Brand New Sporty Engines



I don't know about any of you, but in the past, I've searched all over to find a new Sportster engine. Looking high and low at many a site to no avail; even checked out the HD pages for one. Nothing.
Finally I have found not one but four engines that you can purchase from one after market engine manufacturer. Who am I talking about? S&S Engines is who I'm talking about. They have replacement engines for the Sportster and the Buell motorcycles and of course you can build your own motorcycle using one to.
They offer a 100" Sportster Engine PN#MCA-SS319891 for $8594.95
91" Sportster Engine PN#MCA-SS319890 for $8594.95

Then there are the 100"Buell Engine PN#MCA-SS319893 for $8794.95
91" Buell Engine PN#MCA-SS319892 for $8794.95

Don't know why the prices are the same on each for either the 100" and the 91" but there must be a reason. It's also a wonderment as to why HD does not have an Engine rebuild or replacement service for the Sportster croud like they have for the big twins. Anyway, there are the engines and prices although a tad pricey; at least you know its a quality made engine being that it's an S&S product.

Chopper Web


First let me say that I finally made the purchase of a guide book my friend Billy Jones, Blogging Poet, told me about last year. He knows that I am trying to get my magazine off the ground but I suspect maybe he's scared to embark on anything like this at the moment. He did however turn me on to two books to help me along; only now did I find the names of them crunched up deep in the cobweb covered leather I call a wallet. I went over to Barnes and Noble books to get a copy of at least one and found they don't stock it. It also seems I was told this before, last year sometime, and put off ordering one. Today though, I bit the bullet and put in my order for one of them. There just isn't much help on the web for the answers and guidance I'm looking for. It should arrive at least by the tenth of January if not before. Already paid for it in full so there's no worries there. The magazine design is already made up and the plan down on paper and I think I have my printing figured out, well... At least for the first issue or two.

Now about the www.Chopperweb.net site. While searching through some of my articles and other info in my old GarageChoppers files I came across the site again just tonight. To be honest, after all that has been going on I'd completely forgotten about the site. I remembered visiting there but just for the life of me could not remember the name.
This was a rival site of sorts to the GC site I was writing for at the time. We had a somewhat different format than CW and not anywhere as much as they had. The site is huge and it's easy to get lost in there with all that's going on. I mean, you could spend all day on the site and never come close to reading everything that's there.
It is a great place to go to and talk chopper talk and damn near anything else you want to talk about motorcycle wise or political or what have you. Tam runs the show and it was his brainchild to begin with; he's done a hell of a bang up job with it to. He had even offered me a place to present my writings when I was with GC but I turned it down then. I was close with our little group at GC and didn't want to leave as I enjoyed it so much there.
Finding the site again and having a visit brought a smile to my face. It almost felt like I was home again knowing that some of the same people are still there and it was good to see them.

But the best thing I can say is you need to go and check them out yourself to see what I mean. There is tons of great info and motorcycle people to talk to over there. If you need a tech question answered it is also the place to go...Really. Anyway, just go and have a look around and tell Tam that Wooley Bugger says Howdy.

Rebuilding My PanHead

Rebuilding my Panhead Engine won't take much more than rebuilding a Knucklehead. Thing is though that with all I need to rebuild it will cost a bit more than six thousand dollars. My internals are toast because the oil pump locked up on it and you know what that does? Things seize while others try to keep moving before destruction gets the better of them to. Well. I've had this thing for to long now and I know I'll not get it together anytime soon. Besides I've been looking around and found a complete fifty one Pan I can get for not much more than the cost of rebuilding this one. I've also found a Shovel for around the same cost that looks mighty sweet.

Now I've checked out a few Sportys but doggone the owners want way to much for them 'round these parts. A Sporty is just to small for me anymore unless I altered the frame for a more comfortable ride. People are asking as much for a Sporty as a big bike and I just don't see it wallet wise. My trip to the local Davis H-D left me with that old FTF feeling. Don't they realize that my money is just as green as that dude in the Beamer? I'm fighting off the urge to visit the Yamaha dealer next door to them. Not that there is anything wrong with a Yamaha but you know, if I gotta explain you wouldn't understand.

The Kickstand Lodge

The Kickstand Lodge, formerly the Stecoah Valley Camping Resort, is located in the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. The lodge has been renovated by it's owners, Mo and Fred, in 2004 and is a motorcycle friendly camp ground. There is a host of things to do nearby and plenty of scenic riding to help get you your vacation fix from the everyday grind.
They have small cabins available near the stream ( Very small cabins) with double beds and pillows; you need your own sleeping bag or blankets for cover. While the cabins are small, you weren't planning on spending the vacation inside anyhow. It does give you a place to lay your road weary head to recharge for the beauty of the area and relaxing stay.
There is also a bunkhouse to stay in or several tent spots around the grassy grounds.
The Lodge will re-open for the 2007 season on February the 23rd so get your reservations now.

