Thoughts on a Good Weekend.

Here is a little video I shot of the show in Florida on March 8th 2014 enjoy. For my thoughts about the weekend keep reading below the vid.

Last weekend I did a few live blog posts while I was at the VMAs swap meet in Eustis Florida. Today after I’ve had a week to sitback and reflect upon ago I thought I would share of you things I learned from the experience did take a few used items for sale along with the display of Rock oil products and the battery or two, but my main goal really were to help publicize this blog, and just get out and have a good time and made some people. I am a member of the vintage Japanese motorcycle club so I went for the show and to help support the group. It turned out to be really great show using my favorite judging system which is 100 percent people’s choice the winning bikes decided by audience vote and not by a judging panel. This did lead to a couple of interesting surprises, such as in the all custom motorcycle class a heavily modified Tomos moped took first place while a Harley Davidson V-rod took second. It’s just totally crazy and restores my faith in humanity when things like that happen.

<bsa b50 mx>

T’was great fun and very educational for us meeting some of the other vendors and talking to them. I have a confession to make, I have made a point of deliberately avoiding large motorcycle rallies due to the snobbery of certain groups and types of posers riders and I had forgotten just how much fun it was truly hang out with a bunch of great old fashioned bikers who didn’t really care what you rode as long as you rode. I love old motorcycles of all kinds, hell I love most new motorcycles too, there are just certain styles of machine that I prefer and certain companies whose way of doing business leaves me cold. Motorcycling is about freedom, individualism & personal style not conformity to someone else’s expectations. 

<military bsa motorcycle>

<surplus BSA military motorcycle>

Mrs. ‘Psyco and I would like to thank the other vendors who were so helpful to us, especially the wonderful lady from Crazy Bob’s Biker Apparel who really helped us out with setting up our canopy.

<fine vintage japanese motorcycles>

everything I wanted growing up!

The show was actually very large but the swap meet area was not quite as big as I was hoping it would have be but it was still nice and there was a large variety of different motorcycles. Next time I go to a swap meet, especially if I’m selling I do want to camp out at the meet between the gas and the fact that I wanted to stay in a hotel this week’s profit was not existent but I had mainly went just to enjoy myself and have a good time. My beautiful financial manager said next time we should definitely camp out and she would have done it this time as she is the one who is hardcore where as I’m the old guy with the soft chewy center. In all honesty as far as taking used parts to a swap meet unless they are things that are really older and valuable from a strict point of dollars and sense you’re better off to sell them online, but you would miss the camaraderie the chance to stumble across the good deals or to find unique objects. Even so I have learned a few lessons and next time I won’t take any disassembled mid 80’s motorcycles project bikes and parts. Unless it is something that would be a really great deal to sell as a complete motorcycle those should be left at home, just pack & sell the things that are truly nostalgic. Almost all of my early seventy’s on the stuff was gone the first day I sold a few dirt bike parts, couple a spark plugs, & some points but that was pretty much it.

I should have bought this and installed an early GSXR1100 motor in it!

I should have bought this and installed an early GSXR1100 motor in it!

There were quite a few good deals to be had and next year I might have to leave room in the van so that I can do a little shopping myself. Since I returned home my day job has kept me wide freaking open so I have not even had the chance to fully unpack yet. At least I found a new owner for the Kawasaki that no one would even look at in Eustis, so it can be unpacked at its new home this week. Look for us at a few more events around the southeast this year.

<sweet cb650 cafe racer>

<euro trash>

euro trash makes for fun restorations

<honda st90>

It was great time and I hope to see you all on the road out there, somewhere, someday

Peace y’all

<early Sunday at Lake Eustis>

early Sunday at Lake Eustis

I should probably go back one day just to go fishing…

Why We Ride Film Motopsyco’s October Website of the Month!

<Whyweridefilm.com ValleyOfFire>

It’s worth going to the website just for the great pictures like this.

Whyweridefilm.com

Let me be up front with you, when International Motorcycle Shows first posted the trailer for this movie on Facebook I almost didn’t click on it. So often these “documentaries” about motorcycling are so one dimensional that they seem to be written for a narrow group of riders and/or racers. While I have yet to see the movie itself I have watched the trailer about 10 times already! There are interviews with kids, moms, street riders, Harley aficionados, crotch rocket jockeys, & racers from a variety of two wheeled motorsports all talking about how much they love to ride motorcycles & trying to explain the feeling to the rest of the world. Those of us who already ride understand the passion that just overflows out with the words they speak. Hopefully some of the normal people that get dragged to this film by friends and family will feel it too, and if they don’t at least want to try it will at least get an understanding of what draws us to these machines that so many people mistakenly see as deathtraps.

