Daimler + Maybach = motorcycle?

NGottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach then under the guidance of Dr Nicolaus Otto and Eugen Langen in 1876 created one of the first four stroke gas engines. Shortly after this creation Daimler created a "test bed" or chassis to hold the 246cc engine. During the initial test run the engine became so hot the seat caught on fire. The longest distance it ever covered was 12km. 

Daimler was really only looking for a means to test his engine and therefore stopped after this little test bike. (All historical information and picture are fromhttp://www.ozebook.com/daimler.htm)

In short... Mind Blown!

To think that some of the worlds most well known cars came from the minds of men who initially built a motorcycle. I think so many people these days take their vehicles for granted (both riders and drivers)and they can't appreciate the simplicity that led to our everyday drivers. 

Take a moment to to think about this little machine and enjoy it. 

Change of pace

Towards the end of last week I realized I had kind of run out of things to talk about in the motorcycling world. It isn't easy to come up with new information each day considering Facebook already does that for you. 

There are also several other great motorcycle blogs written by women who have a better focus on what they want to write about and you should definitely check them out.

So after some thinking I have decidedto focus more on classic bikes, which is how I grew my passion for motorcycles in the first place. 

With the cafe racer movement coming back in full force and the chopper movement somewhat behind us I think showing all of you these brilliant machines in their original style will help put all the modern technology and engineering in perspective, make us all appreciate where these machines have come from and where they will go. 

I don't think anyone can move forward without taking a good look at their past.

So I hope you will all stick with me as I in lack of better terms bring up the past of motorcycling.

Brit Bikes

As you all may have figured out I Love British bikes. I also happen to love pretty much everything else that comes out of the UK. There's just something about the culture I love.

What I find most amazing about today's British bikes is that they are all a Phoenix of some kind. Triumph came out of the management failures of the early 1970's, Royal Enfield survived through India and Norton is just now beginning to come out of it's preverbial ashes.

I hope these remaining three continue on. There's something to be said about learning where these bikes came from and I'm honored to be around to see where they will go. 

Could Triumph enter the ranks of MotoGP factory teams? Is a new Norton Commando the next "must have" cafe racer? Will they ever make a better Royal Enfield (at least they don't catch fire anymore)? These are all things I'm excited to see and you should be excited too! 

Favorite Riding Jacket

If you could change one thing about your favorite riding jacket what would it be?

I would want my jacket to be a but more broken in than it is right now. Don't get me wrong I love wearing it but I just don't feel like I can move in it very well. I know they are meant for safety but us tiny girls tend to get overwhelmed in these kind of protective riding gear. 

I currently wear a textile Dianese armored jacket which I do love but the armor is still "universal" which doesn't work so well for my small frame. It makes it difficult to move. I currently haven't found a leather jacket that I like, every one I try is too stiff and limits my range of motion even further than the textile.

Despite these small problems I always wear protective gear when riding even if it means I'm uncomfortable. 

Vintage Police Bike

So here's another great post from my club president and for all of you that don't know it's The BSA Owner's Club of New England. I know I need to stop poaching his pictures but they're always so great!!

Today's pic is of a vintage auxiliary police bike from New Haven,CT. It's interesting to see how only the brand has really changed over time. Modern police bikes don't look all that different from this wonderful relic of the past. I guess that doesn't say much about Harley's choice in styling...

Anyways, I do enjoy the styling of the British models, they have always displayed a beautiful simplicity and functionality. 

Vintage Helmets

It looks like vintage style helmets have made a come back in the world of riding. 

I personally have a Biltwell bubblegum pink metal fleck 3/4 helmet.

I think it started with the hipsters and scooter riders but there have been some seriously cool ones designed too like the one above courtesy of thekneeslider.com.

What style of vintage helmet do you like? The cafe racer? The bubble visor?

Riding Music

For me listening to music in the car is as natural as driving. So when I hopped on the Honda for the first time last year I put some Vivaldi on the IPhone and went off for a sunrise ride along the water in Falmouth,MA. It was beautiful to see the sunrise and follow the road curves by myself. 

