Don’t be afraid to step out of the box.

When I decided I didn’t want stock handlebars anymore, I started shopping around for something different. I already had the Harley (somewhat drag bars), and I was tired of my shoulders, and neck being stiff from riding in the semi crotch rocket riding position. I felt that everyone else either changes stock handlebars out to drag bars, or ape hangers. O.K. maybe “everyone else” is a bit exaggerated, but I’ve seen enough. No offense to anyone who has either kind and loves them. Most of my riding buddies have one or the other. To each their own. However, anyone who knows me and has seen anything I’ve ever owned knows I’m not a huge fan of anything stock, or anything called “custom” that’s mass produced and then mass used. It all starts to look the same to me. I wanted something truly different.

I went to Stormy Custom Bike Works for a peek at what he might have in stock for me. He said He was building a Chopper for a guy, and he had some bars he was going to use on it but the guy decided he didn’t want them on his bike because he thought the rake of the bars didn’t match nicely with the extreme rake of the forks on the chopper. So here they were, waiting for my dime. They were the weirdest looking things. I’d never seen anything like them before. And when I saw them hanging on his wall at first, I didn't even know tell they were bars, let alone how the hell they go on a bike. He said they might look cool, so we held them up to my bike. Lo and behold they did look really cool. So there you have it, many dollars, and many hours later, they are on my bike. I get looks everywhere I go with the new bars. Hopefully they're good ones. Try something different!

Giving credit where credit is due:

The bars are Chica “Flying V” handle bars from Chica Custom Cycles.

I’ve linked Chica Custom Cycles on my page permanently, and here also.
http://www.chicacustomcycles.com/.

Scott Storms, A.K.A. Stormy, did great work on my bars. This is, by the way only the beginning of the mechanical work, and other custom work done at Stormy Custom Bike Works on my bike, and many others. He works on all makes.
Call the shop at (763) 785-1600 or stop by and Check em out for yourself at 10501 Central Ave NE, Blaine, MN 55434.
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There's a great similar article that you must read about "one offs" and "innovation" and "copy cats" on Custom Motorcycle Talk by BeachCruiser Custom motorcycles - Your one stop resource! The article I refer to is called The Greatest Compliment Of All
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Mr. Motorcycle

I woke up this morning and said WTF?

I woke up to snow, and lots of it. Can't it be spring already?


Very pretty, But.........

Mother nature is putting a damper on my spring fever. I thought this snow was going to be south of us. I want to ride so bad I can taste it. I know there are lots of people who ride snowmobiles in the winter to replace the obsession of riding motorcycles when the weather permits, and I've done both. I can say I don't think sledding compares to riding a bike. I don't even own one, cause it holds that much of a lack of interest for me.

I don't think God cares about my ridin weather either, but it can't hurt to pray for warmer weather.

Hopefully soon it'll be ridin time. .....(sighs)

Mr. Motorcycle

What do you call a brand new motorcycle? .........A starter kit!

The above 3 cartoon pictures are from: The ORIGINAL Illustrated Catalog Of ACME Products http://home.nc.rr.com/tuco/looney/acme/acme.html

If you are planning on buying a bike and want something custom, and you are planning on making it that way yourself, why buy a new bike?
It doesn’t make much sense to me to spend the money on brand new stock parts to turn around and discard them for brand new custom parts. I started my favorite bike project on a low budget.

I had to sell my pick up truck to drive a used "paid for" Saturn for a while to help me afford the economy Harley to begin with. I drove My used stock Harley for about a year before I could start the customization process. Even with a used bike, Cursing Mama could not understand why I needed to take off perfectly good stock parts and exchange them for new custom parts. If you understand biking, no explanation needed. I believe after seeing what I'v created, from what I started with, She sees the picture. If you read my post from March 11th, you'll see I'm in the process of doing my bike yet "again". I've included a sneak preview picture of the gas tank in process. It is taped out here. There is more to it than it looks like in this photo. The real magic will happen when it is cleared. More will pop out that you cannot see in the photo. When it is all done, and bike is put back together, I'll share more.

Mr. Motorcycle.

Get Yer tickets here!

I love stories about other people getting tickets, as I've surely had my fair share.

This one I know is true for certain, 'Cause it's about a good friend of mine. He was coming over a hill crossin state lines, and just as he started downhill, he saw Smokey at the bottom with radar in hand. He knew he was busted as the lights came on right away. He was doin about 100 MPH. He immediately hit the brakes when he saw the cop and pulled over. When the cop arrived at his bike he said that he asked if he knew how fast he was goin. He stated "No". "I clocked you doing over 87 MPH IN A 55 MPH zone." He said "I was slowing down!". This believe it or not got him a warning. I should be so lucky. He asked "How fast is that thing anyway?". "Almost fast enough to outrun a Motorola Radio.".

