littlebill31
Smells of Raw Fuel
There are several bike shows here, but again, most do not have vintage bikes in them. I am a total motorcycle guy. If it's got two wheels, and some coolness, I like it. I went to a car/bike show at the local American Legion over the summer. One of the last times I rode before my knee gave out.
It was $5.00 to enter the judging. I am not really an award hound, never have been. I honestly paid so I didn't have to park in a dirt lot across the road. And I did want to show off my hard work. So I paid and got a little paper to write the year, make, model, ect. on it. I filled it out and parked my bike. There were about 20 bikes all together and everyone was a Harley. All of which were no more than 5 years old either. I felt really alone all of a sudden. I started reading all the tags on them. Everyone had, where it said builder, a name different then the owner, seriously. Mine simply said, "Built by owner". I had a bunch of compliments though. It felt good. I will say the only guys that had a Harley, and complimented me, were the Legion Riders crew. I guess my 12 years in the Corps helped me out, lol.
The winner was a OCC type, 40 foot long chopper thing. The 2nd, 3rd and honorable mention were totally chromed out bikes.
All catalog items IMHO. Polished aluminum, NOPE!
I've never been able to afford to buy a nice, completed vehicle. My first car was a '67 Mustang fastback rust bucket that blew up. I had a '70 fastback that was totaled in storage during an attemped theft when I was overseas. Sad, sad day there.
I have always had to build them. I see these guys at shows that puff their chests out like a strutting cock and being proud of there check writing abilities. No offense, but it's true. I went to a huge show, years ago, and all the guys that won the rod awards kept saying "all steel" when they walked up on stage. Obviously pointing at the fiberglass kit car owners.
There are a couple places around that will have a wonderful vintage turn out though. These are great!!! I love to go to them. Most, typical, shows you hear guys talk about the latest, craziest, badass parts on the market for their new bike. But the vintage shows, WOW, you listen to a guy tell his year long adventure to locate the correct tail light for his AJS. Or making parts from other parts to work on another bike. It's so much fun. That's what I love about vintage bike owners. The stories and the character. The hard work and the knowledge shared. And not to mention the love of old machines and the history carried on their frames.
It was $5.00 to enter the judging. I am not really an award hound, never have been. I honestly paid so I didn't have to park in a dirt lot across the road. And I did want to show off my hard work. So I paid and got a little paper to write the year, make, model, ect. on it. I filled it out and parked my bike. There were about 20 bikes all together and everyone was a Harley. All of which were no more than 5 years old either. I felt really alone all of a sudden. I started reading all the tags on them. Everyone had, where it said builder, a name different then the owner, seriously. Mine simply said, "Built by owner". I had a bunch of compliments though. It felt good. I will say the only guys that had a Harley, and complimented me, were the Legion Riders crew. I guess my 12 years in the Corps helped me out, lol.
The winner was a OCC type, 40 foot long chopper thing. The 2nd, 3rd and honorable mention were totally chromed out bikes.
All catalog items IMHO. Polished aluminum, NOPE!
I've never been able to afford to buy a nice, completed vehicle. My first car was a '67 Mustang fastback rust bucket that blew up. I had a '70 fastback that was totaled in storage during an attemped theft when I was overseas. Sad, sad day there.
I have always had to build them. I see these guys at shows that puff their chests out like a strutting cock and being proud of there check writing abilities. No offense, but it's true. I went to a huge show, years ago, and all the guys that won the rod awards kept saying "all steel" when they walked up on stage. Obviously pointing at the fiberglass kit car owners.
There are a couple places around that will have a wonderful vintage turn out though. These are great!!! I love to go to them. Most, typical, shows you hear guys talk about the latest, craziest, badass parts on the market for their new bike. But the vintage shows, WOW, you listen to a guy tell his year long adventure to locate the correct tail light for his AJS. Or making parts from other parts to work on another bike. It's so much fun. That's what I love about vintage bike owners. The stories and the character. The hard work and the knowledge shared. And not to mention the love of old machines and the history carried on their frames.
