ISDT 1923

Back in 1923 the International Six Days Trials ISDT was held in Sweden / Norway. SMC (the Swedish Motorcycle Club) was in charge and NMK (Norsk Motorcycle Klub) organized the part of the event that took place in Norway. When the trials where in Norway a speed test up the Korketrekkeren hills was a part of the game.

To be a part of a National team in an ISDT rally was a great challenge for the riders, and to win one of the several competitions during the event was of great honor.

Have been working on a compilation based on the Norwegian ISDT team in 23 for a year now, still finding new pictures from various participants relatives.

Enjoy this great shot taken inside a huge Swedish warehouse where all participants parked their bikes during the night.





Oh boy there is a bunch of great bikes in this pic.

Panhead Panhead Panhead Panhead

OK, I`ve been a real slacker with my blogging lately, luckily though not that slack with my Panhead project.

Got both heads and my cases welded, heads suffered from wear caused by rattling exhaust pipes and a broken upper motor mount, cases had chips broken off.

To get them exhaust ports back to shape I was lucky enough to be able to lend an old CNC mill with operator at a local machine shop Br. Mangseth AS, boy do I want one of these for next Christmas. I see umpteen different solutions to make stuff I didnt even know I needed with such a tool :-)

Then there is this work that I hate with every project, Finnish. Boy do I hate the smell of Bondo, sticcking to my fingers and all tools involved in trying to get that shit into the old steel, like mudguards etc.
Not to forget sanding that damned bondo, leaving every square mm of your workshop covered with dust, argh.
Just wish I could afford to rent someone to do that time consuming pine of a job.

OK OK, its way cool when you finally get them ol parts back from the painter, all fresh and shining bright, its almost worth the hassle of bondo, almost.

My painter this time is awesome with his eye for details in his job, its just great.

Got my frame zink primed, will never rust, ever. Needs a bit of rubbing and then off to the painter too.

Ehhr, did I mention the theme is black this year? I promise there is no black as black as this black, we are talking Black-black.
And I suggest you go and study the variations of black (they are umpteen to say the least) in ultra-violet light, you will be amazed!!!

AmericanMotorcyclesNorway

Ok guys and gals, I have had two busy days in collecting more great shots from past Norwegian bikers and race heroes since long forgotten.

Enjoy this ubercool capture of a gang of Norwegian bikers on tour early twenties.
Who said bob jobs where some new trend? Check out that Indian job at the far left and that roadster bars on the Harley next by.

8 valves Swedish special

I`ve always dreamed on owning a 8 valve OHV Harley based on the IOE motor. The best would of course be to have a factory job as "Master Erik" Westerberg from Sweden once roared on Scandinavian tracks, this though would be be a very unreal dream as those few "real" 8 valves still in existence is limited to be bought by anyone having very very deep pockets, not at all for an average guy payed by the hour.
Today there is another option in getting a repop off the real deal, a Fred Lange reproduction, wich is still cool as hell and not at all cheap neither, but at least in reach. One very cool bike built on Fred Langes parts is Harry Hackers of Harleysons.de GrosGlockner hillclimber beast, well known from a Youtube video you most for sure have seen before. More on this at the Vinagent blog too.

The urge to own a Harley as those once owned by a handful of men in Europe, like Erik and Freddy Dixon and others have caused some creativity trough time.
One very cool modification have been mentioned on this blog before, the fact that a Rudge 4 cylinder OHV head fits the cylinder base of a Harley IOE motor.
The bike presented in this post was built in Sweden like 40 years ago, not by an average gear head, rather a mechanical specialist, more on that later but for sure it proves anything is possible when you really want to.

In the meantime enjoy on hell of a bike that have not seen the light in many many years.