To see more about the lodge and what all there is to offer log onto http://www.kickstandlodge.com

If I can hook up with Fred during this off season I'll make a visit for my magazine.

Triumph Over Tragedy (how one family learned to deal with their loss)

Most parents would withdraw into a shell after such a tragic loss of a child; this family discovered a positive way to deal with it and at the same time, found how to bring family life and business together as one.

** Two-Wheeling: Tragedy Leads Car Salesman to Motorcycles **
By Wayne Crenshaw, The Macon Telegraph, Ga. Dec. 25--E. Paul Reehling's business was born in part out of tragedy. He was a car salesmen in summer 1997 when every parent's worst nightmare came true.
< http://www.redorbit.com/news/display/?id=779744 >

MERRY CHRISTMAS


I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas out there. It's raining here today and the weather is a tad chilly but not bad. At least the rain makes for a wet Christmas and I'll take it because I enjoy the rain anyway.
It's a good day.

A White Christmas...NOT!

The weather here has been on the abnormally warm side this year. While we have been pummled with rain there is no chance of a white Christmas again this year. I can't even remember when the last time was I've seen a white Christmas or even an Ice Christmas. I was born and raised in the great state of Georgia and even then it was long periods between much snow. What we would get down there during the winter were mostly Ice storms with perhaps a spatter of snow on top. These however never seemed to be at Christmas either. Ice storms for us kids were our snow storms back then. The pine trees bent over forming tunnels in the woods that we would walk under while hearing the popping of the ice under the warming of the day. Hardwood trees would pop and snap with the occasional dropping of limbs that would crash down bringing sparkling bits of ice with them making a pretty display. I can see the shimmering crystals even now that would let the light of the gas lamps in the yard make them dance as I would look out the upstairs window.
My parents were probably wishing it to be over as most times then we would lose power for days; sometimes a week at a time. While we would still sleep in our beds but the day time meant cooking and warming up in the large den with a wood fire burning hot and bright. Mom would rise to the occasion and cook there and always would have us hot chocolate or ovaltine. We'd rush inside for a bite to eat and warm ourselves beside the fire. After thirty minutes to an hour we would be back outside playing. Those were wonderful times that just seemed so perfect for some reason.
At night we would come in well after dark to eat and then play games by candle light. Laughter and stories were told then someone would bring in more wood for the fire to stoke it up for the night. It would be getting late before we'd head off to bed under the heavy covers. One of my brothers would be playing his guitar as we all listened to the soothing sounds of the notes permeate the room. Up in our rooms it felt so good to snuggle down with our heads barely sticking out. When morning came you dreaded getting out from under those warm covers when it was time for breakfast. Rushing down to the den though was like running through a freezer until you opened the den door and felt the warmth trapped inside. The smell of bacon and eggs, pancakes, sausage, French toast or oatmeal made a breakfast seem different then usual.
These times would have made for great Christmas memories if only they had been at Christmas time.
Maybe, just maybe my son and I will enjoy a white Christmas before he gets much older.

Spamming Spammers ( not for the ladies or kiddies Eyes)

First of all, like a lot of you, I keep getting my email box full of spam messages for all kinds of garbage. The most persistent one though is for Penis enlargement. Why do I keep getting these stupid things? Who Knows.
My system though will tell me what their real email addresses are and if I had the time and space I'd list every single one and...Overload their systems with garbage.

(free Tip for spammers) There is only one sure fire way to make your penis bigger and thicker. Whoop it out and slam it with a five pound sledge hammer. One good swing should do it.

Special Escort to Arlington ( Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, motorcycles, riders, military, wreaths,

Each December for the past fifteen years a man has donated 5000 wreaths to the Arlington National Cemetery. This year he requested that the wreaths be escorted by the Patriot Guard Riders to the cemetery from his warehouse in Maine. This honor has already been accomplished by the guard for this year.
Mr. Morrill Worcester, owner of Worchester Wreaths, now has another mission where he will be donating wreaths to National cemetery's in all 50 states. For one man to accomplish such an overwhelming task is something that should not go un-noticed. He's not doing this for personal attention but rather to honor all that have stood in harms way for each and every one of us. To my knowledge the only news about what Mr. Worcester has done is found on our Patriot Guard Riders site. http://www.patriotguard.org.

