Sunday 30 October 2011

Does money buy you love?

Loving these long sunny days, the shadows stretch along the ground trying to reach the dark corners as if they will remain even when we are gone. My Internet returned at the same time my iPhone arrived. So from having no chance to post, I had two. If you see a picture with just a few words then its from my phone, if you don't then you'll get my thoughts on saving shadows. Went to a bobber/Harley auto jumble last week, didn't even know that they had their own special auto jumbles, I don't buy bobber bits, well ok a sportster tank, but that's a factory tank. Bates seats whats so great about them, period correct, well so is mine, because I made it. I got to thinking that I farm a few to many jobs out, so I want to try and do the shovel with the Wednesday Club boys with what we have in our sheds with the exception of the TIG. Two bikes made me stop and take look. A pound notes pre unit, very well done, but a bit to much bling, and then the BSA framed T Bird, was just the dogs, I real mixture of BSA and Triumph. I would much prefer the Tribsa in the garage. Talking of music in my ears I pick up my two favourite Eno CDs Life in the bush of ghosts and Here come the warm jets played to tape versions to death when I was 13 building my first push bike.


















Saturday 22 October 2011

Stay underground

The two different styles in some worlds would never meet. The track master Triumph with a vented twin leading front brake and disc rear just shouts slide me. Everyone who is really into triumphs would like one of these in the corner of the shed. You can buy a track master frame for two and a half thousand dollars, thats a lot of money, for an old frame. Co Built do a rotax framer for £1500, or a Rickman for about the same. The frames never come up for sale and complete bikes fetch £5k+. The deathqueen shovel is similar, if you dont need it anit there approach to a simple living makes my eyes sore trying to find the part thats not need, its sticks its finger to the lard ass hog bikes that have been born from all the TV programs. I post this picture for myself and not in the hope that others will copy the style, somethings are best staying underground.











Thursday 20 October 2011

Monday 17 October 2011

Death of a peony



I took the peony picture this year the flower was about to drop, deep within the centre I could just make out a skull, you could see it if you looked deep. I showed it to the Ben Jones the Grand Designer. I asked Ben if could put it on my skin, he said "no its shit" he spent a night trying to get a subtle skull deep in the peony, which to be fair he did a great job on, when we looked at it neither of use like it, so Ben put this design together using a copy of my peony and a more classic skull, trust me he said, 3 hours later its there forever

Friday 14 October 2011

Nearly there

Wednesday clubs adventures in wheel world, well it was Thursday but the same hardcore four some. Tyre off, Chris W screwed the front end to the bench, you to have it fixed to get a good datum. Spaced the hub so that its in center of the forks and then adjust spoke nipples. The nipples were slacked then the nipples were tighten and then nipples nipples nipples, sorry. Two hours later and the rim is in the center, caliper on, offer the disc up and it all looks good, just got to bolt it all together for the final check.

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Non build

This fucking wheel has been the hardest part of this non build, its taken a year to get it wrong, the disc was warped, which meant the rim was offset so that he spokes cleared the caliper, what a fuck up. Now I got it set up and measured a spacer, used the old lathe to turn one up and bolted it up, spot on, but now when I bolt the disc on the blots hit the inside of the fork and the caliper mounting bracket needs some milling.



Fuck it I'm going have a go at re spoking the wheel!


















Peaks epic

The Saturday after last saw the first epic peaks run, we were a little low on numbers, well it was me and Gordie. We did the complete tour of the peaks, finally turning around at the dams. Stopping twice for fuel, which means it must have been best part of 180 miles, one piss stop and one tea stop. The weather was so good we just wanted to ride, the autumn air temperature a little lower than summer but I still came back with a sun red face.


Monday 3 October 2011

Craking Norton at a Harley show?



Great ride to Kevs open day, got well and truly lost between Ashover and Mansfield, dirt roads more suited to the 500 triumph(still in bits waiting for a cash injection) then a shovel and firestorm, Gordie was loving it on the 4 speed whos gearing came into its own, I'll always support Kev even if his customers tastes on not to my likely, well actually, no I'm not going there. I'll support the man, he's sorted me out many times, its the least I could do. I got a great story from Suzi, I did Kevs ride out this year and one of the guys came into the shop and told his story, he said some one had stepped in to lead the ride at the last minute, and he laughed with his mates and said well I hope he's not on that thing pointing to the shovel leaning against the wall. When I walk up to it and kicked it he nearly died !! I couldnt stop laughing