Panhead Racer and Other TT's

I don't normally like to just lift and post images from other blogs but I had to share this one I found on the Lucky B Design blog.

You don't see many factory photos or bikes like this. Looks to be a '51 TT Racer. Note the raised transmission and the magneto at the generator's location. You can definitely see how bikes like this influenced the street bobbers built by guys like Dick Hirshberg.

I then Googled Panhead TT and almost nothing came up. I did find the '48 below at http://roadboogers-1948panheadtt-bobber.blogspot.com The strange thing about this blog is that it's one page devoted to just this bike. A look at the guy's profile revealed that he has 20 blogs all dedicated to a single bike.

Nice, but a bit too shiny and pretty for me. Should old bikes be so pristine?

Almost a twin '47 from another of his blogs.

Indian Summer

It's been really hot the last few days. We're about a mile or so from the ocean and escaped the summer's heat this year, but not now. It was 109º nearby on Monday. Downtown L.A. set a record at 113º, 6º warmer than some of the local desert cities.

Just a lame excuse to post this.

The El Camino Conundrum

El Camino can be a hard show to completely take in. The show opens at 8 a.m. and is basically over by noon. Yes trophies are announced around 2 p.m., but pretty much everybody else has split. Not a lot of time to fit it all in, especially when you get there around 9:00.

You don't really see things if your busy looking through a camera, so sometimes it 's best to put the camera down and just take in the experience.

Here's the drill. If I'm taking pictures, I'm really not checking out the show bikes. If I'm really checking out the bikes, I'm not taking pictures, or looking for parts. If I'm looking at parts, I don't have time for the first two activities. Then throw into the mix, running into friends every 10-15 minutes or talking with someone who is admiring the same bike you happen to be standing by. The day will race by, and later I'll think, what happened?

So here's my (limited) highlights of what happened.

A well restored early Sportster will always dazzle me. This '61 belongs to Glenn Bator. It started with 3 kicks and sounded real sweet. The overcast skies don't bring out the color quite as good as it really looked.


I didn't get a chance to read the board behind this bike.


The owner of this Super-Glide really wanted to sell it. It has a few incorrect items but is still very nice.


This black VL is refreshing.


Lowrider anyone?


It's nice to see old grubby bikes are still surfacing.


This was the first time I saw Keith Ball's Peashooter.


That tank art looks familiar? The fire extinguisher is actually an oil tank.


Original paint Sprint.


Police bikes shouldn't have whitewalls and look so much better without them.


Some probably hate the green. I like it much more than the typical red Injuns.


Can't go wrong with black.


These might be the best tank emblems HD ever offered.


Didn't see many vintage chops this year.

This sums up how this year went. I didn't take many photos, didn't really see all or check the bikes out that well, bought only one part, talked with several friends and a few other enthusiast.

Still a good time overall.

Venice Vintage MC Show

On Sunday I cruised on up to Venice to check out the show. I got there late (around 2 p.m.), it was probably peaking as I could hardly make my way through the crowded street.

The group was really mixed. There were Honda's, Indians, Harleys, Beemers, and British bikes, though not as many nice Brits as I would have expected. Since it was filtering out fairly fast, things could have been different earlier.


This old Scout was an attention getter.


Rust never sleeps.


Memory says 1910


Definitely not vintage. An amazing example of what you can build and still legally register as a motorcycle. It follows the theme of Roth's original V-8 trike intentions, build a Dragster for the street.


A few of the judged entries.


A flashy '72.


Hardcore. Bikes tend to say something about their owners.


A group from the Garage Co.


Another nice Scout.


This kid's face says it all!

A One, and a Two, and a Three

I've been going to the Long Beach Swap Meet since it began (1989?), and would often see bikes that I really liked but, never took a camera. One rare occasion, in the summer of 1996, I did take a camera and shot the following photos as I was preparing to leave.

A One. I really dig this old road warrior. How about that passenger seat?


I call them Blend Bikes (made up from a unique blend of different year's parts), or Swap Meet Bikes, since their owners have built them up or keep them going by using whatever they find at the swap meet.


A Two. What's this... another cool flathead parked along side?


A bit more of an original survivor. There is nothing cooler than old bikes that are taken out and ridden.


And a Three. This one's blend of parts isn't really working for me but, you don't often see three UL's being ridden together. I assumed they were all buddies since they were just about the only bikes left in the lot. This one could very well be the same bike a friend of mine bought a few years later (at Long Beach), and restored to stock.

I never saw them again. I can't help wonder, where are they today?

A Lost Opp

The year, 1993. I was at the El Camino Vintage MC Show checking out the bikes when a quiet elderly gentleman near a restored Harley VL For Sale, commented to me, "I didn't know they were so valuable now... I guess I better go home and put a lock on the garage."

