Stickers, stickers, stickers

As long as I`ve been into motorcycles (that is quite a time when counting years) I have collected stickers related to the sport, dealers, clubs, whatever and so on to put on my tool locker and all over my workshops, they are every where and I like it.

OK, running into Bjørn Andre at the Ekeberg swap led to more than an interesting conversation on old US made motorcycles in general and the restoration of Bjørn Andres famous Spanjola, the multicylindered Indian based homebrew that have been presented on this blog previously.
I have been lucky enough to benefit from his skills as grapich designer to get an AMcN sticker, thanks a lot!!




Felix, in latin "lucky". I feel lucky whenever I ride my old cicles, else why should I bother keeping them alive?
"Felix the cat", a surrealistic cartoon character borned in the late teens as a silent film star, soon to get his own cartoon. Both his films and cartoons gained enormous popularity troughout the twenties, the same years as when US made motorcycles had their heydays, the boardtracks still roared with their stands crowded by spectators and the depression was still inconceivable. The times presented to this blogs readers trough images from "Yesterdaze" and times I picture inside my head when riding my twenties era bikes.

Reaching the thirties both Felix the cat and motorcycles popularity faded, films got sound and cars where preferred instead of motorcycles.

Even if beeing a fading star Felix where still to be a popular mascot amongst those in need of "luck", such as Charles Lindbergh the aviator and keen motorcyclist (Excelsiors) who actually had a Felix the cat figure onboard his flight across the atlantic.
US-AF`s VF-3 Hellcat Fighter planes fighting during WWII had Felix the cat as their mascot, sporting Felix stickers on their cokpits.

Riding old motorcicles is pure luck as well as we all need luck dont we, riding our old scooters in todays trafic?, hence Felix the cat on my sticker.
The bomb?, lets drop it on members of the bureaucracy and
authoritarian people in general, inattentive car drivers and whoever else deserve one!

What to do during summer 2011

We are looking forward for this one.

Wrenching

Played with Rune (and his Panhead) a couple of nights before leaving offshore to work.
Modifying back to original solo saddle with original seatpost from a chopper seat mounted directly to the frame.
Easy task, naeh sadly not, but hey mechanical challenges make better mechanics (eventually) or?

I`m wishing for a larger spaced machine shop.

Brand new seat needed to be tampered with get the seat pin lock spring to work, repop will never be as original.

Someone earlier in this old Panhead girls life rather ripped the seat lugs of the frame than modifying the cheapo chopper seat, oh well.

Ekeberg spring swap 2011

I wonder, will I ever get tired from staying up late at night on Fridays hording boxes filled with other mans (and womens) trash, by occasion brought to a swap meet rather than a dumpster place, to try too sleep in an uncomfortable tent for a couple of hours to continue this frenetic hunt for a piece of unobtainium at 06.00 in the morning, dusk, moist and cold as hell.
Sigh!

Well for one god reason, I dont feel as alone in beeing a parts hunting moron working with old bikes after a weekend at Ekeberg swapmeet. Other misfits like myself come from all over the country, foreigners too. Do we find any gold nuggets? Yes of course we do, always something you hardly could live without, NOT.

Below some pics to give a feel what its all about,
Øyunn at 0600 ready to start hunting?
The Norwegian Indian Club always manage collecting a crowd with their bikes, I became a member (I could feel the pressure as a 101 owner), how come owners of old Harleys dont get together like those Injun guys do?
Per`s 39 Knuck make me drool, every time.
A strange bird, Arne`s Indian Motoplane, a litle bit of this and a litle bit of that when designed?
Wonder if this cute Cocker Spaniel was for sale or just fancied the box?

At last!!

Today was a day to be remembered.
I finnished my Henderson 1927 De-luxe this night (late late) having finally got the engine all asembled and installed in the bike (again).
This time I was a believer, as far as I new all issues with the gearbox where supposedly sorted, ready to hit the road.
Oil filled up, gas filled up, battery installed in case lights or siren would be needed
Left home afternoon, every nerve tensed by mechanical fear, will this first longer ride be a victory, a prove that man is above technology after all or am I to be ditched at a remote road up the valley where no cell phone can get you in contact with whoever have a trailer?

Long story short, my Henderson purred away for several hours, up the hills just as easey as straight ahead. Life was for sure wonderful.
I bet old Henderson was pleased, having missed traveling the roads of Southern Norway for years and years since it went to sleep back in 1949.

Went by a cafe up in the valley where motorcyclists hang out, needles to say they didnt know the Henderson.

Just as when it started getting dark at night both me and old Henderson came back home just as healty and safe as when leaving.

Spring Spring Spring

I`m far behind with updating my blog these days. Days dissapear in a haze of some wrenching and even more driving.
There are always some issues forgotten to be cared for during winter, now to be sorted in a hurry. One never seems to learn.

Have had an excelent riding weather for a couple of weeks now, very cold at nights and afternoons, temps way beyond the freezing point, still hot like He"¤¤% during the mid of the day.
Hard to dress for riding indeed, no to talk if god forbid there should be need of roadside mechanical entertainement.

I have tried to spend as many as possible of my days investegating the enormous amount of local gravel roads in the southern parts of Norway, some would say sneeking, you never now whats still hidden in that old barn, talking to older folks slowly getting conversation turned from this and that to what bikes once where around in that particualr area.
Life is a thrill, breathing is easy, weather is god and spirit is high when your old scooter bring you where ever you wanna go when ever you wanna go, and soon there will be throuth fishing too :-).

Horror !!!

Last week my god friend Oscars (PP choppers) workshop was hit by fire. Three Panheads and a special sportster, a life long collection of chopper and biker magazines, NOS parts, toolings, his biker lounge, all gone in the snap of a hour.

Guys, check your insurances, you never know.

Oscar, my thoughts are with you.

Its spring time, la la

Leaving offshore three weeks ago there was snow all over the place. Knee high outside my front door. What a reliefe to get back shore to find most off the winter have dissapeared, schwiiisch all long gone for this time (hopefully).
Eastern showed up with beautiful spring weather, cold but still sun. Air is bright like no time else during early spring, its a pleasure getting the bikes back on the road to collect some more mileage.

We got this idea a couple of days ago to ride to cape south, Lindesnes to check out what spring was like by the sea. Oh my what a dissapointment. Cape South showed up with sea-fog, cold as hell and we didnt even see the sea from a 10 meter distance. Based on this chilling experience we spent the rest of our driving up in the valleys, still snow along the roadside but after all the sun was making driving comfortable.

What to do during summer 2011