The Maine state Commander for the VFW has started an online petition for Mr. Morrill Worcester to receive the Presidential Citizen award for his annual laying of the wreaths. As of December 14th only 400 of the 10,000 signatures needed have been put on the petition. I personally feel that this is not because of a lack of support but rather the lack of word getting around therefore; I feel it is my duty to put this out on my blog with the hopes that others will see it and get the word around. Also I would like to ask that you call on your local newspaper and/or your local News Channels and make them aware of this man and his mission so they to can get word out. You can go to the Patriot Guard site and print a copy of the article 'Special Escort to Arlington' to mail or hand deliver to the paper or radio stations and Television stations. Mark the article at the top with 'Press Release'

To view and sign the petition go here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/424826701

Remember those who remember them.

Lo Jack for Motorcycles

Being that I have been a victim of motorcycle theft myself; I know what it feels like to have your motorcycle, that you worked hard for, be stolen. The police were not much help at all. The officer showed up with a ho-hum attitude as if it was a pain for him to respond to the call. When he did finally get out of his patrol car it was with the speed of a nearly dead snail. I was informed that my Harley was probably already in a thousand pieces by now and spread over several counties; perhaps even out of the state.

Very comforting words to hear I should say. This officer didn't even bother checking with any neighbors to ask if anyone had seen or heard anything. I took it upon myself to go door to door to ask. Of course, the ones that were home hadn't seen anything and were not to eager to get involved. I took the day off of work and searched the surrounding woods and neighborhoods to no avail.

The reason the police were not all that hurried was that what he had told me was true. By the time your motorcycle is discovered missing and the police arrive, your bike is almost impossible to find. It could be sitting only four blocks away in a van and you'd never know it.

Today you can make it easier for the police to find your motorcycle, make a good bust, and get your pride and joy back to you. Several trucking firms have used a device close to this for years now. So here is something you can get to do the same thing. It's called 'LO JACK' and it tells the police right where to find your bike. Some states ( not North Carolina though) even offer a reduction on your motorcycle insurance just for having the LO Jack. You can get one for your car or even your lawnmower or fourwheeler, dirt bike etc.

(THE REALITY OF THEFT:More than 55,000 bikes were stolen in 2003. That's one bike every 9.5 minutes*. Truth is, if the bad guys really want your bike, they're going to get it. And once it's gone, it's gone. Now with LoJack For Motorcycles, if someone steals your bike, we can help you get it back —fast.) read more - http://www.lojack.com

Lamps I Make

It's true that Wooley has a few hobbies. One of them is making lamps. Here are a couple of lamps that I make in my mini shop. The left one being made from new wood and the one on the right is from reclaimed wood. ( My part of earth friendly lighting)
The one on the left has a single position socket while the one on the right is a three way. They both come with 6' cords or a 10', depending on preference, in either clear or tan. The 6' is best suited for most applications. A 10' cord works well for a room with minimal outlets where a piece of furniture or an end table, night stand may be to far for a 6' cord. I prefer the look of the clear because it goes with most anything.
When I build them it is usually in sets because set up time takes awhile. Tear down and setup takes some time so it's just easier to go ahead and make a few of each.
There is a new motorcycle table lamp in the works which I think is pretty cool looking. I'll post it up when it's finished to my liking. It can be an addictive hobby to have. At times I find myself looking at something and thinking "I wonder if that would make a good looking lamp?"

My son actually helped me to design the lamp on the left and I gotta say that it has an awesome look. We both had a lot of fun working them up. Designing them and getting to the assembly and finish is the fun part.
There has been some thought about doing some up as kits for an adult and a child to put together. Just think about years from now when that child can show his kids or grandkids the lamp he and his parent or brother/sister made together. Something like this builds pride in a child and a can-do-attitude for creativity. Something that seems to be getting lost with all the computer games and gizmos around for kids today.

