Charles Windsor, universally acclaimed to be the most boring listless uninteresting life form to ever come into existence in the history of earth’s animal kingdom, is being crowned king of England today. Charles Windsor makes Joe Biden look like Bill Burr for sheer effervescence.

If you put Charles Windsor into a compound filled with treed koalas….the koalas would suddenly by contrast appear to be a troop of the Cirque du Soleil acrobats in full contorting aerial-performance dynamic gymnastic overload. Charles Windsor could enter an arena of laid-out human corpses and by contrast the corpses would suddenly be transformed in your eyes into a riotous assembly of animated fun-loving-hysteria, and filled-with-enthusiasm dervishes of spinning frivolity, good-naturedly competing with each other for the most histrionic display of life and frolic.

Abandoned piles of bricks at a failed construction site in a desolate stretch of a Utah desert would suddenly appear to be dazzling electrified rectangles of light and bouncing wizardry of choreography should Charles Windsor have happened to listlessly and cadaverously slog onto the site.

If Charles Windsor was to be a spokesman for the ASPCA in one of their ads, walking with a microphone through the forlorn yards and compounds in the snow where the dogs sadly gaze with hopeless eyes and quivering in emaciated stupefied shell shock….in your eyes, in abrupt contrast to Charles The Listless, they would suddenly appear to be alert, enthusiastic border collies anxious to be whirlingly dashing through the freezing frost in anticipation of another day with the herds, sitting up smartly, tongues visible, grins on their faces and excited about life and delighted with their fate of good fortune. This would be an illusion of course, in reality all the caged unfortunate pets would drop immediately dead with despair at his approach at an entity more misery-laden than they are.

Prince Charles’ leaden personal animus of course is not even his worst feature. His conversation and things he chooses to actually say compete mightily with his brooding inconsequential dormant waking, non-talking hours. He has absolutely nothing interesting, on any topic, to say ever. And he does not know many topics.

He could enter a cage of starved lions, talking all the while about global warming or the plight of some forgotten tribe on an island off the dark side of the moon that he confesses he is relentlessly concerned about and the lions would not know he was meandering about and droning in their presence.

He can talk into a reporter’s microphone for three minutes and in that time the microphone will visibly turn to rust and start to decay. His fields of interest are basically: reprehensibly homely women and the magical effect they apparently have on his penis: global fucking goddamn motherfucking warming, which concern, that is, you having it, more or less spotlights you with a 5 million watt bulb that indicates to all that you have the analytical faculties and critical-thinking capacities of a bar of bath soap; that fairness be manifest throughout all humanity and which can be easily achieved through love and understanding; the catastrophic menace presented by not obeying the World Health Organization; and the sad and unfortunate plight of all mankind unless we all slow our lives down to a pace that he can personally not be confused and bewildered by. Which would be “more inert than the empty sarcophagus in the center of the Great Pyramid” and his appreciation of the majesty and benign nature of the wondrously fraternal Islamic religion and the wondrous contributions Islam has given to the world via art, tolerance of non-members, the placing of their women and children on pedestals of respect and honor and the insightful wisdom of their solitary volume of reading material. And the list of his similarly vivacious topics for discussion would fill a fifty gallon bin that no one would want to look in, because there would be nothing interesting in there.



This inert human pillar of salt is now the king of England. Not only is the sun setting on the British Empire, the new and present king, like Kanuk impeding the tides, is convinced he can halt this treasonous stellar entity’s proclaimed-by-King-Charles advancing ravages upon Earth’s sky, sea, and land masses. Which is also what Greta Thunberg thinks SHE can do. Why he’s with Lady Duncemore and not Greta Thunberg, no doubt already Dame Greta Thunberg, is a revelation that he will likely, in a mighty and regally appropriate flash of insight, rectify. Probably sometime soon. Given his present track record for insightful proclamations and decision-making.

–J.J. Solari

 The versatility of J.A.P. engine design can be seen in their stationary engines, which have powered a wide array of industrial equipment such as generators, rotavators, water pumps, milking machines, hay lifts, and numerous machines in the agricultural industry.

–Sam Burns
Antique motorcycle curator

Biltwell Parts & Labor Custom Motorcycle Expo was the ultimate destination for motorcycle enthusiasts this last weekend.

Bike builders, bike riders, and bargain hunters went to see cool shit, meet people, and score deals on the best riding gear, parts and accessories available in rain- soaked SoCal.

For ten years the Biltwell crew through an annual, get over the holidays Biltwell Temecula Headquarters parking log sale.

This year they stepped up and indoors. All day, bikes, peeps, and good times ‘o plenty filled Exhibition Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

The annual Biltwell Parts & Labor Custom Motorcycle Expo in San Diego, California kicked ass. Check out the bikes.

