Author Archive

August 23, 2016

Lake Shore Drive


LSD – There’s a road I’d like to tell you about, lives in my home town

Lake Shore Drive the road is called and it’ll take you up or down

From rags on up to riches fifteen minutes you can fly

Pretty blue lights along the way, help you right on by

And the blue lights shining with a heavenly grace, help you right on by
And there ain’t no road just like it

Anywhere I found

Running south on Lake Shore Drive heading into town

Just slippin’ on by on LSD, Friday night trouble bound
And it starts up north from Hollywood, water on the driving side

Concrete mountains rearing up, throwing shadows just about five

Sometimes you can smell the green if your mind is feeling fine

There ain’t no finer place to be, than running Lake Shore Drive

And there’s no peace of mind, or place you see, than riding on Lake Shore Drive
And there ain’t no road just like it

Anywhere I found

Running south on Lake Shore drive heading into town

Just slicking on by on LSD, Friday night trouble bound
And it’s Friday night and you’re looking clean

Too early to start the rounds

A ten minute ride from the Gold Coast back make sure you’re pleasure bound

And it’s four o’clock in the morning and all of the people have gone away

Just you and your mind and Lake Shore Drive, tomorrow is another day

And the sunshine’s fine in the morning time, tomorrow is another day
And there ain’t no road just like it

Anywhere I found

Running south on Lake Shore drive heading into town

Just snaking on by on LSD, Friday night trouble bound.

Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah 1971

August 22, 2016

Rough Rider


Patina is Everything – I’d keep the surface finished and merely wipe them all down with an oily rag. Make sure there’s compression and the brakes work and shocks give a supple ride then this sled would be a fun beast to pound a dusty lane on. 

August 21, 2016

I’d like to buy the World a Coke


The Grand Hotel – back from a weeks much needed vacation touring Michigan. We spend a night at the much lauded establishment on Mackinac Island, where only hotlrses and bicycles are used for transport. I spied this vintage Coca Cola delivery bike in the the foyer in red paint and shiny bell. 

Oh, and the roads in Michigan are wonderful, I now need to plan a motorcycle trip there someday…

August 19, 2016

6 of 6


Road Worthy – So, after checking carburetor slides are moving in synchronicity a timing light can flash to ensure ignition sparks fire correctly. The bike should sound like a Swiss Watch. Fill ‘er up and get out on the road youth!

August 18, 2016

5 of 6


Two Thou in, Fout Thou out – cold engine for valve adjustments on the tappets. I listen for a barely audible tic-tac from the rockers. Also respirator filters to be clean. Carburetor tomorrow folks!

August 17, 2016

4 of 6


Tighten Bolts – no use things being loosey goosey!

August 16, 2016

3 of 6


Cable News- clutch adjustment today.

August 15, 2016

2 of 6


Cleaning the oil gauze filters… For frame spine tank and crankcase.

August 14, 2016

Hidden Horsepower 1 of 6


On Vacation this week- here’s a magazine article (which will be posted as installments) about wringing a few more ponies out of a seventies Triumph twin. Good Luck! 

August 13, 2016

Just missing the BMW racing combination


Britains – these were my favorite toys growing up. The perfectly sized and detailed motorcycles from the century old die-cast toy manufacturer. All of my childhood bikes either broke (in my quest for how things were put together), or were lost. These are more recent EBay acquisitions.

August 12, 2016

Fiery Flame


Nose Art Tattoo – Bonneville Belle takes the saddle on this graphic trackster steed. Looks ready enough to be emblazoned across the fuselage of a B-17 Flying Fortress. 

August 11, 2016

Green ‘n’ Mean


Green Tiger Cub – hardtail trials in emerald green and aluminum silver… Good look!

August 10, 2016

Salt Flat Fast


Utah – The Kirmington Kid adds a pinch of salt to his deeds of speedy derring do. He’s piloting a 1000bhp twin Rocket 3 engined sliver of a motorcycle across the famous Bonneville flats to get the streamlined two-wheeled record. Working up to a velocity north of the current 376mph record he took the carbon fiber sheathed cycle to 274mph in testing this week. A Triumph record!

August 9, 2016

Vintage Trials


Bobble hat & Boilersuit- here is a lanky Chris Leighfield romping his brand new Cub over tussocks on some long forgotten Northern English fell. 

August 8, 2016

Tigers Heart


‘Gin & Tonic – now that we have power then all the loose ends can get sorted. Nuts and bolts need tightening, cables need restrained, decals adhered, and engine breaking-in.