The bike he was commenting on. I believe the price was about $10k.

He went on to say that he use to race VL's, still had a few plus a garage full of VL parts. He then said there was a picture of him taking a jump in Harry Sucher's The Milwaukee Marvel book. I told him I had the book and knew the photo he spoke of. We talked briefly and he handed me a card with his contact info.

Of course I knew this photo... It's so cool. The year stated is likely incorrect. There are some other similar jump photos in the book on the same course and by the same photographer, but dated 1948. Also, the rear wheel is a 16" and they weren't available until the '40s.

I should have struck when the iron was hot. As time passed, I felt more uncomfortable about contacting an elderly man that I really didn't know.



I'd guess he has long since passed and I blew a unique opportunity to learn some M/C history first hand. Still, it was nice to have met and chat with one of M/C's old timers.

Anybody out there who knew Don Fera, know what happened to him, or his bikes?

El Camino 09 Part 2

It took me so long just to do the swap meet, that by the time I made it back to the show area, many of the bikes were loaded and gone. Most of the bikes left belonged to guys waiting to hear if they had won anything.

If your into Antique MC's , you probably know this fella. Mike's done bikes for big shots such as Jay Leno.


This '66 returned but this time with a side hack.


Too flashy for me and likely for the judges as well.


Craig Taylors exceptionally clean '61.


I heard he took it all the way to Davenport.


You had to see this BMW's color in person to really appreciate it.


Nice '51. I love black wheels but not with whites. If your into flash and want to run whites wouldn't it make more sense to have chrome wheels?


Interesting but too much flash (and red), for my taste. All that work, so why the funky and torn '80's Sportster seat?


A simple Chief. It may have been the only Indian in this groups line up.


Pepper Red and Ivory White. Yes, the factory really did this simple form of two tone for '54.


This funny little Powell was the last (scooter class), bike standing when I came back. It appears the seat and rack are sprung by those 3 springs in the back.

EL CO 2009 Part 1

If you live in So Cal and are into vintage iron, then you probably look forward each year to the El Camino Classic MC show and swap meet. Now that both the Ventura and Del Mar shows are no more, it's our only truly vintage venue. But, if we are to only have one, it's the one to have... and we almost lost it too!


Projects looking for the right caretaker.


This knuck featured a poorly done Faux patina paint job that just ain't working. It looks like black paint was rubbed way too evenly over it's entire surface. It needs to be a bit more random with some rubbed thru areas, chips, etc. to sell it.


A tidy Pan in the "Noise" space. I chatted with the owner and T-Bone (who assisted with the build), and complemented their work. It has some very clean mid controls set up. You really need to see the shifter side. It also featured a glide handlebar clamp nicely integrated into the top tree.


Mike (Born Loser), Davis had a space and was promoting the upcoming Born Free show.


Interesting take on stuffing a Knuck in a VL. Nicely done, but the seat, tank, and whole stock looking fork, fender, horn, light and bars aren't working for me. I'd like to see a more aggressive bobbed look.


Looks better from this side, but who has 35k for a toy these days?


I'd guess '20-'23. Wheel rims don't appear to be originals.


This Sport Twin is looking for a new home. Harley was literally going in a quite different direction with this "Opposed Boxer Twin" design. Looks like half a VW turned sideways. It also may have the longest intake manifold in all of motorcycling, and yes, that casting includes the exhaust manifold too. It's heat makes up for the loss of atomization the long path creates. I suppose VW's have those pre-heater tubes for the same reason. I believe they had a run from 1918 to 1922.


I hope this Knucklehead gets some paint and isn't left rusty and bare.


Nice to see old cases are still available, but I shudder to think their cost.


When I was a kid, Hodaka was a magic word.


This well built 45 from Biltwell was being offered for 7k.


You'd be hard pressed to build one for that.


This chopped one has a nice stance. I didn't ask the price.


Since the clutch lever needs to be modified and a sharp bend is required, you don't see too many up sweeps of this type on 45's.


A decked out UL.


I prefer riders like this to pristine show bikes.


KR top on a WL bottom stuffed with WR goodies.


Any color you want, as long as it's Black!


H-D singles are pretty rare. Unless it's an overhead racer, you really shouldn't call them Pea Shooters. The twin lights probably makes it a '28.


I hadn't seen Grace McKean at El Camino for some time. She told me it had been 15 years! Sneaky Paparazzi stalks behind the Indian.


Stay Young... Ride a Bike. Grace stands proud with her 45. She purchased it new in '51 at the tender age of of 17. You do the math.


The old gal is holding up real good... You decide.

So far, these shots are just from the swap meet area. I'll post more later.