I confess, I wasn’t there. Working on my Knucklehead in snow-packed Sturgis, South Dakota.

–Bandit

www.biltwellinc.com

Hi! Do you ever wonder, as you hear the news of the day….. or find out about it via the guard at the supermarket telling you, you can’t go inside in order to handle the fruit with your bare hands without a mask on…..do you ever wonder why everything just gets crazier and worse? And not saner and better? There’s a reason! And you’re partly why!! That’s right! It’s not just them! A lot of it is you! It’s kinda BOTH of you!…..you and them! Working together! As an idiot team!

Sure, you’re upset at me right now but I have good news! I am actually going to explain to you why you…and the OTHER people causing all the trouble…..are actually a team! That’s right! This ain’t just them! It’s also you! That’s right – two groups of totally batshit inhabitants of Fairyland – working together to make things worse and worse and worse. And all the while – the BOTH of you are refusing to ask each other…..”Why are we doing this?”

Oh!….. and not only are you both doing it and not puzzling why….. you’re both doing it over and over and over again…..and expecting that this NEXT time things will be GREAT! That this will all get fixed!

It won’t. It will all just stay crazy if not get actually crazier. You know what this is called, right?…..doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results every time? That’s right. It’s called being nuts. It’s called being crazy. It’s called being a fucking idiotic fuckhead asshole stupid dumbass fuck.

You should be fucking pretty goddamn excited I showed up at this point. Otherwise, you might just stay stupid forever! That’s not gonna happen. We’re gonna fix that, you and me.

You will notice that there is a news-item link at the top of all this. Maybe it’s at the bottom. Who the fuck knows. At any rate, the news item featured in the link is what triggered what is going to be for you a huge favor!

That’s right. Thanks to this news item… I had what I can only call a Saul Of Tarsus Moment!! I mean, I read looney news items every day. I get routinely infuriated. I yell at the ol’ lady, the neighbor kids, the neighbor dogs and people on Fuckbook and then move on to the next infuriating item. It’s what I DO. I’m like fucking Geico.

But this above news-item created a different reaction. There was no anger. There was no outrage. There was no yelling at the ol’ lady. There was just a kind of silent strangeness of, like, something snapped inside my head. All was quiet. I saw all of reality as a jumble. And off in the distance there was an empty plain.

I said in my mind “I must leave this jumbled reality and go over the empty plain yonder. I must seek the answer not in this reality: but in a different reality. Where my vision will not be intruded upon by this reality. I must go over to the emptyness over there.” I said that.

And I went there in my mind. All was quiet and empty over there. And then it was, very calmly, very unchaotically, very Saul Of Tarsus-like, like I could see! It all made sense! The blindness was gone!

I went back over to where the craziness of reality was and I was no longer affected. Because I understood why it was all so crazy.

But I see it all clearly! You know like the song?…..”I can see clearly now the rain has gone…..duh DUH… duh-DUH-duh duh DUH…….” Yeah, you gut it! That’s the one!

So, I am therefore going to explain to you now why we are at this point. At this continual point of crazy. And it’s actually partially your fault!

There we go. Now, as long as I gut you here and since you’re drinking on me I’m gonna be totally fair with you just so you know: just because you’re stupid doesn’t mean that you did this to yourself and on your own. No. Someone else – a lotta people actually, most people actually – went out of their way to GUARANTEE that you would end up stupid.

I have good news. Yeah, drink up, want another one? Here. Have another one. Pretty good, uh?

Ahem.

So: regarding this article. We as Americans are now at the point where one idiot – the “Democrat” idiot in the article – is saying we need to put Kotex in the girls’ and boys’ bathroom at the mandatory-brainwashing facility called “school”….. while a different idiot, a “Republican” idiot, is saying no, we don’t need to do that, we just need to do it in just the girls’ bathrooms. The boys’ bathrooms don’t need Kotex. It’s the girls’ bathrooms that need the Kotex.

Now, under ordinary circumstances, assuming any of this can be called ordinary, under ordinary circumstances you would never even know about any of this. Fear not. A failed novelist called a journalist, along with his editor, a failed writer on all levels, along with an entire upper management crew at Fox, (upper management being defined here as understanding how to avoid being fired) got wind of this toilet/Tampax/Kotex/leakage/vaginal/bloodspatter incident and decided to tell YOU about it via their monumentally huge information-dump called “The News.”