Music while riding helps calm my nerves, as much as I love hearing the engine roar it takes my mind off bad stuff that could happen which sadly has happened a bunch. 

Any thoughts on riding with tunes on?

The Addams Family

So I may have hijacked this from my club president's Facebook page....who knew uncle Fester was good with a wrench and not just explosives?

Where do you get your classic bike parts?

These days there are so many options for locating hard to find parts for your classic bike. 

I personally started by calling one of the few remaining Classic British bike shops I know. I also had some help from my good friend Charlie who provided me with service manuals and some extra parts when I bought the BSA from him almost 4 years ago.

He also took me to my first bike meet complete with bike part flea market. From that point on I have made it my goal to know who I can get parts from since BSA singles aren't super common. I find my best purchases have been at swap meets or through knowing people who are willing to sell. British Only in Canada is a good source same with Don Hutchinsons Cycles in Wakefield MA. But this is all for original replacement parts not for shiny, funky,chic,new parts. I haven't gone that route...yet.

In all seriousness the BSA is staying stock for now.

But where do you all find your parts? Do you go on forums or use eBay? Do you have a cash of parts we all need to know about? What is your favorite part hunting method?

Triumph Battle 2014

As much as I love my old BSA I sometimes think I would really enjoy a brand new triumph. I went out and bought my little Honda 250 last year to practice riding so I would be worthy of the beautiful machine I helped revive but I can't help think maybe it would be easier or nicer to consolidate down two one. Now I know this is quite silly because she who has the most bikes wins and there is no way I will give up the BSA.

But if I did consolidate my inventory which model would I pick?

I've narrowed it down to two models, the Bonneville and the Scrambler. They have the same engine, same styling and almost the same price. My number one reason for choosing the Bonneville over the Scrambler would be the placement of the exhaust. I am worried I would burn the heck out of my leg, but everyone gets a Bonneville it may be nice the have something different.

If you could choose, which bike would you want out of the two and why?

http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/bikes/bonneville/2014/bonneville#styling

http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/bikes/scrambler/2014/scrambler

Dreams

Have you ever actually sat down and thought about your life's dreams? We all have those moments where we feel so inspired that we create this beautiful perfect dream in our minds eye. But how many of us actually achieve or set out to achieve these dreams?

I have so many dreams I have a hard time picking only one. I once wanted to be an Olympic figure skating champion, then I wanted to be a Veterinarian and then I started having real dreams about riding motorcycles. I would shift through the gears with ease going through corners on a bright sunny dream day, all before I had even been on a bike.

What no one tells you is how much hard work and stress it is along that road to your dream. Look at MotoGP riders for instance. They have to over come injuries, destroyed equipment and criticism to get where they are.

So why do it?

Because there is nothing else that will do. Nothing else that will quench that thirst, I imagine its something similar to what drug addicts feel. Eat, sleep, breathe, think, love, do what drives your spirit even if it isn't motorcycles.

But if it is... join the club!!!!

Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

I recently obtained a coveted copy of Modern Motorcycle Mechanics published by J.B. Nicholson in 1974. It is just the reprint but it is still the single most valuable piece of literature if you love any bike before 1974.
This book features maintenance/repair information for 17 different makes. Including but not limited to Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Suzuki, Yamaha, BSA, and Honda.
I have only begun to sort through all the text (it is very small print) but what I have read so far is a little sad. The first chapter is about motorcycling trends which chronicles the increase of sport riding in he late 1960's to early 1970's. It also comments on the BSA, Triumph, Norton company problems and implies with optimism that they would come through with just a little help from the British Government. Unfortunately we all know that the original company went bankrupt and shut down. Luckily for all of us Triumph has made a comeback over the years.
So for all you classic bike enthusiasts out there, pick up a copy online, it'll be worth it.

Female Riders

Everything in life is cyclical.

That being said a wonderful movement has decided finally to come back around. The days of the female rider.

