Stalled projects, current projects, upcoming projects...and long term projects.

Don't mind me folks....just doodling here..looking through the "Picassa web album" here at my blog, and sort of picking out various pics as a reminder to myself....

A few years ago I picked up this bargain of a Kawasaki Ninja 250...ran into a bit of a paperwork hassle at the Department of Motor Vehicles...and the shop I purchased it at is now gone...call this one...stalled, going into long term... 

Years ago I bought the CX 500, more out of curiosity than for any other reason. The CB 550 I bought in a bid to relive a CB 500 I once owned. Rode both of them for quite a while as commuters. The exhaust system on the CX expired and it started giving me electrical headaches. For awhile I had entertained the idea of going the Café route with it, but then CX's became the "in" machine to customize and has killed my enthusiasm to go that route...

The CB 550 had a hard life from previous owners...it started burning oil...the head gasket had given up...it now has been taken apart..Both of these moving into "long term project" status...

An older pic of one  my SL 350's, as it was briefly a Cáfe bike...my wrists decided the Dunstall clip- ons were too severe.        

A more recent picture of the SL 350...it is currently stalled...

Everyone should have a Triumph Cub project. Have owned this several years now...must be a long term project...I have most all of  the parts I need. My intent is to build a pre 65 trials bike with it.

Oh yes...my long neglected, long term Norton 850 Commando project...this is a head to replace the one with a stripped out exhaust port thread. Thinking of going to a Triumph style slip on header system to alleviate further problems here. Of all my bikes, this is the one I miss the most. It once belonged to an American serviceman stationed in the UK. The engine was built by Mick Hemmings years ago. The head was supposed to have been ported to a racing spec with a camshaft to suit. I have never had it apart to confirm this...but by seat of the pants testing, it did seem to run stronger than other Commandos I've ridden. Eventually my friend Denis and I want to do some comparison testing on a flow bench he has purchased.   

A very out of focus shot of my Honda SL 100 play racer at the inaugural DirtQuake US (2014) have quit using that old Kodak, and most of my shots are with the phone these days... this bike is current status and with any luck will be participating in DirtQuake (2016).

An XR 200 R...current status as well....needs some work in the lighting department. It is street legal. Bought  it last year to participate in a desert run, known as LA/ Barstow to Vegas....maybe try again this year. Been riding it around town a bit, knobbie tires and all...

This picture represents a long term project moving into current status...parts purchased on E Bay  for my !971 CL 450...( guess I've always liked Scramblers, before it became hip to...)

Mine is just like the one in this old Honda advertisement....

Oh man this pile of rust represents a very long term project of mine. A 1957 Triumph pre-unit done the hard way. Taking a very badly chopped bike back to stock. Started with an incomplete basket case I traded a perfectly good running Honda S 90 for back when I was just out of High school...and then the chopped bike I picked up at a San Jose BSA Club show around ten years ago. it's pretty much all there...just some assembly required....

Another long termer...sitting in my shed is a Spitfire Scrambler that needs some magneto attention. I bought this one when you could get them for 200 dollars...ahem, a while ago...

An upcoming project... a much modified Sportster..

And another upcoming project, a slightly modified Kawa 600...

Just for fun..a VW powered experimental aircraft my father and I built in the 70's. Yes powered by the same motor as the VW Bug in the neighbors driveway.

OK , think I've doodled enough...next time, reportage of amateur racing preperations...

Four Horsemen...well, actually two...

Met Mr. Big and Skully of the 4 Horsemen MC, out of Richmond California. This is at the Westly rest stop on Interstate 5. Had an interesting and amusing chat about motorcycles...and the effect of aging on the frequency of rest stops. Have been making the Sacramento to Monterey back to Sacramento run quite a bit lately.  As summer has progressed  the good weather is bringing out the bikes, and have been seeing an interesting variety of bikes on the road.

This is Manuel and his Triumph Daytona. He lives in Castroville where my mother lives. He has ridden it on track days at the La Guna Seca raceway.

Emptied the phone of miscellaneous  pics,

now for some odds and ends....

Back in Sacramento at the Starbuck's coffee shop is friend Michael's XR 1000, with  Zard exhaust...made in Italy.

New friend Andrea, with his Honda. (Italian by birth, American by choice...says he.)

A shot of me on the XR 200R

(it started raining)

A rusty, but surviving Puch moped 

Friend Denis's Royal Enfield with twittering Gold Star pattern muffler...

Always a favorite of mine , the 1908 Zanger....at Casa de Fruta.

Cloudy skies and rainy days have given way to blue skies and 100 degree F...and higher days. This is a recent pic from about 2 weeks ago...

Actually getting some tomatoes, and thinking about planting more.

