Crazy shit goes down on New Years Eve!

So Be Careful out there tonight.

Pictures below are from NYE Y2K, Hoffman Bikes, OKC, OK.

People from all over the world showed up for that one, I guess we all figured the center of the country would be the safest place to be, we were wrong.

(If your not into what's posted on this page Go Away & Don't Look at it)

FLATIRONMIKE is up to something

and it always turns out real nice when he is! 

How about it Mike send some updates now and again?

it's go time?

I'm back from my family Christmas in Phoenix, if you've called, or emailed with no response Phoenix is my excuse. 

After three weeks of  holiday prep, making bar tools, bike wrenches, and online shopping I'm more than ready to get back to working on bikes. Wheel Works just finished building the wheels for the BMW of Pauls and Pat's Benelli, my FLH is back on the lift & we're finally finishing the foot controls, so there's a lot to be done & I'm looking forward to it.

I also noticed McGoo is back on his CB450 Street Tracker, I think this is going to be a fun bike. Check it out.

5000

Well today BCM is on track to get it's 5000th hit. My first post was in late July and although I don't usually pay all that much attention to the hit count I did notice a week or so ago it's grown quite quickly as of late. It's been cool to reunite with some old friends and correspond with new ones. Most of all in a greedy way I've taken a ton of inspiration from the people, pictures, & circumstance of many of my posts, however I get payback in the form of a monkey on my back telling me don't forget, don't be lazy, post something, and hopefully something worth checking out.

So for whatever reason you stop by, Thanks.

The Bottle Openers

In attempt to be on the cheap this Christmas season I decided to make gifts for my father & brothers, plus I figure it'll force them to have good beer around. 

It's one of the six simple machines, the lever. 

I chose three different opening methods, two are one piece, one is  of two. 

One is made of square bar, one of round bar, and the other of the same round bar and a bit of quarter inch plate. 

They work, I tested them, then attached a leather lanyard, wrapped them in a red shop rag and yesterday they seemed to be well received.

Christmas 1975

1975 is one of my top 3 Christmas's. That was the year I got a Yamaha Moto-bike B model.

I had to wait until spring thaw to ride it and on that april day about 10 things came loose or fell off but man I loved that bike. There were only two others in town an older kid had the 74 orange A model and my neighbor friend had the 76 C model.

I snapped the head tube off mine and was super bummed when my Dad brought it back from Don Culp the welder who spray painted  the whole front triangle silver so his shitty stick weld wouldn't rust. As far as I can recall the A & B model were the same with the exceptions of the A model had a solo seat and came in Orange and Yellow, the B was only available in yellow. The C model had a plastic fender, american BB, one piece crank, and the Aluminum KYB forks.

In a way that bike started all of this for me.

1976 C model

1974 A model

Head tube decal all three models

Hot Moto-Bike Action

London Calling

This Re Pop Strummer Tele was a gift from my Mom and although it  hangs nicely  in the fireplace room it's always ready to come down and jam.

I takes Four Greats to cover the Legend. 

Joe Strummer 8/21/52-12/22/02

Steve's Tool Finished

Here you go Steve, I'll send it out Monday morning.

Big thanks to Pat for machining the BCM logo & Pauly for the file conversion.

Beers for everyone!

On My Short List

CHICO MOTO 

From the man who brought you the most blogged bike of 2008.

A great eye and the skills to make it come to life, plus A grip of great photo content including some of my favorite old BMX shots from way back in BMXA's "Buildin Leapin Jones" days.  

Ride-the-World 2008 / Best-of Julien-Dupont / Urban Trial freestyle/ HQ

Steve's Tool!

Recently my good friend Steve Swope picked up a  Volume Creedence single speed for his LA work commuter. Steve quickly realized there's no quick releases which means he needs to carry a wrench for changing flats. His email basically read "can you cut me a 15mm box end down to 4" and if you want to get really trick the cut end could be a tire iron/lever."

Brilliant! 

But now you owe me a Craftsman 15mm 12 point combo wrench.

Now we know where the good times start.

6X6 amphibious ATV's

In 1971 I was 5 years old, my father and two of his brothers had a pretty nice stable of toys and some great land to play on. While my Dad & Uncle John were into motorcycles in the summer and snowmobiles in the winter Uncle Pete had a Chaparral Six wheeler. Me being way too small for a Yamaha endouro or a Bultaco alpina  I was taught to run the 6X6, forward, reverse, float, turn on a dime stick steering, I was hooked. Most all of the toys faded away as my Dad and uncles got hurt or just lost interest. On my 7th birthday and loaded with friends I rammed the Chaparral into a cherry tree, busted a big hole in the fiberglass body, it ended up being sold a little while later.