Cold Weather Oil Woes

Here it comes again, old man winter and cold weather woes. Yep ! The wind, rain, sleet snow and ice season is fast approaching. The warm weather riding season is almost over for most of the US and Canada. Oh the horror, the horror of it all brrrrrr. Some will continue to ride off and on until the frigid cold strikes hard.
For these diehards who want to extend and pinch every last day that they can, they'll have to put up with thick cold oil. Just cranking up that cold bike can be a strain on the battery and a chore for kickers only. Once the engine is started, you will have to have an extended warm up period. Ahhhh, Don't rev that cold engine! That makes for a mighty fine mechanical nightmare to your wallet. Engine oil flows more like molasses in the cold and lubrication is at an all time low until warmed up. Take a quart of new oil and put it in your freezer for the night leave another in the warm house. Next morning take them both and see which one flows best. Its so elementary I know, but think about what that same oil is doing outside in your engines. Seeing is believing for hard nosed motor abusers who can't fathom why that engine wore out so quick and started burning oil.
"Those in the know, Don't crank and go."
For the few that have a heated garage or storage space, great. The rest of us will just have to put up with it .....or do we?
My Pop used to put a blanket over the front of his car, then run a trouble light out and place it as close to the oil pan as possible over night. Even so, he still would let the engine idle to warm up. Thing was, the warm up was much faster than without the light. However it was work every morning and night. Drag out the blanket and the light and the extension cord. Set it all up outside freezing your ass off crawling under the car with the icy wind blowing down your neck. Then in the morning having to go out, undo it all and put it up. Again while freezing your butt off lying on the ground to get the light loose.
You can buy block heaters for cars, trucks and planes, but what about bikes?
Guess what? You can!
Reiff Preheat Systems is a small company that produces them for use on motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, portable generators, airplanes and more. Once the unit is installed it stays so all you have to do is plug it in. Your done without hassles and freezing to death.
There are two sizes available, a 100 watt and a 200 watt system. The 100 watt is a single pad heater for around $125 Bills and the 200 watt which has two pads for faster heating for $169.
The second one is equipped with a thermostat that limits the temperature to around 150 degrees so it won't overheat.
Hook one of these jewels up to an automatic timer switch from a home center. Then you can have it come on and start warming before you get up in the morning. It won't run all night and you won't have to get up extra early. Engine warm up will now be much faster and safer for both of you. Check out the battery heaters that they also make to give you full cranking amps.
I think it is worth the price for convenience and piece of mind.
They have many systems for several applications. The warranty is 2 years and they don't exclude the warranty coverage for installation mistakes either. That's confidence unheard of in todays day and age.
Check out all their products and tips at http://www.reiffpreheat.com

WooleyB

Getting On The Patch

Another cigarette or another motorcycle? I'd rather buy another motorcycle than a new lung.

Well, I've finally decided to try the quit smoking patch a try again. Trying to quit these damned cigarettes is a pain in the ass. People have told me to just go cold turkey but that is a path that has been tried many times to no avail. Around three years ago my wife tried to quit and bought some Smoke Away at the local health food store. It was much cheaper than getting online or off the radio advertisement spots. For some reason she didn't finish the program and I think it was because she did not take the dosage on the box. She was taking less than what the directions said to take. So, she gave me what was left to try and the stuff was beginning to work for me. My craving was only after I ate. It was great to wake up in the morning and not have the urge to light up right away. In fact it would be lunch time before I wanted one. The problem was that there was not enough left for me to continue taking and she couldn't find it in the store anylonger.
So I went back to smoking because I had tried the patch before and found it to be a such a hassle not to forget the skin that would pull off when removing the things. They burned a little while wearing them so that was a deterrent.
Now I don't care if they do all those things because I'm sick of being a slave to these things. I want to be able to smell the oranges and the rain and, from child hood memories, the smell of wet leaves on the ground when we would be camping or tramping in the woods. It would also be nice to be able to taste food again. Most of all my son has been on my butt to quit. I told him I wouldn't make any promises but I'd give it another shot.
Now, being that the prices are so high and we smokers are unfairly taxed so heavily on the tobacco sticks it's a good time to try. I can save close to $200 a month by quitting and put that towards something else. A new motorcycle perhaps. Well, not brand new but new to me.

MYRTLE BEACH BIKE WEEK (May 11-20- 2007)

Yes, I know it's only December and spring seems so far away. Thing is though that the days are passing by us fast. Thanksgiving has only just shot by and Christmas is moving up quicker than that Thanksgiving day dinner gas. Many of you who are already experiencing all the snow and ice storms probably have not given much thought to warm weather because your having so much fun. In reality I'd bet your wishing the old man winter would just pack it all up and go home.

May 11-20 of 2007 will be upon us before we know it and the Myrtle Beach Bike week will be getting into full swing for the winter weary. It would be a smart move to go ahead and begin thinking about booking a room before they are all snapped up. The closer to Bike Week we get the fewer the availability of motel rooms there will be. Vendors, if you haven't already, would be smart to secure your spot and get your permit for the thousands of bikers that are sure to be there.

The good people who put on this show are also looking for someone to design a new T-shirt for the 2007 event. So, if your an artist and have what you think is a great idea for next years T-shirt logo then you should go to the site and submit your art work. Who knows, this could just be the break your looking for.

To find out all of the ins and outs of next years event click right on over and browse around the site. All the information you will need for your well needed vacation can be found there. I have no association with them other than meeting the owner of Sonny Productions through a friend of mine back in 2004. I was checking out the ButtBuffers he was hocking which seem perfectly suited for a long ride. Mighty comfy stuff in those buttbuffers and he can do you one up for most any other seating need to save from a sore butt. Hey! You could get one for the other half for a most comfortable ride too.

Link on over to www.myrtlebeachbikeweek.com now.