<whyweridefilm.com Sturgis>

another fantastic pic from whyweridefilm.com

I ride a motorcycle & I love it. When I was a skinny little nerdy kid it was my favorite escape. No matter how bad my days at school were, when I slid that two stroke Kawasaki around a curve in the woods behind the cow pasture & then jumped one of the hills at the side of the canal ditch I was the ultimate 6th grade badass and all was right with the world! Today most of my riding is commuting back & forth to work on my ancient Honda, but it is still my escape and when everything is just right, I still roll on the throttle exiting that last turn before a long straight and pin it to the stop, while the ghost of Hunter S. Thompson whispers in my ear, “screw it on you big pussy” as the speedometer hurtles toward that magic number that all the Ton Up Boys lived & died for. It has been approximately 37 years since I got my first motorcycle and even though age and injuries have made me more cautious it still thrills me. Just like the first time! Every time. Even when just putting around at slow cruising speeds like the old fart that I am becoming. Bottom line is, I’ll quit riding when I die.

Even if you don’t visit the website at least click on this line and go watch the trailer!   Then come back here & tell me & the rest of the world why YOU ride in the comments section. I am going to close this out by quoting from the synopsis on the movie website.

“Your senses will heighten as the world rushes in, your heart will beat to the pulse of the engine, your mind will race and set you free. Once you let a motorcycle into your life, it will change you forever.”

Sums it up for me,

Peace Y’all

The 2013 AMCA Southern National Meet!

Indian Chief

A fantastic motorcycle but just a little out of my price range.

This was the first time I have attended this event, the AMCA Southern National Meet. I went on Saturday & had to duck a few showers in the morning but other than that it was a great day! There were some truly outstanding motorcycles on the grounds along with a few neat old bicycles too. Here are a few of the pictures I took around the show grounds, enjoy!

Schwinn Cycle Truck

Kinda Rough & Crusty

Ross badge on Schwinn Cycle Truck

I have no idea why it had a Ross head badge on it.

<neat little bobber>

Triumph in a Bubble!

Triumph in a Bubble!

antique Harley with a saddle

Giddy Up!

Triumph Cubs

Triumph Cubs Hard to resist!

Vintage Vespa & old moped.

Vintage Vespa & old moped.

Carbide Bike Headlight

Who doesn’t love an old bicycle?

rusty Monark Super Twin

rusty Monark Super Twin

BSA Motorcycle

A nice ride able BSA!

antique Benelli 2 stroke

antique Benelli 2 stroke

another great vintage Triumph

I really enjoy seeing bikes like this Triumph Scrambler getting ridden. instead of merely displayed.

another nice old hog

old Harley with bare sheet metal

BSA B50MX

BSA B50MX

crusty project for sale

crusty project for sale

<old motorcycle>

The theme for this year was British Iron and the were some first class examples placed inside of one of the exhibition halls.

Ariel Square Four

Ariel Square Four

A Magnificent Triumph

A Magnificent Triumph

beautiful restored Vincent

beautiful restored Vincent

 cool custom Bonneville

cool custom Bonneville

AJS all decked out for touring

AJS all decked out for touring

Harley Davidson Sprint

I would like to have one of these

1960 Triumph Thunderbird

my dream machine

1960 Triumph Thunderbird

fantastic looking engine

Thunderball BSA

Thunderball BSA

<BSA Thunderball>

Cushman Eagle V2

Cushman Eagle with v twin engine

 coolest dog at the show

coolest dog at the show

Harley K model

Harley K model this would be a great restoration project

<Harley K>

kool tow trucks

kool tow trucks #1

kool tow trucks #2

kool tow trucks #2

field events pictures

field events pictures

Cushman in plank  race

Cushman in plank race

winner of the plank race

winner of the plank race

slow race

slow race

slow race

slow race

immaculate Moto Guzzi Eldorado

immaculate Moto Guzzi Eldorado

immaculate Moto Guzzi Eldorado

Moto Guzzi Eldorado another of my dream bikes

Briggs and Stratton motor wheel

Briggs and Stratton motor wheel

This was the first time I had ever seen a Briggs & Stratton  motor wheel. Neat old piece. The same gentleman also had the Smith motor wheel pictured below.

Smith motor wheel

Smith motor wheel

This event is held each year at Denton Farm Park in Denton, N.C. This is a fantastic venue for events of this type check their website for a schedule of different interesting events throughout the year.

The 2013 Charlotte International Motorcycle Show Part 2!