2000 We're building a downhill BMX track in Wilmot WI on the drive to the venue every morning there's a six wheeler sitting in a yard and man it looked cool. An online search reveals Richard Clark who is THE 6X6 historian guru and parts connection. I contact Richard as I've decided I need a six wheeler and of course the first thing I need to know is who made the most BadAss unit because I want that one. Richard said thats easy it's the Attex 500 Super Chief, 500cc twin cylinder two stroke. I then ask do you know where I can find one, he say's yes, I have two, one that needs completely restored and another that I keep in my basement that only has 42 hours on it. once again, of course I need the pristine unit & after some short negotiations it's on a truck headed for California.

When it showed up I had to replace the original cool vulcanized hub/tire combo with new steel rims and tires, I decided to add a bilge pump, some passenger grab handles and tune it up but other than that it was in amazing condition.  The childhood Chaparral had a 340cc 2 stroke single so when I got in the Super Chief I quickly discovered a whole new level of fear!  This thing was a deathtrap! The Attex would wheelie on the back two wheels no problem, 50 mph in a heart beat, no problem. Six balloon tires, no suspension, no seat belts = fecal incontinence. It just wasn't that fun machine you pulled out at a BBQ. So after a couple of sessions it went on e bay and I made $400 on the whole ordeal. Someday when I have some land I'll buy another vintage 6X6 but do the modern four stroke conversion so everyone can enjoy it.

70's Chaparral ATV with the original vulcanized hub/tire combo. It's still my favorite body style

Attex 500 Super Chief

Here's the last run of the Super Chief. Bob and I took it to the McGoo Trials after a real big rain. I think these photos were from one of those cardboard cameras?

So Much Great Old Moto Content.

Check out Instant Traction Deluxe

Carlsbad Raceway RIP, I won my first race at this track.

 15 min motos + 2 laps on So Cal chop & blue groove was what that track was all about.

Japan.

Power Exchange theme room or ultra cool biker/skater lifestyle display?

CT 70's

My first ride was this Hunter Orange 1977 Honda CT 70 so I was understandably stoked to see the pictures of CT 70 customs from Mooneyes Japan.

However my favorite Honda monocoque chassis bike was the ST90.

Tecolote Cafe Santa Fe New Mexico

Although Guy Fieri's style seems to be stuck in some sort of 1997, Huntington Beach,  Offspring, black flys, time warp his Food Network show Diners, Drive ins' & Dives has never steered us wrong. If your ever in Santa Fe NM by all means have breakfast at the 

 Tecolote Cafe.

Good MC Digizine

Have a look.

I don't remember where I found this picture but I like it.

Good Reason.

To get that project done.

THE BASH

"Fingertight" Pre tear down

Found this picture tonight. It's been almost a year since I started this project, I lag.

My Nephew Sean does well at his first ABA Grands

As you can see I attended the ABA Grand Nationals Just the way I like to, Via text message and cell phone pictures. don't get me wrong I love to support my family but I've done my time at that God forsaken race. 

Sean did very well, However given the amount of motos, quarters, semis, & mains I'm not exactly sure how well.

Congratulations Little Man!

*Hey ABA take a page from the NBL book, maybe hold your biggest race of the year during more temperate season, possibly a more attractive venue and as an added bonus all those families could be together for Thanksgiving.

First Day!

Possibly the worst day of the school year was the day we returned from Thanksgiving break. The Monday following Thanksgiving is always the first day of buck season and although we got that day off from school it also meant that a good part of Tuesday would be spent listening to way too many bullshit stories of how many deer were seen, shot, missed, and tied across the hood of the old mans chevy citation.

However, by far the best story I ever had to listen to was told that exact Tuesday morning of my sophomore year while sitting with the usuals at the cafeteria tables prior to home room. 

Stories were already flowing when Joe came in and said you guys have to hear this.

Joe & Kent were good friends and that year they had decided to hunt together. Shortly after arriving at the spot they decided to split up, see what they could scare up, then meet up for lunch and a game report.

Shortly after separating Joe was feeling the effects of a good PA hunters breakfast and found a good tree for a squat. Finishing his business Joe realized he was unprepared & needed something to wipe with, after very little thought Joe ended up sacrificing a glove, buttoned up and pushed on.  Lunch time rolls around Joe & Kent meet at the rendezvous point,

Kent immediately asks Joe "see anything?" 

Joe says "Nah nothing, You?" 

Kent replies "not a damn thing, but (reaching in his pocket) it's your lucky day. Check it out, I found your glove.