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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 31, 2017 21:49:23 GMT -5
Bagga,
GREAT pix! Thanks for posting! THESE are the Hogs that made boys like me obsess with building one in the fifties and sixties! And the knucklehead motor has to be one of the most beautiful engines ever...
The only thing I didn't like on the factory Hogs was the dual "buddy seat". It may be "iconic" and that thing was comfortable even 2-up, but dang... That huge, horsey seat up on a spring-post was too high, and never did look right to my eye on the low-slung hard-tail frame. Looked to me like an amusement ride from hell...
Even my new 1970 Electra-Glide had it, and I just hated it. Beautiful skirted leather, but I still hated it, and the spring post wasn't needed on the '70 dresser with good rear suspension.
I replaced it first year with a factory Harley "Night Train" or "Superglide" one-piece seat which looked great even on a full-dress bagger. Nice and low, and fit the shape of the bike. I gave the leather buddy seat complete with spring-post to a pal in 1970 and I'll bet he still has it... Should be worth a good buck in factory-new shape!
From long experience, I'll bet the knuck in that last pic is dripping more than patina! LOL! I still remember my old '57 with basically no seal on the drive-side of the crank... The crank had huge acme threads turned on the end to sling oil back in the block as it blew out... Primitive, but it worked, sorta...
Now that the new Indian is making factory "bobber" versions of the Scout, I'd surely like to see them make a bobber version of the air-cooled Chief! The basics are there, and the new "Power Stroke" engine is almost as beautiful as a knucklehead... Even as an old-time Harley guy, I really am glad to see the new Indian making inroads. But they still need to make a bobber Chief! As for the Scout bobber, I just can't quite see a water-cooled bobber, but that's just me.
Ride safe!
Leo
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Post by bagga on Nov 1, 2017 15:36:53 GMT -5
do you ever get back to the chicago area? if you do check out the HD museum in milwaukee. you would like it.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 2, 2017 22:24:19 GMT -5
do you ever get back to the chicago area? if you do check out the HD museum in milwaukee. you would like it. I haven't been back in many years. With mine and the missus' health going south, I probably will not get back there again. I was fortunate though to be a "factory visitor" back in 1971... Selected buyers got the invite and my new 1970 Electra Glide qualified me. I was AMAZED at the amount of hand fabrication in the old factory! For example, all the frame members went into iron castings (like the fork crown, rear axle triangle, etc.) and then hand brazed with an acetylene torch. No welding... and very little automated equipment. Somewhere I still have my "Factory Visitor" badge...I also got to test-ride the "Night Train" prototype along with a dozen or so other big-twin riders. It was a concept which I don't think ever made it into production. Ended up as the "Super Glide" before Willie G. got balsy enough to REALLY make factory choppers... Definitely a cool experience. During that factory trip, I bought the prototype seat that ended up on my dresser, right from the HD lab. They had 2 spares. I think it was $25... Of course, my brand-new full-dress Electra-Glide was only $2,500 out the door of Villa Park Harley Davidson... (Same as I paid for my well-used Kymco 250 4 years ago)... Most everything has gone up ten times since then... EXCEPT paychecks... LO not so L... Being totally honest, compared to the old 1970 Hog, "Minnie Mouse" with her little 250 motor is more reliable, easier to maintain, rides as well up to full-speed and is faster on acceleration and has only slightly slower top speed. (The Grandvista tops out right at 80, the old Hog managed 85-90 on a good day...). My overall ownership/riding experience so far is actually superior to the old Hog. And she gives 90 mpg gas mileage and costs only $100 to insure! THAT is AMAZING... Big setback the next year for HD as AMF took over. They made better bowling equipment than bikes... Quality went down the tubes and HD almost went under until the employees bit the biscuit and bought the firm back. They're on top right now, but CHEESH... They are EXPENSIVE and then some. Hope there are enough yuppies with extra play money to keep them going. Yeah, for sure I'd like to visit the museum!
Got up to 92 here today! And I had too much work to do to sneak in a ride! All-time record temp for Dallas in November! Hope this means a warm winter! Ride safe! Leo
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Post by bagga on Nov 3, 2017 7:38:38 GMT -5
my 76 is an AMF bike. it's been pretty good to me but then again it was only started a few times in the last 3 years. maybe 50 miles in the last 4 years. the last time i rode it was in july of 16. my 85 got almost 7000 miles this year because i finally retired and had time to ride it more.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 4, 2017 20:39:20 GMT -5
my 76 is an AMF bike. it's been pretty good to me but then again it was only started a few times in the last 3 years. maybe 50 miles in the last 4 years. the last time i rode it was in july of 16. my 85 got almost 7000 miles this year because i finally retired and had time to ride it more. Bagga,
I haven't had experience with any Hogs newer than my 1970, but even that one while still made by HD was somewhat disappointing. That shovelhead was sadly lacking in the stuff I love about the older bikes. It was pitifully SLOW on acceleration. And would only top 90 downhill... LOL! NOTHING left after 75 for passing. A Brit 650 could totally humiliate me... Very much like a 250 scooter today.While it had a hydraulic drum brake on the rear (where the ancient mechanical brake actually was fine) it still had that Fred Flintstone cable-pull mechanical drum front brake (which was somewhat less than "dismal"). Though fine on my lightweight chop.It lacked the faucet-handle road-damper of my panhead, and was frighteningly prone to high-speed wobble. It felt like the frame was cracked! (It wasn't...). Being brand-new, perhaps I just expected too much. Or, was totally spoiled by "Old Blue" with her rock-solid hard-tail frame, wobble-proof road damper and 250hp and even more torque on-tap in her svelte sub-400 pound total weight... As light as the old chopper was, with over one hp per every 2pounds she'd do 0-60 in around 4 seconds and smoke the rear meat, dang-near yanking the ape-hangars out of my hands with a hard throttle twist at highway speed. As for handling manners, I never experienced the awful handling choppers were known for... I could lay her over 'til my knee was in my chin, brake the rear wheel loose by either brake or throttle and remain in total control... She was like ridin' a cuttin' hoss.. I felt like I was part of that old bobber. In contrast, the Electra Glide always made me feel like it had a mind of its own, and I was just perched on top, along for the ride. I guess back a half-century ago, I really was simply a 100% chopper guy...All just great memories nowadays. I'm quite happy sitting on my "kitchen-chair" scoot, not able to top 80 again... LOL! I've come full-circle... I've hit the point where vision is going, depth-perception is shaky, reactions are slow... Bones are brittle (I sure don't want to kiss the tarmac these days!). Just plain getting old. But definitely not DEAD yet... LOL! Ride safe and enjoy those Hogs!Leo
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Post by bagga on Nov 4, 2017 22:01:10 GMT -5
ocg, i asked my italian friend for his grandma's spaghetti sauce recipe. what do you think was the answer?