Nicky Hayden #69 Ducati Corse 1000cc

Nicky Hayden #69 Ducati Corse 1000cc

Welcome to the second installment of my pictorial review of the Charlotte International Motorcycle Show.  For the second post I have actually decided to treat this as a product review, because in a sense that is exactly what the IMS series is, a product produced to entertain and inform motorcycle enthusiasts.

I thought Mahindra made tractors

I thought Mahindra made tractors

Danny Webb #99 Mahindra 250cc

Danny Webb #99 Mahindra 250cc

There were displays from all of the major manufactures except for Kawasaki & Yamaha. This did lead to a lot of Facebook grumbling from fans of these two marques. Yes I wish they had arranged to be there, but in this economy it is understandable that some companies have had to curtail such activities. Still there was plenty to see. Harley Davidson even brought in their “demo bike on a treadmill” setup for people to try. The Polaris Corporation set up a display for their recently acquired Indian brand. Of course the first one I made a beeline for was the Ducati display!

One of those stunning Ducati Girls

One of those stunning Ducati Girls

The boys from Ton Up N.C. had a fantastic club display with a couple of Tritons and some other fine vintage iron, for everyone to admire. On the other side of the hall were the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, and the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club.

Moto Guzzi V7 Racer

Moto Guzzi V7 Racer

Moto Guzzi V7 Racer

Moto Guzzi V7 Racer

Honda CB1100

Honda CB1100

Two of the vendors there were for the new lithium technology batteries. I was so impressed with this technology that I have actually become a dealer for the Shorai LFX line so be sure check back here soon as I will be setting up an online store to sell them and will have a link and review posted here.

There were some leather & t-shirt vendors, & of course lots of insurance companies. We got to check out a lot of new lids jackets etc.

Honda CB1100

Finally the retro bike we’ve all been waiting for!

The XDL Street Jam show was worth the price of admission all by itself. I greatly enjoyed trying the “Pit Stop Challenge” contest which involved changing the rear tire on a Grand Prix race bike, my time was 24 seconds by the way. And of course as you can tell from my pictures the custom bike show was awesome.

Whiskey Tango 650 Yamaha Chopper

Whiskey Tango 650 Yamaha Chopper

Tennesee Rose 650 Yamaha Chopper

Tennessee Rose 650 Yamaha Chopper

Tennesee Rose 650 Yamaha Chopper

Details,details, details!

Arlen Ness Digger

Arlen Ness Digger

another Whiskey Tango XS650

another Whiskey Tango XS650

a bad ass BSA

So many super cool details on this BSA.

Joe Hunt Magneto

When was the last time you saw one of these?

And now for my favorite group the custom crotch rockets.

JDA Custom Suzuki Hayabusa

one of 2 Suzuki Hayabusa Sweepstakes bikes!

Garwood Customs Suzuki Hayabusa

The other Suzuki sweepstakes prize.

Speedworx Enterprize 2009 Honda CBR1000

Speedworx Enterprize 2009 Honda CBR1000

Speedworx Enterprize 2009 Honda CBR1000

Fantastic from any angle

Black Widow Suzuki Hayabusa

Black Widow Suzuki Hayabusa

Black Widow Suzuki Hayabusa

Black Widow Suzuki Hayabusa

95 Suzuki Katana

Now this is a Kan-o-tuna. The 1100cc motor turns it into a shark.

Out of all the Harleys there my favorite was this give away Sportster built by Roland Sands.

RSD Sporty

I’ll take mine in flat black please…

Regardless of what a few whiners on the net have said it was well worth 15 bucks. Hell earlier this year I paid $20 to go to local show that was so dead I left after 20 minutes so to me this one was fantastic. Yes it could have been better; I personally would have liked to have seen more club or custom shop displays, and since there was plenty of space left in the Convention Center an open custom & vintage motorcycle show in addition to the invitation only J&P Cycles Ultimate Custom Builder show.

<Charlotte IMS>

Mrs. Psyco & I actually sprang for the VIP tickets. It worked out great for us since we are early risers anyway. We got in early & had a little guided tour & got a preview of the XDL show so to me it was definitely worth the extra money, especially since I was pushing my lovely wife around in a wheelchair due to a very badly sprained ankle. We’ll be going back next year.

Even with the giant insurance commercial that dominated a large area of the floor (don’t bitch if Progressive didn’t sponsor this event it probably wouldn’t happen at all), this was still a great way to kill a few hours & meet lots of interesting people and learn about new motorcycles and accessories. So it was worth the few bucks to get in & I am happy to recommend that you try to attend one near you next year.

Ratty Flathead Hog

rat flathead harley with NOS

ratty flathead harley with NOS

Another from my buddy Brian P.
This is tripping! An old flat head Harley with a great big NOS Bottle