Old Bikes and Old Guys

OC Vintage Bike Meet

Yesterday was the OC Vintage Bike Meet in Huntington Beach, a really great day with lots of participants and their bikes.

Three Honda CBX machines in attendance, a pretty unusual event in itself.

It just got me thinking and you know how dangerous that can be!

The bikes we like are called survivors, not tarted up and over restored but showing their age and maybe just a bit rough round the edges.

They may be a trifle incontinent and drip a little oil here and there, but so what? That's what happens.

This is where the thinking part came in. In fifty years time with a bit of luck and some TLC these bikes will still be survivors.

Most of us who were there yesterday...

Anyway that's enough thinking for one day.

Here's a couple of pictures.

This is a 1937 Big Base Indian speedway bike owned by the same man since 1940, he is now 94 and still running his own company.

A turbo charged 1000 cc six cylinder Honda CBX, the word rocket springs to mind.

A wonderful old BMW in very nice condition, it still leaks oil I'm pleased to say.

When I got home, I wanted to work in the shed Mk 1 for a while.

As you know the days are shortening and the nights cut in and darkness falls earlier and earlier.

So I have installed lights in the shed, next comes a heater so that I can work out there once winter really starts with a vengeance.

I'm thinking of ordering a snow blower from Amazon so that I can get out to the shed in January.

Sarcasm is just another of the services I offer!

Ciao Bella

Norm

Bank Notes

Bank Note Answer.

The portraits used on U. S. currency have changed over time. Portraits of former presidents of the United States typically adorn U. S. currency, although there are a few exceptions. The current notes are: 

$1 George Washington 1st president (1789-1797) no party 
$2 Thomas Jefferson 3rd president (1801-1809) Democratic-Republican 
$5 Abraham Lincoln 16th president (1861-1865) Republican 
$10 Alexander Hamilton * 
$20 Andrew Jackson 7th president (1829-1837) Democratic 
$50 U. S. Grant 18th president (1869-1877) Republican 
$100 Benjamin Franklin ** 

U.S. currency denominations in excess of $100 were last printed in 1945 and were officially discontinued in 1969, though they remain legal tender. 

$500 William McKinley 25th president (1897-1901) Republican 
$1,000 Grover Cleveland 24th president (1893-1897) Democratic 
$5,000 James Madison 4th president (1809-1817) Democratic-Republican 
$10,000 Salmon P. Chase *** 
$100,000 Woodrow Wilson 28th president (1913-1921) Democratic 

People depicted on U.S. currency who were not U. S. Presidents: 

* Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) was one of the founding fathers of the United States. First Secretary of the Treasury (1789-1795) Hamilton was a noted economist, and political philosopher and served as Aide-de-camp to General George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. He was a leader of nationalist forces calling for a new Constitution and was one of America's first lawyers, Hamilton was the primary author of the Federalist Papers. 

** Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was one of the founding fathers of the United States. He was a noted author, printer, satirist, political theorist, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, soldier, and diplomat. Franklin was U. S. ambassador to both France and Sweden and President of Pennsylvania (1785-1788). 

*** Salmon P. Chase was a U.S. Senator (1849-1855), Governor of Ohio (1856-1860), Secretary of the Treasury (1861-1864) and Chief Justice (1864-1873) and is regarded as being responsible for the current U.S. bank note system. Chase National Bank, later Chase Manhattan and currently J.P. Morgan Chase bank was named after him, though he had no interest in it. 

So now you know.

It is always a great feeling when you have a pocket full of Bens.

Velocette at the DMV

Today was the day for the visit to the DMV

For those of you on the other side of the pond, a visit to the DMV is like root canal surgery.

Something to be avoided if at all possible.

However with the requirements to register a motor vehicle and of course pay tax, registration fees, standing in line fees, fees for paying fees...

It is a necessary evil.

You know how it goes.

The Velocette was transported to the DMV on the back of my truck, but you must take it down from the truck and put it on the ground for the inspector.

Thanks to Girvan for providing the assistance with the loading and unloading and reloading of the bike.

Once verified, it was back inside the DMV for the paperwork. Fortunately I had made an appointment and did not have to wait in the "Stoopid" line.

I have to say that despite their reputation, the people I encountered who worked for the DMV were both efficient and polite. Which is more than can be said for most of the customers!

I left with the temporary registration document which allows the Velocette to be ridden legally until January. 

Of course the great State of California wants a few pictures of dead presidents for the privilege of having this temporary document.
I must admit that I was a bit surprised at just how many they wanted!!!!!!!!!!

OK, now we just have to wait for the deadbeats in Sacramento to send the permanent documents and the tags.

Here is a quick question for you American trivia fans:

"Name someone whose face appears on the front of a US Treasury bill who was never President"

Enjoy your weekend.


On Sunday we are headed for the OC Vintage bike meet.
I'll send a report about that later.


Ciao Bella,

Norm

Five Bikes In One Day

Wrench Guys Rule

Check the link at the bottom of the page to see a short video on You Tube.
I set myself the goal of starting all of the bikes in one day, the video is the proof of success.




On Saturday we took the Yamaha to have its' first run on the dyno and considering this was right out of the box we were quite happy with the nominal 45HP produced.
Now we have to go back to the design stage so that we can add fuel injection and  a blower.

Despite a clutch problem and a coolant leak we judged the day a success.

Here is the junior member of the team, Kai.

 I sure hope that we get the Yamaha completed before he wants to ride it.

However, he shows a lot of promise, he does not mind getting his hands dirty.

I'm not sure what Mom thinks of that!

Video  Link.


Five Bikes

Ciao Bella

Norm