Norwegian twenties Motorcycle racer, scanning pics when listening to stories told from father to son.
Its like being there, somehow looking into what life was like then when you where a motorcycle speed freak in the early days of motoring.

Even more cool to see pics related to those whom albums I have already been trough in other homes. It appears certain events have been more captured than others.

OK, here is one great shot from yesterdays scanning, not showing the owner of the albums but one of his NMK friends Macke Nickolaysen in action with one of his many Reading Standards.
Macke must have been one of few using the RS brand bikes for competition, I find this mean they where not as bad as their reputation tells today?

Look forward to more pics from yesterdaze.

mandag 17. oktober 2011

Spending more time in the workshop

OK, seems like the 2011 motorcycle season have come to an end. Winter tires are back on the car and I`ve already seen some cars having slipped of the road their summer tires dont cope the ice spots still present in the early hours of the morning.

Have started playing with my Panhead project again. Still some work left with the chassis, but I`m getting there. Have a deal with a painter in January, better have everything ready by then.

This spring I played with the original primary cover that needed quite a bit of welding and I almost gave it up when ordering a repop cover. Receiving this gave me new strength in repairing the original, what a difference in appearance there was from the original to the repopped one.
I will keep the repop on my workshop wall, at least it looks god from some distance. Had to cut out and re-weld the both areas for the inner cower fixture points as well as adding the old lugs with new rivets.

When at Wauseon back in June I got a refurbished original speedo from Perry in Canada, he is quite an expert in bringing old Stewart-Warners back to life. My speedo looks so sweat and I am truly pleased with his work.

Finally got to use my home made jig for riveting a new sprocket to my rear drum (presented in a previous post), worked out well and I recommend you making one to ensure proper riveting.

Then of course there have been the work of adding dresser lulls as under seat stop lamps, accessory trim on mudguards, tail gunners etc., look forwar to see this all when bike gets black.

Right now my major task is to replace the forklegs on the front springer as they are both temporarely fixed in Mexico at some time when they broke off. Carls Cycle Supply have those legs for sale, look forward to receive the package from these great guys.

Then there is to rebuild the star hubs. I think I need to replace one hub as there is some pitting in the bearing surface, hmm will have to consider.

Posting a few pics to update the Panhead project, more to come.


































fredag 14. oktober 2011

Cool link

Got an e-mail from Ronald this evening, he shared a link to an awesome story with me. I`m quite sure he dont mind me sharing this along.

I remember this place you will see in Dale Walkslers video stories was presented in a Norwegian magazine some years back, my first thought then was how is it possible for one person to collect such a load of stash??

Check this out, all 8 videos;
http://www.wheelsthroughtime.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=417

søndag 9. oktober 2011

Oktober treff

For years and years every first weekend of October have seen a bunch of hardcore touring bikers gathering in the woods at Dalebukta by lake Byglandsfjord to celebrate the end of another motorcycle season. Frost at nights are no problem, just dilute your blood with enough alcohol and temperatures does not matter. I am sure my worst Sunday head aces ever where faced at this event.
Dalebukta used to be a Nirvana for camping with your motorbike year round, dare to say there was no place like it. Dalebukta is no more, local horny developers have battered the place to build 80 luxury cottages, sigh! Again we see there is no such as eternal values.
OK, Oktober treff was for this year temporary moved to a less desert and wilderness located spot in Setesdal and as Sataurday showed up as nice as days before we decided to include this event into our ride.

Sunday morning with ice on the car windows outside soon turned to pissing rain. Snow as low as 4-500 m above sea level. Was this weekend the end of the 2011 season?
















Another great late season ride

A wet summer is almost forgotten when a week have passed with dry autumn weather and great rides .
OK, its cold outside but there is clothes for any occasion :-)
Some pic`s from Fridays ride into the Agder valleys.
Had another ride with the W, ending up as usual in some remote gravel roads with a hope of discovering some abandoned location to have sneak inside.
Didn`t score any this time, but one never know.
Had the chance to ride along with Øyunn on her BMW, great company as always.

Though separated by 65 years our bikes share a common technical feature, they both have ABS brakes and it should be needless to mention the Harley system is the most efficient in this case :-)










onsdag 5. oktober 2011

Brothers

Pretty much the same bikes, or not?

For sure those to 45"`s are two different animals even if their date of birth is only two years apart.

Colours of autumn

Had another great ride with my "not that dirty nine" up the hills to enjoy the colors of the trees before they all let their leaves go.
There is something truly different with riding in the crisp air of autumn, lets hope there will be some more days to enjoy.