Several years ago I went to a motorbike event where Vincents were the theme. There were many of them in the parking area, including this one that looked like it had just seen the light of day after many, many years tucked away. When I was looking at it there was an old bloke poking at it with his fingers and the next moment it fell over. I don't think the owner was there at the time ...
Motorcyclists racing 75 miles cross country through Mojave Desert. (Photo by Bill Eppridge/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation) Hello, It never ceases to amaze me on a research project for my own files. But, as a teen into the 20 something years, my brother and I raced our desert dirt bikes in various races in the Mojave Desert area. Since we were beginners in this popular activity in So Cal, the Novice class was usually the largest of all classes on any given day. No, not on “Any Given Sunday” as the fun movie title proclaimed. The drive out there to the race courses called “Hare And Hound” races was long and empty as we had to leave late at night to get to the pits for a good sleep in the inside of the 58 Impala towing a trailer and later, the back of the El Camino. It certainly did not compare to sleeping in our own beds until the early morning drive out to the desert. But, that long drive was harrowing with anxiety at the upcoming desert race. Plus, by the time we got there, we had to rush to get everything ready to race and survive the two 40-45 mile courses in one day. So, by staying overnight and at least getting some old Boy Scout sleeping on air mattresses, at least everything was ready when we woke up and not a two hour drive to get to the race course. Jnaki The old drag racing Wynn’s Friction Two Tone Red/Yellow Nylon Jacket could be seen from far away, but in a crowd, perhaps a little difficult at the start… But, there were times when 45 miles out in the middle of nowhere, I was stuck with a fouled plug and the extras did not work. So, luckily I had the brightly color jacket, then noticing the color in the drab desert, another rider gave me a similar spark plug to get started and continue back to the pits. My water canteen was low, my snack bars were gone, it was blazing hot, and it was dusty to say the least... The headless horseman on his trusty steed… was able to ride another weekend, so thanks for those saving days... Note: Don Nowell was a Gas Coupe guy that we all know with his immaculate, blue 37 Chevy. But, in reading http://writingdisorder.com/don-nowell/ it gave one of many sides to his history. This was a great article by Don Garson written in June of 2017. I found this section on Don Nowell’s exploits with dirt racing motorcycles. I can’t help but wonder if we did not cross paths out in the Mojave Desert in those zillion “Hare And Hound or European Scrambles” events during the same time period, 1964-67. “Greeves: Don Nowell: When asked when he got into motorcycles, Don points to 1964 when he bought his first bike, a Yamaha 80 motocross, then wanting more power went for a 175 Montesa for blasting out into the desert and through the canyons. Says Don, “Back then people were running imported Greeves and the Dots (Villiers) fitted with Blooie pipes, basically straight pipes and you could them making bitchin’ music playing off the canyon walls, but then they went to those expansion chambers for more power but they sounded like bumble bees.” I had a Greeves “Blooie pipe” version at first, then moved up to a 66 Greeves specifically set up for desert racing that had the expansion chambers…Yes, we sounded like a bunch of bees going in and out of the canyons, river washes and terrain. Thanks for the memories, Don… A 1966 Greeves Challenger.. But mine had an extended swing arm for better stability, and a better riding position for me. I also had a twin spark plug head for continued racing in the dusty courses. Plus, it was faster than the old 250cc Scrambler in addition to the high pitched "bee buzzer" sounds coming from the expansion chamber exhaust pipe.
HRD single, 499cc?, probably mid-1930's ... 'Ballarat Time Trial' April 7, 1947; George Thomas photo; State Library of Victoria
Went to the Indian museum in Springfield ,ma had some really cool bikes. This one had a dump pickup bed ?
The picture shows a Knucklehead top end. Panheads were manufactured from 1948 through and including 1965. So, it would not be a 1951. That being said, in some states if it was a knucklehead top end on a set of Panhead cases, it could be a registered as a 1951.
It's in a book I have called "Art on 2 Wheels " but we saw a bunch of the owners bikes at a cultural center special show for a banks investment group that had money in he's got about a 100 bikes. It was really cool I'll look it up in the book. Its a '42 original frame with a tweeked dual carb motor.Bobber.
Velocette KTT (note the extra-large fins on cylinder and head) at 'Ballarat Time Trial' April 7, 1947; George Thomas photo, State Library of Victoria https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velocette_KTT
The Jalopy Journal
