Feeling Cool?

You?

Perhaps in a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man...

Kick Out the Jams

Start the Week Right

Don't Call Me Shirley

Oh shit...

Bummer.

Hmm...

This guy gets a few Rodney Mullen points...

Sunday Drive

The mid-sixties Chevrolet Impala is perhaps the most perfect vehicle for Sunday drives.

Fly

Sweet

You don't see enough murals of picnic tables in front of snow covered mountain landscapes on the big rigs these days...

It is a shame.

Influence

So, it is pretty rare that I am so direct in pointing out my influences on any given project...

But this bike happened to be featured today on another site today.

I thought I would share...

I have mentioned before, the newer Sportsters have a lot of potential to be something cool.

This is a case in point...

It is a bit older than what I am starting with, but demonstrates what I am taking about.

Fairly simple modifications to this one, but it does it well...

No glitter, no bullshit...

I am not going to copy what Dan Collins has done with this here machine.

It has been in my head, since before I purchased mine, however.

I need to work around the requirements of this state I live in...

They require signals, idiot lights and whole list of other stuff, to get through their inspection process.

Stuff I will have to work around, while trying to get to cool...

Some things, like super narrow bars for lane-splitting are less relevant to me.

Technically, that is illegal here...and a bit absurd, if your footpegs or ass is wider than your handlebars.

But here it is.

Some of my inspiration...

I am shooting for an East Coast version of this.

It'll have the stuff to make it less than a fix-it ticket magnet...

Fenders and cast wheels, to deal with crap roads here.

I want to keep some suspension travel, for the same reasons and for two-up riding...

Simple, easy, clean.

All business...

Fireball Friday

Thanksgiving Thursday

Well, the turkey is nearly done and the pies are baking...

I have been up since about 4AM, polishing the family silver and making preparations for a huge feast.

I made four different kinds of stuffing, so everybody can have their favorite.

Plenty of vegetarian options, so that nobody is left out...

There is a huge cheese board in the living room, along with a decanter of wine and a listing of all of the football games available...along with some homemade caramel corn and cookies, for snacking.

Yeah, I am totally kidding...

I think I would be good with a frozen pizza and a few beers today.

Not that I don't have a lot of things to be thankful for.

But that I feel lucky for the family and friends I have...

And that is just enough.

Happy Thanksgiving.

And no, I am not making a frozen pizza today.

Not yet, anyway...

Badger Reminder

Just a polite reminder that we are getting into the season when badgers start running around in desperate packs of snarling death...

I know, it seems like just a few weeks ago that our little badger buddies were getting drunk off of the various rotting fruits they had scavenged...stumbling around our yards, before passing out.

Well, the buzz has worn off, folks.

Now, they are bitter and hungover...and could really go for a cup of coffee and perhaps a slice of pizza...and the badger swarms will do anything to get it.

They will gnaw through anything, just to get a glass of cold water and maybe a piece of toast...your doors won't hold them back.

It is better to just leave them open and hide in your bathtub, preferably under a feces coated tarpaulin...hung over packs of vicious badgers hate poo.

Candy Ass

Really. How could I not post this?

Meatballs Monday

I don't think fans of cinema really recognize the powerful performance delivered by Bill Murray in this film...

Really gripping portrayal of camp counselor Tripper Harrison.

He helps kids, leads a rag-tag bunch to near victory and leaves us with words to live by...

"It just doesn't matter."

Holiday Decorating

Man, the X-mas crap is already raining down, huh?

The jingle music at the grocery store, in the cabs...

Special displays in stores and what not.

I am not sure I am ready for it, but it upon me anyways...

So, I guess I had better get into the goddamned spirit.

Nothing make shit seem festive in the same way that some blinking lights and some Slayer does...

Get in the spirit.

Holidays.

Fuck yeah.

Medical Attention

Yeah, I definitely think you should maybe have a doctor check that out...

Of course, you are probably not going to find a doctor with that sort of expertise, right now...

So, lets go ahead and order some drinks.

Sunday Drive

One of the measures in the quality of a Sunday drive is whether or not you found the end of the road...

Dieting

I suppose that you thought I maintain my lithe and fit physique thanks to my obviously superior genetic composition...

Sure, that is a contributing factor to my svelte masculine form.

Even hearty, buff men like myself need to think about healthy living and our diet.

I follow the Drinking Man's Diet, which involves not eating much and drinking a lot.

Hey, it worked for Dean Martin...

Unicorns

I figured you would be into a song featuring unicorns...

You strike me as the sort who would like unicorns.

No judgement from me, just an observation...

Product Endorsement

The Bear Brand family of socks are the only brand I allow to touch my feet.

They wear well and are trim and neat.

Available in a variety of colors and patterns.

Bear Brand Hosiery...

