Built this in 1982 then built 2 Harley’s so didn’t ride started after 29 years on 5th kick. Still have 1957 Trophy Bird
Suzuki X6 Hustler. My pal Randy built and raced this back in the '70s in the production class and did quite well. Hard to tell but much modified, frame braces, altered steering angle, 500 brake and a motor ported to the moon. The tach is taped over all but about 2k rpm, where it is to be ridden. At the time the field was mainly the decade newer Yamaha RDs, ridden by riders with fancy colored leathers while Randy had stitched together old black leather pants and a jacket, using a strip of brown leather in the middle. Quite a site on the track. He had many podium finishes but was never able to beat a new Can Am that was cleaning everyone's clock. It sat for about 20 years after he quit until one day he called and said his girlfriend was throwing him out and it needed a place to go, so I gave him $500 for it. It had about two quarts of old premix in the lower end but after I finally got that pumped out it ran great, and I cafe raced it for a couple of years. A few years ago Randy went to the track to spectate, caught the bug again and wanted it back, so he gave me a couple hundred and did some paint work on my Norton for the rest, so he fittingly has it back now. Oh, one odd thing. It is the only bike ever to fall off my lift! I came out one morning and there it was, completely upside down right next to the lift. Dented the back fender but fine otherwise. Weird, glad it was that bike and not something else. Now I use straps as well as the wheel chock if a bike is going to sit overnight in case the tire goes flat.
Well I have a few comments.. When my pals finally convinced me to get a Brit Bike (had Harleys and Jap bikes a plenty) I decided what really caught my eye was a BSA Lightning, the earlier version like you posted last page but with the candy red and chrome tank sides and seat with the little flip in back. So one Saturday I was perusing the classifieds (newspaper, pre internet) and saw an add for a 650 BSA. I called, the owner said it was a Hornet competition model. I said no I wanted something to street ride. He said well, I have a Vincent but it is in pieces and it's my dream bike, but my daughters are going to college soon. Long story short, that is how I got my first Brit bike, a basket case Vincent. Had a number of BSAs since and should have bought that Hornet. Back you the tank above, I remember when those bikes came out ('71?). At the time I thought it was sleek, more like the Hondas and Kawasakis, and the ads all had mini skirted babes draped over them. And I'm sure it was their attempt to keep up with the times. I thought they were pretty neat, though obviously lacking in the traditional British styling. The one that really struck a cord was the 'loaf of bread' Rocket III tank, especially combined with the ray gun pipes. Couldn't stand it then but I have softened up some. Apparently so have others, couldn't give them away, now worth plenty.
The BSA dealer in Minneapolis on Lake street set the cap of a pen on the gas tank of a new running Rocket 3 and it didn't move. Dynamite then and now.
Had a couple of Triumph triples, this T140 and T150 and a Hurricane basket case I never put together. I liked the T140 and rode it quite a bit. Didn't keep the T150 very long. Had to cut down and preferred the torque of a Commando.
Built in the late seventies, let me introduce you to the baddest "shovester" on the planet with a license plate.
Okay so you said “badest shovster on planet “ but all following pics are of a panhead Please tell what I missed
I checked the posts and the caption is matched with the bike, a flamed shovester.. That's one pic. Then the next three posts have their own captions and are a '55 Panhead, seems O K here. So we have one picture of the shovester, and a second bike presented as before, during the build, and after.
Ariel red hunter double port ca.1938 My first bike bought 1971 for 300 Sfr.With this bike started the lifelong friendship with the local police station with driving without insurance and license. I was 16 but you must be 18 to get the license.2 years later l sold it for 600 Sfr.to buy the car below a Citroen 2 CV from 1968.
Harley Davidson 1918 Triumph Baby 1916 two stroke 220 ccm This two bikes I sold 2002 after complete restauration and driving for some years to the States.
The shovelhead and the WLC 45 were my pride and joy until I lost a lot of my groin to Mr cancer and I couldn't ride them anymore.
Well , I was thinkin USMC SCOUT SNIPER MOS 0317 , I don’t know any other . Semper Fi Do or Die Brothers !
These are from the Mecum Auction last week in Las Vegas. I am posting just a few pictures of what I took. If anyone has a problem with the posts, just let me know and I will delete.
The Jalopy Journal