What I love about being part of this time period is that I can go ride my bike and the only thing I hear is "that's dangerous". I'm not discriminated against because I'm a female, I am seen as an equal. Maybe the work place isn't quite there yet or even some parts of the country. But when I talk about or show a bike the attention and respect I get are from what I know and not from my gender. I love to see other ladies enjoying the same freedom with their bikes too. I follow many female riders through social media and we all share this wonderful connection of motorcycles.

Just take a moment this summer and count the female riders you see because you will see more as time goes on. The progress of motorcycles is as much the influence of women as of men.

Choppahead

I had the pleasure a couple years ago to apprentice at Don Hutchinson Cycles in Wakefield,MA. While I was there I got to work with Jay from Choppahead on occasion. 

It's been great to see how far their shop has come and what style they are producing now. 

Check out their eBay site for the latest and greatest models for sale! Look up choppaheadkustoms on EBay.

Ducati Gold

I just found this gorgeous Ducati picture on Tumblr:

It reminds me of the Monster mod @motolady just finished!! I know they definitely aren't the same but they are both sexy!

BSA of New England

So the BSA Owners Club of New England announced yesterday that they are changing the location of their annual meet in June.

It will now be held at the Bolton Fairgrounds in Lancaster,Ma. This year it will be June 1st.

What's even better is there are now judging categories for Modern British bikes!! So bring your new Triumphs and Royal Enfields!!

Why I Ride

Just saw the Why We Ride movie. What a tear jerker!!! It epitomizes the reason any of is ride. Every feeling you have ever had while riding your bike is in this movie, they captured it perfectly!!!

I will be buying this movie, because whenever I am in doubt of my ability watching this movie will reassure me that I can ride and why I ride. 

Also the new Ducati Monster 1200 was debuted at the showing, what a beautiful combination of street fighter and classic Monster!! 

LRRS Count Down

So I checked the calendar today like in sure you all did and realized that there is only 13 more weeks until Loudon opens back up for road racing!!!! I know it seems like a long way off but it will be here before you know it. What are you doing to prepare form this season? Are you upgrading parts? Did you get a new bike? Do you have new friends coming out to join the races? Whatever it is you are doing keep it up!!
I had the pleasure a couple weeks ago of cleaning the from brake calipers on my boyfriends bike, that was an experience to say the least. Its certainly no fun to try and remove brake shoes from and old bike but trying to clean the little crevices around the pistons on a new brake set up is tedious. Still, I am confident they will work in turn one!


http://www.lrrsracing.com/


Don't forget to renew your license!

Lotus Motorcycle

Interesting news from the world of super bikes. MCN out of the UK has exclusive images of the Lotus prototype bike. I love the look of this bike never mind that it is rumored to have 200bhp. The design is reminiscent of the 1930's art deco bikes. There is lots covering the frame and engine but its elegant. MCN describes it as a "high-tech monster in a tailored suit".
Check it out and form your own opinion, would you buy one?

 http://www.motorcyclenews.com/mcn/news/newsresults/general-news/2014/january/jan1614-lotus-poll/

Winter Riding

During the gloomy winter months every rider has their preferences for what they do. I personally work on projects and ski, unfortunately I am a lot better skier than I am a rider but I have always been an athlete. My boyfriend works on his race bike trying to make it faster and better in the corners. Its the following two activities I'm not so sure about.
On Imgur there are plenty of pictures of bikes and riders and cats. But the following pictured are the focus of my study today.

 

Which would you rather do as a winter riding activity? Personally off- roading with some seriously studded tires sounds a lot more fun than trying to navigate some slightly icy and salt covered roads but many find it the other way around. A friend of mine rides her chopper in NYC during the winter and there are many more pictures likes these giving all of us inspiration to try some winter riding.

Don Hutchinson Cycles

I went to visit Hutch over at Don Hutchinson Cycles today. If you don't know what they do there I suggest you stop by any Saturday after 12pm because that's when they open.

For me going there is like going home. He was the first person I contacted when I got my BSA and the shop I have learned the most from.