Let’s walk down this section of instructional pathway one more time: someone you don’t know heard about this incident, which I think as incidents go could justifiably be called an insane one…..and then needed to tell you about it. And for this he got a paycheck enabling him to pay his rent: for telling you about this totally insane upheaval of quarreling sides involving bleeding vaginas and whether bleeding twats should be prepared-for in the men’s room. Not just in the ladies’ room. And these aren’t really men and ladies here: these are kids. Should Kotex dispensers be in the boys’ bathroom: that’s the looming question here: should Kotex be available to boys. In the boys’ lavatory. At school. Where these machines won’t last ten minutes when one of the Normal boys kicks it to pieces while laughing.

This of course is not anticipated by the Democrat. And would not occur to the Republican. And certainly, would not be brought to anyone’s attention by the hack. Unless the hack was me of course. No, he just brought the nonsense to everyone’s attention. Why? Because he KNEW it would be energetically “debated” by people engaging in “conversations” about it.

So: here’s what happened in even more detail and also an explanation of WHY it happened. You’ll actually learn the WHY of it all. Unlike what you will learn from fuckyfuck and his editor at Fux News.

So, the Republican was the first Asshole Fucking Idiot to propose this Kotex rule. The Republican office holder just dreamed this idea up. Probably while thinking about high school girls going to the bathroom. And his daydream PROBABLY did not involve Kotex at the time. Or bleeding twats. Or urine. He probably just figured, “You know what?….as long as I’m daydreaming about high school girls’ twats, why not make my daydream PUBLIC under a disguise or a ruse or a politically-correct act of ‘caringness’ because you know what?….that will be funny: here I am thinking about teenage twats and I manage to transform it into fucking ‘noble and caring virtue and saintliness and selflessness.’ Or, in other words, the exact opposite of what is really going on, which is me just thinking about teens’ twats.”

So, this Republican decided it would be a good idea to command into existence menstrual-blood collectors in the girls’ bathroom. He’s getting paid god only knows what to do something that is not specifically spelled-out as a job requirement other than “making things better” and this is what he comes up with to make things better: Kotex in the school bathroom.

Okay. So, there’s that guy. That’s what HE’S doing. Dreaming of twats and Kotex and menstrual blood and somehow making his daydreams public under some crazed guise of caring about teen twats, not just daydreaming about them but CARING about them. He’s getting 200 grand a year of your money to talk about teen twats’ blood-leakage publicly….and get away with it. Because he doesn’t want to FUCK their pussies, no of course not. He wants to protect them from stains and odor. That’s all.

I should mention, fair to say, that this notion – which when bureaucrats have notions they become “bills” – this “bill“ which this asshole dreamed up likely will not actually involve Kotex Brand cunt-stanchers. Unless Kotex is now headquartered in China, then, who knows. But will more likely involve, if a specific cunt-blocker is written into the bill, be more like something called “Happy Kunt PeePee Leakee-Leakee Brand Poison-Oak Clusters From North Korea.” Or Afghanistan. I mean my FIRST question would be does this guy own stock in twat-blankets? Because who thinks of this shit just outa the fucking blue.

So anyway, this doesn’t end with Senyore Republican coming up with this emergency protocol for a non-existent anything, forget emergency, no, not at all, here’s where the Democrat cunt got involved with her objection to all this. Do you think her objection was “This is stupid”? No. That was not her objection.

Her PROBLEM with all this is that the Republican wanted the twat-drainage rags…… to be provided just in the girls’ room. To repeat, the Democrat’s PROBLEM with this idiotic idea wasn’t that it was an idiotic idea. The problem was it wasn’t idiotic ENOUGH. It needed to be stupider. I WILL give Democrats this: they can improve upon ordinary stupid and elevate it to monumental-level stupid as though they were born to it.

Let that sink in: the imbecile Republican with time on his hands wanted the free, probably pre-moistened with jizz just for laughs, sanitary napkin cunt blockers designed for use on cunts’ cunts exclusively……he wanted them just in the girls’ bathroom.

It’s at this point that this other idiot, the Democrat one, pipes up and says “That of course is something all us adults should be thinking about, teenage girls’ twats. But let’s not forget that there are teenage girls who are declaring and announcing that they are actually teenage boys. And these declared-males with twats will be allegedly squatting, maybe standing, maybe doing cartwheels, it’s really none of my business, they will be in some crotch-related configuration in the boy’s room taking a piss out their twat vaginal cunt-pussies….. and they will need a Chinese crotch-mask too! Maybe. I really don’t know. I’m just guessing. I mean, it could be the case.

I’m speaking in the context of an abundance of Kotex. I mean of caution. OR….. they might have penises but identify as girls. And might want a fake Chinese imitation Kotex up their asses. Because maybe their asses identify as twats. So yeah: this is a great really stupid idea but it needs to be made a lot stupider.”