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 5, 2017 20:06:57 GMT -5
ocg, i asked my italian friend for his grandma's spaghetti sauce recipe. what do you think was the answer? I'm afraid to ask... LOL! Maybe a quart of used Ferrari crankcase oil and a couple cloves of garlic? You're accessing my "inner Goombah"... I do love "things Italian" from scooters to lasagna...
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Post by bagga on Nov 8, 2017 18:54:45 GMT -5
i bent this part of my light setup over the spare tire on my trailer. nothing fancy to make the bend, then just tweak it to get it right. gotta keep it old school.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 8, 2017 23:18:31 GMT -5
You and I definitely think alike! I've made a bunch of brackets in similar fashion... I used my carport support-beam to bend muffler brackets for my old 150... There's always SOMETHING available to use for a "die" to bend stuff! And THOSE lights are the nice ones I mentioned that I had many of on my '70 Electra Glide. They were available from my old Hog dealership pretty cheap back "in the day".
They are nicer than the "beehive" style with a circlip holding the lens in, but the beehive lights came in all sorts of great colors! Also in black or chrome, and with "eyebrows". You used to find them new at truck supply stores for around a buck each!
One of the most iconic mods to old Hogs is adding a cluster of neat vintage running lights!
From past experience with LED's on both my Chinese 150 and the Kymco 250, I think one could get away with re-bulbing (is THAT a word?) the oldies with LED's and run quite a few on the weak electrics of a scooter.
Ride safe, ride well-lit!
Leo
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Post by bagga on Nov 9, 2017 7:57:19 GMT -5
i was out at the old school chopper shop awhile back and while digging through some of the stuff there i came across a blue lensed bullet light. i just might go back and see what he wants for it. the chrome is terrible but the glass looks good.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 9, 2017 19:52:42 GMT -5
i was out at the old school chopper shop awhile back and while digging through some of the stuff there i came across a blue lensed bullet light. i just might go back and see what he wants for it. the chrome is terrible but the glass looks good. I think I'd try for it. Not many around anymore. You could always sand it smooth and paint it black... I remember seeing these in red, white, yellow, blue, green and purple. A cluster of them as pretty as a string of Christmas lights, though illegal as heck... LOL! Neat things from the past that probably won't be around anymore, although modern repros could be lit with LED's and maybe make a comeback! Ride safe! Leo
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Post by bagga on Nov 10, 2017 19:25:42 GMT -5
it got down to 11 degrees last night. i think i'm done for the year. we had some "lake effect snow" here today. it was sunny but it was snowing.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 10, 2017 22:50:01 GMT -5
it got down to 11 degrees last night. i think i'm done for the year. we had some "lake effect snow" here today. it was sunny but it was snowing. I'm with you... THAT is TOO cold. I used to ride "Old Blue" all year but I was 16-18... Brain dead. With 13:1 compression and molasses-thick Harley Davidson oil, kick-starting that monster was a real adventure below freezing. Oh, the things we do when we are too young to know better... LOL! Some folks (NOT me...) thrive on brutal winters. I've bought some vintage model airplane engine parts from a couple in British Columbia who live almost "of the grid". To get to town, they still use dog-sleds! Bush pilots air-drop some supplies in deep winter when they get completely snow-bound. Too much adventure for me! Only accident I ever had on a bike was on "Old Blue" one January day when it warmed up around 60 degrees. I was on the old Congress Expy (now the Eisenhower Expy.) going around 80, enjoying the sunshine. I came under an overpass on a sweeping curve. The road was glare ice under that overpass. The old chopper went out from under me faster than Bill Clinton at a nude girl-scout retreat... I never touched the tarmac, but "flew" into a 12' plowed snowbank. Just like a giant feather pillow! Immediately behind came the old chopper... I ducked and she flew past, burying into the snowbank about 12 feet... Took me hours to pull her out, and then I noticed we had sailed BETWEEN the steel uprights of a huge sign... No real damage to the bike, no injuries to me... BUT... Lesson learned!!! Never did that again. At 17, I was still learning to drive/ride... Could have learned THAT one the hard (fatal) way. God does look out for fools! And BIKES do kill FOOLS. Ride safe, and watch out for that ice! Leo
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Post by bagga on Nov 11, 2017 7:49:32 GMT -5
they (city government) have started to apply some kind of liquid brine solution on the streets before a predicted snow fall. it's eating up cars like crazy. my car mechanic says he loves it. he replaces more brake lines and fuel lines than ever before. it's really hard on vehicles. i noticed it was sprayed on the road here yesterday so that's it for me this year.
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Post by bagga on Nov 11, 2017 8:51:28 GMT -5
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