You walk into the past as you open the doors to a small foyer with about 4 Classic Triumph/BSA bikes for sale. The second room most people see is the front counter which is thru a door on the left, in there is about 5-6 more bikes for sale and almost 50 years of history. If you want a British bike done right you come here. Many more rooms about 8 in total hold more parts, accessories, bikes and possibilities than you could ever imagine. There's some semblance of an organizational system but most of that is in Hutch's head and everything else is in bins or piles. Just keep in mind when you go there to give yourself a few hours to be there because Hutch LOVES to talk, anything and everything. 

So the next time you're in Wakefield,MA go visit Hutch, Rick, Tony, Murph, and Tom and live British motorcycle history. 

Ladies First

Before WW2 Motorcycling was, as it is today a major coed activity. Riding was not just a past-time but an economical mode of transportation and in most cases a necessary one due to the cost of cars before The Great Depression. I learned today that many of those pre-WW2 motorcycle companies made ladies specific models.

Radco is the company featured in the latest issue of The Classic MotorCycle with a 247cc ladies model, designed with a drop down frame for "lady-like" riding. What is even more interesting is most of these ladies models were manufactured pre-WW1! It's amazing how things come around again...maybe I'll come up with a new ladies design?

Image courtesy of The Classic MotorCycle

Why We Ride Showing

I'm so excited to see Why We Ride. The trailer and all those who have already seen it says it's awesome! I was tearing up during the preview. 

Has anyone seen the movie yet?

If not, Seacoast Sport Cycle in Derry NH will be showing it on January 23rd along with debuting the newest Monster 1200!! See their website for details

Aprilia RSV4 Stunt bike

Like most of you out there in interwebs land I subscribe to Instagram. Yes, I do get carried away sometimes with the hash tags and yes with the frequency of pictures I post but I always keep it artistic. The people I follow on IG range from writers to of course every motorcycle enhusiast I can find. 

One account I follow is called Clutchpop. They post pictures everyday of different street bikes and a lot of them are nice. But one today really irked me. 

Now, I understand that everyone can do what they want with their bike and maybe this person got their hands on a wrecked model but a $25,000 motorcycle as a stunt bike are you nuts!! I'm totally floored by this, it makes me want to cry. Such a beautiful piece of machinery should be lovingly restored and appreciated on a race track not shown off like some sad circus bear at a carnival doing tricks.

I emplore you please revisit what you want to do with this RSV4..

Super Sweet Monday

On the way to "the office" this morning My boyfriend pointed out the speed limit when we were on 93 in New Hampshire. "Two weeks ago that said 65MPH now it says 70!" He exclaimed. I replied "sweet".

So there you go everyone, some super sweet news on a Monday morning 

Parked Motorcycles

Welcome to the time of year where riders of any seasonal climate suffer from PMS or Parked Motorcycle Sydrome. What gets us through the colder seasons is a combination of youtube videos, previous season highlight reels and a little time in a below freezing garage trying to turn a wrench on a loose bolt.

Sounds a lot like a drug problem huh? Well for some of us it is. We eat, sleep, watch, breath, dream about our ever so short life on two wheels during the summer. But the cold hands and numb toes are all worth it for that first sweet ride in the Spring.

I was blessed with an awesome boyfriend who buys me among other things motorcycle parts for Christmas. My little Honda 250 will be acquiring a new set of frame sliders when the garage defrosts enough to get in to it because I am not one of the few in New England with a heated garage.

My other beautiful bike is a 1967 BSA B25 (Starfire) which for me is the bike that started it all. I wasn't sure what I was getting myself in to when she came in to my life about 2 years ago but I have loved moment with her and the journey (I will share with you another time) that brought me to where I am today. Thankfully the BSA or BEEZA is in a semi heated garage at my boyfriends place so working on her is not so hard on the hands but trying to decide what direction to take build is another story. If any of you have ideas please share, Im open for options...

In the mean time stay focused, spring will be here sooner than you think..