This then is the matter that is under actual serious discussion such that Fox needs to calmly report on it. Remember, as far as these people are concerned and the journalist and his editor and the CEO of Fox are concerned….. this is not a topic that should have everyone involved in talking about it sent to Siberia to die in the cold. Oh no! Oh contrair. This is in fact a topic that should of course properly have a bonafide journalist discussing it objectively, like it’s a real thing.

And by all means Democrat office holders and Republican office holders should be actively engaging in the ins and outs and the pros and cons of this vital topic that has attracted even the mighty overseers at Fox News so that once the decision is made regarding this extremely important matter of what to put in what bathrooms of the mandatory teen-prison-attendance facilities it will create, as do all government actions, the exact opposite of its intent. Not that we actually know what the intended intent actually is in this case. Which is good.

The nuttiness of this, however, goes way beyond the issue under discussion. The issue itself is the very least of the problems of this situation. Because the issue is being created by something even crazier than the issue itself called “representatives” – who have jobs that have no actual job description other than “representative.” Even though no one in particular is being represented.

The representative’s “job” is representation. But not of anyone in particular. Just representationalism for its own sake. Your representative represents representness. NO “representative” actually has met even one one- millionth of the people he is “representing.” So, he’s not actually a representative. No one has access to him, nor does he want anyone accessing him. So, he’s basically nothing. And yet he is expected to “do” things. But why would he know how to “do” things when his job has no things to “do” IN its job description. Which it also doesn’t have: a job description. So, what is he supposed to DO? HE doesn’t know. YOU don’t know. Nobody knows.

Well, since he knows on some level that he doesn’t know what his job is as representative of people he doesn’t know, he asks OTHER “representatives” and THEY don’t know either. So, they band together and decide amongst each other like comrades, “Well, we’ll do what we want until someone tells us to tone it down a bit. Then we’ll tone it down a bit until it’s safe to ramp it up again.”

And there are no punishments for coming up with idiocy. Or passing it into law, so that EVERYBODY has to become an idiot. Like their non-representative representatives are. Except stupid as they are we’re not as stupid as the people they are representing since what they have is Job Security without even having a job! Kinda like a Mob job on a construction site!

So, you have two piles of representatives who are not representing anyone….. agitating the people they are not actually representing into demanding that not only should the non-representational representatives create more mandatory edicts but that there should be even more frequent replacements of non-representational representatives than are currently being replaced at the present pace at which they are not being replaced at.

Meanwhile the huge hordes of people who they are supposed to be representing even though they are not actually representing them or even know who the fuck they are – these people are busy yelling at each other that one pile of non-representing representatives is 100% wrong in their non-representational decisions and opinions while the other pile (there are only two piles) while the other pile of non-representing representatives is 100% right in their non-representational decisions and opinions.

So you have two piles of representatives who are not actually representing anyone and an even larger pile of people who are convinced they are actually being represented by the people they keep electing into representative posts who they never met or if they did meet just got a smile and a handshake and a “Hey, good to see you, hope I get your vote”…..which therefore which is three piles of malarky or delusion-filled people: two groups of which have “jobs” that require no product other than non-representational representation, a third group that insists the first two groups are absolutely necessary to prevent chaos and then you have a fourth group called “reporters” who REPORT on all this as though it is actually some sort of functional aspect of civilization. Rather than something fucking batshit as hell.

Let’s review AGAIN because I think it’s necessary: There’s four groups of people in America ACTUALLY running things, despite what the flat-earthers tell you, all of them batshit: there’s two groups of representatives who do not represent anyone and who are at odds with each other exclusively since they are the only people they ever see on a day to day basis in the “workplace” unless it happens that they are NOT at odds with the opposition, namely other non-representational representatives who they are in agreement with unless they are in disagreement with them: there’s a group of people who “have” representatives who do not actually represent them since they never met them, talked to them, came over the house, swam in their pool, chatted with them on the phone, and then there’s a fourth group who MONITOR the other three groups and intrude opinions or suggestions or attitudes or observations into their reports on the other three groups to either suggest one of the three groups is more right or less wrong than one or the other of the other groups, and they’re kind of like some sort of batshit independent crazed weird fuel-onto-the-fire kind of berserk outlier pretending or claiming to be indifferent onlookers only interested in the other three groups getting along as much as possible. Even though they’re lying.