Another of my Faves. is the Biker who was speeding through South Dakota on his way back from Sturgis doin about 90, and a Smokey radars him and pulls him over. Says, "Son, Ive been waitin here for Ya all day!" Biker replies, "I got here quick as I could." True of not? Don't care. Still love it.

See ya

Mr. Motorcycle.

Doing the Can Can (no not the dance)

I must admit, Cursing Mama and I are a bit "green". We're not complete tree huggers or anything like that, but we are very conscientious about protecting the planet so its as nice for our children, and grand children as it is for us today today. We try to use less plastics, try to recycle as much as possible, waste as little water as possible, etc. You know the usual, that I think more and more people are doing to these days. I think we recycle 2/3Rd's more than we throw away.

Enough about us. I bring this up as I believe strongly in recycling, etc... But is there not a point when you've gone way too far?

I see this guy 5 days a week as I drop off Princess to St. School each morning during the week. He is, I would guess in his late 60's. He wears a goofy ass bike helmet, and rides his bike to the school every morning, rain or shine, snow or sleet, 100 degrees F., or 50 degrees F below. It just does not matter. He goes into the school, and digs through the trash, then proceeds to go outside and dig through the dumpsters for aluminum cans and then puts them into the aluminum can collection trailer that the Boy scouts have parked in the back to deposit his findings. Usually he only gets 3-5 cans I'd guess by the small size bag I see. Not only do I find this odd, I find it disconcerting as he is going into a school, where children are. I've expressed this to the Guy who watches the kids when I drop Her off, and he said he would bring it up to the principle. I don't think he did, or the guy wouldn't still be hanging around right? Am I nuts for caring?

I think I should bring it up to the Principle myself. I Know this guy comes in before the principle arrives.

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The foot bone is connected to the ankle bone,.... is connected to my wallet.

Most bikers learn early on, that just about the time you try to do one thing custom to your ride, that you rarely can do just “one thing” without it directly affecting something else. For me anyway, it usually amounts to about two to three times the cost I initially thought I was going to end up spending for just the one thing. Thus, my title the foot bone is connected to the ankle bone, ....is connected to my wallet.

I've been doing a lot of bodywork and painting on motorcycles lately. I used to custom paint for a living, but I've scaled back to doing it as a side job and or hobby. I am currently doing my 3rd bike now for about the 3rd or 4th time. I suppose you can say I'm never content with one paint job for very long, as I have the ability to do bodywork and paint myself. Plus, this way it’s a little easier to swallow the cost of the new paint. However, it never comes without a price. There is still a lot of expense and time involved. I usually end up picking up another paint job for a paying customer to help pay for my habit. So needless to say I've been busy lately. I must thank my wife and kids for putting up with my lack of being around lately as I have spent many hours away in the shop.

The cause of the problem to start with was that I put in a larger motor, which decreased clearances that I used to have with the smaller motor. I ended up "having" to do my bike again because I had a crack in a gas tank weld, caused by one of my lower gas tank brackets hitting one of the rocker box covers, which was caused by the motor heating and expanding the jugs under the rocker box cover, thus pushing it upwards into the bracket. This caused a lot of unwanted vibration on the gas tank, thus cracking a weld. (Bracket bent upward, clearance given, welded crack, problem averted). Since I cracked the weld in the gas tank, bodywork and paint was necessary. I also broke my drive belt due to having a small weak stock belt that was not suited for the larger motor. Since I am doing bodywork and paint, and need a new belt, this means the rear fender needs to come off to. Since I'm doing the gas tank and rear fender, I'm already painting two thirds of the main painted parts, so why not paint the front fender and change out the custom paint to a whole new paint job. While it is apart and in the shop, why not change the fluids. I also have easier clearance to change brake pads now, so I may as well do them too.

The larger motor is connected to the gas tank, is connected to the belt, is connected to the rear fender, is connected to the front fender, is connected to the brakes, is connected to the fluids.
Thus "the foot bone is connected to the ankle bone,...is connected to my wallet."

I’m getting that spring fever thing goin on here, since we’re climbing into high thirties. Did I mention I’m in Minnesota? Hopefully, soon it’ll all be over and I'll be happily picking bugs out of my teeth again.

Keep the shiny side up!

Hope to see you in the wind come springtime.

Mr. Motorcycle