Picked up a couple pairs of Moto boots, and a small magnetic tank bag.. at a thrift store... in near new condition...to add to my collection.

Aliens, they really are everywhere..... (an old Model A Ford farm truck at Casa de Fruta....an interesting pit stop/ fruit stand in the hills between Sacramento and Monterey...just before Hollister...)

Not an alien, just Chanel...the service dog pit bull...that loves people.

Sacramento Mile 2016 (part 2)

And a few pics I managed to snap on the phone...

out in the motorcycle parking area was this Mert Lawwill Streettracker.

After threatening rain all day...it ended up being perfect weather...cool and rain free. No sunburn this year.

Shot of the winners podium. Bryan Smith's sixth consecutive win at the Sacramento Mile.

Scene in the tech tent post race...

A couple of Kawasakis of #42 Smith...

After the races in Sammy Halberts Paddock or Pit...

Sammy is the current points leader. He was having problems with the Kawasaki he raced at the Mile...but gave it his best and came in eighth place. Sammy is always smiling and is a very gracious fellow and is always happy to talk with the fans.

A blurred shot of Willy Halbert, Sammy's dad. Sammy's Harley XR under covers for this race. Willy, is also most friendly and willing to talk to old guys like me, and give advice to old amateur racers.

Sam's Kawasaki, still warm after racing the Main. He has been running number 69 instead of his regular number 7, in memory of his older brother who he lost last year.

A close up of his Kawasaki shows the abrasive nature of the track, leaving a mixture of dirt and rubber on the bike.

And a few more random shots from after the races....

Looking  back at the Grandstand...

A Speedway machine on display

Also on display, a Cushman 2

Built pretty much as the original, with a variable speed belt driven transmission...but this time powered with an overhead cam single cylinder motor built by Subaru. Bike built in Gardena California.

and a good time was had by all...be back with some stuff about my upcoming amateurish racing and other projects new and old.

Sacramento Mile 2016

Don't blink...on the straights at the Sac Mile speeds up to 130 MPH are achieved. Being a full mile oval, Sacramento is one of the fast miles.

  Sighting lap for GNC 2 class...

GNC 2 class at speed...

Main event riders at speed...

Loading these videos seems to be a long and laborious task still...tune in a bit later and I'll have some still photos posted..... 

Dirtquake US 3...

I know what I'll be doing in June.  I've been accepted into the "Inappropiate Street Bike Class"....

This class is a mismash of a variety of bikes...you can visit the Sideburn blog..Sideblog...(there is a link over to the right and down ) ....to see some of the bikes that have been entered so far. From a scooter to a Supercharged CR-500, and lots of other interesting machines...Time to get my bike ready.

So..last weekend I bought this Yamaha XS 650 motor from the Busch brothers of Nevada...at a swap meet here in Sacramento. The motor is very clean...and shouldn't take too much to get back to a runner....well, there is the small matter of not having a frame or the rest of the bike...have some ideas for it though...

Lance and Danny

They brought a lot of good stuff....including their very cool Yamaha XS Chopper...which they sold to a gal from the Bay area.. You can go to their blog....which is linked to the right and below...to get a good look at their bikes and other stuff.

I made a pretty good haul, an interesting mix of Yamaha XS 650 and pre-unit Triumph parts...spent about $300.00...not bad at all. Next time....a post on the re -commissioning of  the Honda SL-100.

and still my favorite bike...the 1908 Zanger....at Casa de Fruta.

Dirtquake US 3....

If at first you don't succeed...try...try...again.

The ugly little motorcycle above is a veteran of Dirt Quake US 1.(2014)...it wasn't raced, as I disqualified myself because the clutch plates were ''welded" together and short of dismantling were not going to free up....that, and the front tire was starting to tear itself off of the rim...yeah, and the fact there was a ''Pukka'' XR 750 racing in the "Street Tracker" class as well...made me think I didn't want to get in the way of the rest of the bikes. No matter though....still rode it around that weekend...even doing a couple of laps around the track the day before the races... The fact that it ran at all and made it to Washington was enough...Same bike was entered for last years Dirt Quake US 2..(2015)...with some repairs...unfortunately we had to withdraw for reasons beyond our control...and missed out on last years fun.

So, here we are... Dirt Quake US 3 is coming up in June....have sent in a preliminary request to try again with the little Honda SL 100. However it goes, plan on attending to spectate...and if allowed will try to get it on the track this time.

That's enough for now....

   

Forggeddiaboutit...

If you want to see pics from the Clubman's Show at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds....you'll have to do what I did...go to Instagram .....hashtag Clubmansshow. Due to circumstances beyond my control....I missed it.....so it goes...