So, you have “representatives” who basically are not representatives. They’re just people with an imaginary “job.” It gets worse: they would not be IN their imaginary jobs unless the imaginary job actually existed beforehand. And the reason the imaginary job exists is because the people being imaginarily represented insisted that the imaginary jobs be created. So you have people in jobs that are not jobs, representing no one as representatives of other people who insisted the imaginary representational jobs be created, so that eternally-rotating selected individuals who often self-selected themselves to “run for office” as imaginary representatives of people they will never meet or know or recognize in a crowd…can order the crowd around…..at the insistence of the crowd itself which demands that someone represent them in an imaginary capacity.

And now you know why everything in America is nuts. It’s because that’s what everyone actually wants. Welcome to ”our sacred democracy.”

–J.J. Solari

Some feel the Las Vegas Mecum Motorcycle Auction is the Devil Incarnate. The money-making desire to flood the market with almost 2000 Vintage motorcycles in an unpredictable inflationary period could destroy the motorcycle industry and return us to where we started—grubby bikers.

Others were excited to find bits and pieces to complete vintage projects. Some wanted to sniff the action for clues to future sales. The Bikernet investigative team, which we can’t name included builders, brokers, collectors, racers and celebrities.

Didn’t experience the crowds this year, but the bids kept coming. Almost ¾ of the inventory was sold.

Here’s the official Mecum Auction Description:

Hosted today by Mecum Auctions, the world’s largest vintage and antique motorcycle auction has been held annually since 1991 in Las Vegas. Returning to South Point Hotel & Casino each January, the long-running auction has more than tripled in size and overall sales totals since Mecum’s acquisition in 2014. In January of 2020 alone, more than 1,540 motorcycles hammered sold in five days for a 90 percent sell-through rate and $22.6 million in overall sales.

Since 2014, Mecum Auctions has maintained status as the world’s top auction house in the offering and selling of vintage and antique motorcycles. After taking a financial stake in MidAmerica Motorcycles, Mecum was able to combine its respected brand and successful auction process with the expertise of the long-established motorcycle-auction company. The combination proved to be a winning one, and motorcycle auction successes have continuously skyrocketed.

Mecum is proud to be a leader in helping these collectible motorcycles achieve the respect and attention they deserve on a nationwide and even worldwide scale. The Mecum motorcycle division is committed to the mission of bringing buyers and sellers together over the shared love of these two-wheeled mechanical masterpieces, and no one does it better.

Back to the Action:

“Prices were all over the place,” said one of our band of reporters. Knuckleheads went soft pricing, while oddities captured the attention and high prices including motor-powered bicycles. Inline four Indians and Hendersons drew over $150,000 and seemingly ordinary ‘60s Hondas gaveled-down at over $65,000.

The record setting bike of the meet was a single cylinder 1908 Harley drawing $850,000, but after commissions that number jumped to $920,000.00, a record for Mecum. The owner bought it for $15.00 decades ago and painstakingly restored it, bit by bit. Plus, 1920s BMWs drew fine prices.

Laura Klock’s new bagger, charity build for her program to help teenage girls pulled only $25,000 and late model V-twin Harleys drew as little as five grand.

So, what does this say about the industry or the economy. One of my reporters pointed an ugly finger at Mecum for not checking the authenticity of motorcycles. More and more vintage components are being manufactured around the world. With a running engine many early bikes can be built from the ground up. Jeff Decker’s fine looking patina Cyclone was a terrific example.

It says a lot about the history currently available to enthusiasts, but that brain trusts are passing on as the brothers age and depart to leave too many unanswered questions.

And don’t dismiss the egos, competition between builders and their valuable relationships with collectors. We followed a 1914 Henderson inline four and received mixed reports. One narrative indicated a very clean restoration with a couple of re-pop parts. Another stated that the only original part was the engine, otherwise all re-pop. Who to believe and what was the final outcome?

Regarding the industry one long-time vintage broker said Mecum indicated a drop in pricing over the next year, which could indicate historically a three-year trend. Doomsday.

One the other hand others are very excited about the future. “It was all up and up,” an undercover agent reported. “Panheads were slightly soft as beautiful restorations drew just $20,000 while old BMWs and ‘60s Jap dirt bikes pulled sizeable bids through the roof.”

Bottom line, there’s still lots of funds the world over. Vintage motorcycles afford any guy the chance to collect something significant from the past and be able display is almost anywhere, unlike cars, boats, and planes. Vintage bikes tell unique, exciting stories and the collector has the ability to see and touch all the inner workings. Hell, you can’t collect watches and be afforded the distinct opportunity to see the guts of every running aspect of a vintage motorcycle.

Plus, and this is a major. As technology changes and the drive for electric vehicles increases, the more valuable our historic heritage will become. We all need a piece of motorcycle history to share with our peeps forever more.

And like it’s done in the past, if the electric EV movement blows up, we will be proud to own more ICE motorcycles!