Freedom Machine Friday

Normally, I would not subject you to pics of fairly stock Sporty's...

But this one is mine.

We are on a journey...

More metaphysical than physical, at this point.

We are getting to know each other...

I told you I sold off the Model T and showed you pics of this thing before.

Here we are at the blank slate moment.

The miles of garish vinyl spin stripes have been peeled away.

The goofy reflectors are now shaved.

Dumb paint on aluminum has been sanded off to a polished shine.

Parts that needed replaced out of neglect or poor taste have been replaced.

These bikes are chock full of potential for being something cool. It just takes some effort to get them there.

The Sportster has always been the the bike overlooked, disregarded...

It is the cheap bike in the Harley line up.

That may have been why it was favored in early "biker" culture.

It is the gateway drug.

But that seems too simple...

It was also favored for the fact that it had some ability to handle curves, with the early Bay Area motorcycle club crowd. It fit their needs.

Went fast, cornered, did what it was supposed to...

That is part of the reason this one is here.

The Sportster hasn't really changed much, in the last forty years...

Sure, technology has caught up with it.

There have been improvements...

But it is still the baseline, the common denominator among biker dudes.

The motorcycle bikers buy for their wives.

The Lady Hump.

Well, this one is mine...

I am sharing it with you just because.

I have dealt with the initial crap I just couldn't stand...

Folks have mentioned that they are curious what I will do with this thing, given the effort that went into the T.

The shorts of it, I don't quite know yet.

We are just getting to know each other...

We are staring at each other, wondering what might reveal itself.

Machines tell you what they need, if you listen hard.

There are factors to consider...

I need to be able to haul as on it.

My own, but also KVC's.

The man has some rules here.

The things I would tear off are required, here.

So, this thing has it's initial shave of shit.

There are some things to be done to make it more legal.

Things to be done to make it more right...

We are just getting started.

Things that are on the list-

I need to make a belt guard for KVC and the man. The original is missing, but it looked like ass so I am fine with doing some work.

I need to have a speedo. I will modify the stock one and move it down by the tank.

The license plate needs to mount to something less like a drag chute mount.

Some manner of smaller air cleaner, something less like a bundt cake pan. This one is better than the original but still seems huge.

I guess I need a mirror, according to Pennsylvania. Fucking assholes.

Suspension work, to make it handle less like an over-ripe banana.

A fork brace, see above.

Maybe it should hunker down more on the back end, again, see above.

The exhaust might get a two into one treatment, just because.

Perhaps a slice on that rear fender.

I am trying to keep things simple and business like in my planning.

Something that can take some city abuse and be good at it...

But also something that can knock back a few hundred miles, as needed.

A freedom machine...

Roskopp

It is kinda hard to find a pic of Roskopp actually skating...

There are plenty of images of that street deck with the face floating around.

That era of graphics out of the Santa Cruz guys was pretty awesome, if you will think back...

If you are old enough to remember skating in the middle-eighties.

I had one of those face decks.

It rode pretty good, from what I remember...

WTF Wednesday

Seriously...

Don't you have anything better to do than look at random crap I post up?

Skate or Die

If this doesn't show up...

Follow the link.

It is worth seeing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8dYtWXCYE8&feature=player_embedded#!

Two Wheels Tuesday

You should probably click on that pic, to enlarge it...

This thing is it.

Real zorch.

Some guy named Mark Drews' put this thing together...

In his garage.

Yeah.

More pics of the bike are over here...including the other side, with the clear primary cover, and other stuff that will bend your head.

Drifting

Normally, I would say that the whole "drifting" thing is pretty lame...

This is not one of those times.

Mongoose Monday

Sunday Drive

Well...yeah.

Clap Along

Fan Mail Friday

I get this kinda shit all the time...

Thrashin' Thursday

Wheelbarrow Wednesday

Sure, Wheelbarrow Wednesday sounds lame...

Unless you have got a wheelbarrow with goddamned Godzilla in it.

Then, Wheelbarrow Wednesday fuckin' rocks.

Feeling Cool?

You?

Seriously?

Reading Material

I subscribed...

How can you resist?

Sunday Drive

Nobody rides for free.

Hit the Road

Here...

Look at some cool shit.

Job Search

I am sort of regretting not getting my official junior pizza maker certificate...

It would probably look pretty impressive on a resume.

Colors

This isn't a "good old days" post.

I have looked at this picture a few times now, however...

And I am struck by how lovely the palette of life is, in it.

Does that make sense?

Vans

Seriously...

I am telling you...

We are on the brink of a custom van revival.

Next big thing.

Wynn Wednesday

That is the business.

27 Tuesday

KVC Month

It is KVC Day!

If you had missed it on your calender, remember that KVC Day is just the kick off for KVC Appreciation Month.