Antique Motorcycle Club Of America



Billy and I took us a little ride today down to Denton North Carolina to the Antique Motorcycle Club Of America's 2nd annual Southern National meet held at the Denton Farmpark. Check them out, Billy is a member and I'll be joining up myself now. http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/ We, and about sixteen others in a group ride had planned on being there on Saturday. Saturday though called for some stormy weather with hail; none of us went Saturday.
It was an 180 mile round trip ride for me, Billy a little further cause he rode to my place to meet up, and Rat Bastard ran well all day as did Billy's Nuthin Special. Gave us a good shake down run for our Saddle bags too. JB scoping out Nuthin Special and admiring all Billy's hard work resurrecting the old XS650, he was really interested in Billy's oil filter modifications. During our conversations Billy told of our http://stolenmotorcycle.net/ site which was well received.

  Billy on the left talking to JB, one of the officers of the meet, who filled us in on what was going on and what we missed. Yep, we missed the whole thing. The show began Friday, continued on Saturday and judging was Sunday at 8 a.m with a big ole breakfast. Some folks were still there with old Honda's, an old Indian bicycle, another bike unidentified as the lady rider on it and her husband on a vintage Honda went for a ride. Then there was the old VW powered trike with heavy steeled body (No fiberglass on this thing) all packed up on a trailer along with a Honda 125 street bike. I was checking things out and though my camera was at my side got nary a picture. To busy looking them over to think about getting some pictures. Stupid! on my part. We got to meet some great folks though and I for one still had a grand time. The weather was nice, the ride was good, the company was perfect and the comments on Rat Bastard overall and it's rack we make, plus comments on the Saddle bags...priceless.  JB noticed my brake line at the bars was rubbing the top front of the tank as he did a walk around, I hadn't noticed, and he made a little adjustment to clear it. Thanks JB.
We also met the owner of the Farm park and Billy asked about the constant humming we kept hearing. It sounded just like one of those 1950's scifi alien space ships in the black and white movies. It was a huge swarm of the seventeen year cicadas http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/cicada.html .
We get them all the time around the house but never nothing like this have I experienced. Along the route home after leaving the Park for some miles we could hear them over our engines. I'm a telling ya these things are loud.

On the way back we stopped to gas up. A couple on their H-D were parked at the store and made a B-line for us at the pumps. His Lady has a Sportster and he has a 1974 Ironhead project at home collecting dust he says. They were both stoked about the Ironhead (Rat Bastard) and dug my tank, his Lady and he zoomed in on my rack and she especially was tickled over the Hard side Saddlebags and wants a set. They were a couple of fine folks and we enjoyed speaking with them. I hope he was inspired to get back to work on his Ironhead, we'd enjoy seeing it and her bike. Billy gave them my blog and hopefully they'll give a holler sometime. If they can't find the Saddle Bags, hell! I'll mold her up a set.
                                                                                                                                                                 
 

      Check out this cool motorcycle powered vehicle. What is it? Even the owner doesn't know. If you know what it is please tell us. 

                        Billy is thinking and getting some ideas here I'm sure. Seating is One up front and one in back, or two kids perhaps.

                           A shot of the cockpit. Check out the shifter at the lower right.

                 This is a view from the back. Two steering wheels front, one drive wheel in back.

 The fellow who brought it had finally talked the previous owner out of it after trying for years. Even the previous owner didn't know for sure what it was. There is no name plate or anything giving a clue.

My attempt at getting a picture of the engine. Several people were cramming around to get a glimpse under the hood. The whole back end is set up like an oversized motorcycle swing arm. The drive is a continuously variable transmission or CVT for short. 3 Wheeled EZ Go golf carts used these coupled to two stroke Harley Davidson engines for years. I've worked on some of these carts in my past and the system very simple, fast, reliable and still used today in many applications. As engine speed increases the top pulley grows larger by centrifugal weights and the lower pulley gets smaller and the belt stays the same size. More in depth info here should you be interested:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuously_variable_transmission

So, we had a grand time today and Billy is always a great riding partner. Besides, he almost never gets lost and if I'm leading and get lost, he knows where we are. Better than GPS and much cheaper to take along.
Next year we might think about being vendors at the show. I'm already thinking it over, maybe including UltraSonic cleaning services at the shows. Cool! Set up for vending and put my bike and Billy's in the show, they'll be there with us anyway. Might be fun.

Wrench, ride and have fun.