–Bandit

Edited by John Stein

This book is amazing because Denis’s life, always seeking the Fastest Lane was and is incredible. For Bonneville enthusiasts, this book is a must read.

Not only does it tell the trying stories around precarious run attempts, but it points out every pitfall to success on the salt. Denis also goes into detail concerning mechanical, aerodynamic, component and team difficulties.

Of course, he discusses the funding issues and dealing with various types of Sponsors.

It’s easy to read, while carefully laid-out in a large coffee-table format with numerous captivating photos and captions. But unlike many photo-essay books relying solely on images and artistic layout, this book carries a significant literary timeline. It captures every historic racing event from the beginnings of Manning’s motorcycle racing history through every attempt to capture and hang onto the coveted World’s Fastest Motorcycle Land Speed Record.

–Keith R. Ball
Member
Easyriders Streamliner Team

Okay, the South Dakota winter set in, my shop was complete and the Holidays were looking good in the Black Hills. I’ve got a batch of stuff to touch on. The other evening, I stumbled into the shop and started to dig for inspiration. I had five successes and one major failure. Let’s get started.

My first challenge was wheels and brakes. The second stumbling block was driveline alignment, rear wheel alignment, fender and seat. And finally, I tackled my notion for the handlebars.

Let’s start with the last, the handlebars. I wanted highbars, but nothing traditional. As you saw in the first chapter, I struggled and then discovered Nash, handmade bars. They make them to order. But they couldn’t add my additional bend, and I wanted evil 13-inch bars.

When they arrived, I couldn’t just build a gig and bend them. They were too short, but that worked in my favor. I machined slugs out of solid stock.

I bent the slugs using a press and a lot of heat. It sorta worked, and they slipped right into the bars. I’m going to buy a new TIG welder next week, so I asked Cabana Dan to weld the slugs into place.

The bars are quirky, to say the least, and I’m not sure if I’m going to weld the dimples or leave them alone

I have a partial patina notion for the ultimate finish on this bike and I’m looking forward to it.

Since I’m in the Black Hills I seem to be surrounded by more motorcycle aficionados with more resources and more talents. I had several late-night discussions about the wheels and brakes. The options are endless but restricted by my Irish Rich VL frame and the XA front end.

After several talks, I picked up the phone and called Elliot and Eric at Black Bike Wheels. Here are some of the wheel options, when you are planning a ground up with exotic frames and front ends. I considered disc brakes all around, but I wanted a vintage flair and I’m not afraid of stock mechanical brakes.

Ultimately, I went for a star hub with Timken bearings, which means the stock axle won’t work. It will for set up, but one machined aspect is extended for the Timken bearings.

Charlie was able to supply most of the stock front brake components, but I needed to tighten up the rivets on the shoes with a punch and a hammer. I didn’t choose to have them bonded this time.

I ordered all the little shit, springs, axle, cork seal and cable clamp from Colony through Randy Cramer at Dakota V-Twin in Spearfish. I cleaned up everything and started assembly with a few nuts and spacers from Paughco.

I removed the Paughco rockers and pins. I wanted to use the Paughco pins with the stock rockers, but there are differences. I also ordered a new set of Rocker bushings from Colony and pressed the old ones out and the new ones into place.

We were able to order the Timken bearing axle for stock brake application from Custom Chrome. Paughco makes axles for a number of applications including stock springers. They will offer the Timken model in the near future, because it’s only a slight machining change.

I considered making a sleeve, but it would be super thin and not worth the trouble if the axles are available. I’m still waiting on the front brake cable and handlebar lever, which I hope comes from Barnetts.

I wanted to run a star hub on the rear, but I couldn’t run a stock mechanical rear brake because of some of the modifications to the frame. Stock linkage was no longer possible.

Steve from Paughco suggested a hydraulic rear brake and I ran down the canyon to see if Charlie had a complete rear brake system. He did and I tried it, but everything was too tight. I shifted to disc but two partners suggested a sprotor and recommended the Hawg Halters unit, because it includes a true four piston caliper.

I committed and ordered a rear wheel with a one-sided hub for a sprotor, which is super clean. I also ordered black hubs and rims with stainless spokes.

I needed ground clearance, or I might have run with the wheels on the bike. I went with a standard 21 on the front and a 19 rear, which took some investigation to find an approved rear 19-inch tire.

Everything hinged on alignment, before I can finish installing the engine and make a top motormount. I’ve ordered a 4-speed case from JIMS, which will house a 5-speed gear set. I found out that JIMS bought the case patterns from S&S and are starting to set up manufacturing. Might take some time. Yesterday, I was told I would have it on the 15th of March, the day before my 75th birthday.
Fortunately, I’m still a young punk.

