This happened today

One 1949 Panhead running.
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Valentines Day with the Trump

Valentine's Day Ride with teh Triumph from Vorhese on Vimeo.

Aw hell, let's try this one more time

Like I mentioned earlier I was going to throw in the towel on the microphone tail light due to the LED bulbs stripping out constantly. My buddy Mart hooked me up with the idea of using trailer marker lights. They are sealed, much more resiliant, and a smaller profile. Use 2, one as running, one as brake. I think it's going to work much better!

"Lending a hand"

I went over to Francisco's this weekend to help on his BSA A10 and his '57 Thunderbird. The Thunderbird isn't firing. Looks like it's the coil and electronic ignition box. It was just the coil but I helped fry the box by switching wires around. Stupid positive ground. The A10 is badly wet sumping. We figured the oil pump was failing, so we pulled that off. The gasket looked pretty roasty toasty. The worm gear pump on the BSA seems so much more complicated than the plunger style on a Triumph.

Charlie's Place Electronic Ignition for CB750 How-To

My First Harley "Theodore"

My friend Ted passed away back in August. When I moved here back in 2006 he was the first vintage bike guy I met. He was such a grumpy curmudgeon like me, we hit it right off. He loved my wife and was there for my son's first birthday. It was sad to see his decline in health over the last few years. When he passed it was difficult. I and my friend Francisco helped his wife sort through his huge collection of XS650's to help sell. As we were cleaning she asked me if I'd be interested in his '49 Panhead. I was speechless, especially assuming it would go to his son. I managed to eek out a "yes" and then tried to figure out how. After some research I made an offer and it was accepted. Yesterday was the day it came home.

It's a 1949 FL, last registered in 1986. If I can guess it was restored late 70's/early 80's. His wife said he had it when they met, but he never rode it. It spent time in his office for a while. He collected a few parts for it here and there. And then it sat as his XS650 obsession took hold. I've known about it for years and joked with him about him wasting his money on the XSs when he had this bike in his shed. The fact it is now sitting in my garage is, for lack of a better overused word, surreal.

What I can tell about the bike is that it is mostly '49. The forks are '50-59 due to the lower fork legs (they should be sandcast aluminum painted black) and the headlight nacelle says "Hydra-Glide" (it should say nothing). The gas tank is likely a later 50's as it is not tank shift. The mousetrap foot shifter was been added. The dash is repop with 354 miles on it. It's been converted to 12V. It is just in very nice rider condition. I brought it home, hooked up a battery, and got spark which is very promising.

Yeehaw!

I want to stop

I wanted to use yesterday's naptime to figure out what A) My front brake wasn't stopping and B) The tail light wasn't working. Brake was easy: it's soaked in oil. I think I have a leaky fork seal wicking into the hub. The tail light was a familiar problem. The wire pulled itself out of the LED bulb again, the third time. There is just not enough room in the tail light for the wiring, so I think it's time I called it and found a new light altogether. It was a good experiment (making a light from a 40's microphone) but I don't have the capabilities to make it work (welding to cast aluminum, making a functional socket).

January of trails

It's been a great month for getting out with the family and exploring all the amazing outdoor space around us. Just so many breath-taking views right in our own backyard.

























Teaching Max to compost.

If only it could be a full time job and people paid me to work on my own bikes...

Lots on the needed list, but comin along. Save the Pre-unit swingarms.