Next, I messed with the rear wheel Hawg Halter and fucked up. This is not a standard rigid frame, but a VL, which has less space between the frame rails and a cast brake anchor mount. The caliper would not fit.

With the help of a Paughco rear axle and frame spacers, I was able to center the caliper over the sprocket and discovered an easy way to mount, too easy. I knew something was way too simple about this application and I sent images to a couple of brothers. Dan wrote back, “What about the chain.”

I made some measurements and with a Plasma cutter, cut out the stock brake anchor bracket. The caliper fit.

This put me into the position to set up the seat, fender, fender brackets, chain guard, etc. But I really needed driveline aligned first. I can’t attempt that without the transmission.

I dug around for fender options. I wanted to do something different and found several front fenders including one from an FXWG from the ‘90s. I was intrigued, and the fender bracket was poorly welded into place. It seemed to have damaged rivets, so with Dremel bits, I started to cut at the welds and rivets.

I completely failed at every attempt to separate the fender brackets from the fender. I ordered a replacement fender from Paughco sans the bracket strap. It will fit perfectly once I have it in my evil hands.

So, next is the seat pan system and rear fender. Hang on.

–Bandit

Sources:

Barnett’s clutch and cable

Clausen’s Machine Shop
Spearfish, SD

Dakota V-Twin
Spearfish, SD
www.dakotavtwin.com

JIMS Machine

McMaster Carr
www.mcmastercarr.com

Paughco

Shamrocks Customs
Sturgis, SD

S&S

Terry Components
Check on J&P Cycles

Nash Motorcycles

 Black Bike Wheels
www.blackbikewheels.com

Custom Chrome

My 2022 Harley Ultra came with a reasonable sound system, but my problem is hearing loss from when I was in the military. That prompted me to order an amplifier and new speakers. Life got in the way and I got behind schedule and needed some help getting it installed.

The system I chose was Harleys Rockford-Fosgate 400W – 4 Channel

Link https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/shop/harley-davidson-audio-powered-by-rockford-fosgate-amplifier-400w-4-channel-primary/p/76000997

My local dealer SPACE COAST Harley-Davidson in Palm Bay Florida came to the rescue and installed the new Rockford Amplifier and Speakers. They even took photos so that I could focus on writing this article. Hopefully it will help you decide if you want to try the install sound system components or have the dealership do it.

 I decided to get some help on this install for a couple of reasons.

The factory suggests installation is done by a technician at a Haley dealership.

Even if you do the install yourself the newly installed audio system and speakers will not play audio unless it is configured using the Harley-Davidson audio app or by an authorized Harley dealership, sneaky.

I have handled numerous upgrades over the years, and this one can be done if you have the time, knowledge and tools. I did not have the time.

 If you decide to do the install yourself here is what to expect.

You will need a Harley Shop Manual for The Motorcycle You Are Working On because the instructions that come with the parts reference service manual information. Follow the instructions to Remove, Saddlebags, Side Covers, Main Fuse, Fuel Tank, Left Side Caddy, Lower Backbone Caddy, Windshield, Outer Fairing and any other items in the instructions.

Read through all the instruction and follow them closely. The Space Coast techs started with the primary amplifier kit.

https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/shop/harley-davidson-audio-powered-by-rockford-fosgate-primary-amplifier-installation-kit/p/76000974

Take care not to damage the painted surfaces, position the drill template on the left saddlebag and use tape to secure it in place

 

Use a 2 ½ inch hole-saw and a 13/64 in drill bit, drill the holes. Trim the edges and debur the holes.

Clean all surfaces with a 50-70% isopropyl alcohol and a 30-50% distilled water. Allow to dry completely.

 

Follow instructions on mounting the amplifier to the mounting bracket paying attention to torque settings and wiring harness routing.

Test fit the mounting bracket. It must be straight, centered and as close to the bottom of the saddlebag as possible.

 Use marker or masking tape to mark location. Peal the tape from the mounting bracket and install it to the marked location.

NOTE: Once the bracket is taped into place it will be very difficult to remove without damaging the bracket.

Stand saddlebag up on end and allow the tape to cure for at least 24 hours.

Mount saddlebag to check harness length. Leave enough length to easily connect to saddlebag.

 

 https://www.harley-davidson.com/ac/en/shop/harley-davidson-audio-powered-by-rockford-fosgate-stage-ii-tour-pak-air-cooled-lower-speakers/p/76000985

 Remove screws retaining OEM speaker grille and speaker. SAVE SCREWS. Remove Speaker Grille. Disconnect terminals and remove speaker from enclosure.

Repeat on opposite side of motorcycle.

Put wires on new speakers. They have different size spade connectors to prevent improper assembly.

The new speaker grilles are side specific. The Bar and Shield logos are oriented towards the inboard. Install the screws and torque to 14-19-inch pounds using a cross pattern when tightening

https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/shop/harley-davidson-audio-powered-by-rockford-fosgate-fairing-speaker-installation-kit/p/76000992

 

 

 NOTE: Do Not Remove Any Screws Securing Enclosure Halves Together

Remove Speaker and OEM speaker grille from inner fairing.

Repeat procedure on other side.

 The new speaker grilles are side-specific. Verify proper orientation of the Bar & Shield emblem before proceeding.

Install Speakers and wiring following instruction procedure and torque settings.

Install speaker enclosures paying close attention to details and torque specifications in the instructions.

 

Note: To Prevent Possible Damage To The Sound System, Verify That The Ignition Is Off Before Installing The Main Fuse.

 

Have a Harley-Davidson Technician program the new system.

 

Never Operate The Vehicle With The Speaker Enclosures Removed. The Enclosures Provide Important Structural Support To The Fairing. Operating Without The Enclosures In Place Can Result In Damage To The Fairing Assembly.

Before Installing Outer Fairing, Check That Speakers Are Operating Correctly. Understand That Buzzing, Squeaks And Rattles May Be Heard Until Outer Fairing Is Installed.

Install outer fairing and windshield paying close attention to bolt pattern and Torque Specifications.

Install Left Side Caddy, Top Caddy, Lower Backbone Caddy, Fuel Tank, Side Covers, Saddlebags, Seat and any other items removed.

 

NOTE: As Previously Stated This Article Is A Brief Outline Of The Install. Follow The Instructions That Come With The Parts to Be Installed And In The Harley Service Manual.

 

Or Even Better Bring The Motorcycle To The Dealership To Have It Done. I Am Happy That I Decided To have Space Coast Harley-Davidson Handle This Install.

 

Now I Am Rocking Out Rolling Down The Highway Listening To My Favorite Tunes.

Editor’s note: If you want to see how this whole mess started click here: https://www.bikernet.com/pages/Cabana_Dans_1314_Builds.aspx

We gained access to the hidden enclave of Cabana Dan’s motorcycle shop and collection. Last week was a nickel-plated hive of activity with the Mecum auction and a buyer whisking away with two of Dan’s vintage drag bikes. Hell, a local Deadwood City official is in the process of buying a 45-flathead basket from Dan.

Back at the auction, Dan scored two early H-D Twin engines and a ’13 Single in the quiet rooms behind the auction stage, while some 2000 bikes, one at a time, rolled onto the auction platform for bidding.

This week we will focus on his 1914 Twin project. He recently received his first batch of nickel-plate linkages, pedals and misc. components. Also, too-perfect handmade, re-pop handlebars with internal controls were delivered.

These bars are accurate and sweat-brazed perfectly, unlike back in the day when factory bars were bent by hand in crude fixtures. These precise bars are pricey from Faber Cycle and Dan will send them out for nickel plating and then run the cables for internal throttle and spark advance.

Many mechanical parts are available from Competition Distributing and he ordered and then machined the crank. “Some of the old stuff like axles has been messed with over the years,” Dan said and showed me an axle. It had multiple thread patterns and some wore very thin. He could either machine a new axle or buy one from C.D.

Dan was in the process of fitting the fender struts to the rails and brazing them. He showed me the Cleco Fastener tools. They guide the drilling process and hold the fender valences in place while they are drilled and the rivets installed.

Other re-pop parts are available from Sweden. Since these bikes are going for large bags of gold, this industry is expanding, which makes for delicate issues. A purchaser needs to know what he’s buying and what level of re-pop he is willing to accept.

Soon Dan will remove the engine and tear it down. The cases will be sandblasted and perhaps polished some. The cylinders will be removed, fins replaced on the heads, then blasted and tumbled to completely clean. Then Dan will finish the cylinders in a dull electroless finish.

All the other exterior steel linkage pieces and caps will be nickel plated. The goal is to have the bike look brand new when finished. The collector’s issue will include the number of re-pop parts used, which detract from the value, but could be required to finish a bike of this vintage.

It will be a running piece of Harley-Davidson history with a touch, better than original, when he it is completed. We will bring you another report soon on engine progress and paint.

As we start to tinker with these early engines, I will be looking for spare parts to make my 1914 single more complete for my 1913 Hot Rod racer project.

And the next report might include info on Dan’s 1913 Excelsior-Henderson or the other ’13 Harley twin project. I get sorta confused, but the reports will keep coming, and will ultimately make historic sense…

–Bandit