May have another bike to fix to help someone

While I thought my next post was going to be about some of the motorcycles I have owned over the years, yesterday I had one of those weird events that I've got to talk about.

I got back into town and was using the Super Shuttle to get home from the airport.  After dropping off the last passenger besides me, my driver started a conversation.  She actually brought up motorcycles before I did (rare enough) and mentioned her bike wasn't running.  So I asked her what kind is was, and she said a 2000 XL 883.  Similiar enough to my 99, right?  I asked her what her husband and she had done to try to get it running, and it sounds like an electrical problem.  I offered what help I could, and mentioned that some of my CMA buddies and I work together on maintenance and repairs, both to save money and hang out together.

Long story short, I handed her my CMA ride card and offered our help if her husband and she wanted it.  She had mentioned that a Harley technician would be too expensive right now but they wanted to get the bike running again so she could commute to where she picks up her van on it, and ride for fun.  I can imagine the difference in driving a Super Shuttle van most days, and getting on a bike!  When I told one of my CMA buddies who is on our "Mechanical" ministry team, he offered his help, so we'd have two guys for accountability and security.

Hope I hear from them, and signing off to go ride my Sportster.  I hope you are all enjoying your bikes this weekend.

Motorcycles I own

I currently own three bikes.  Unfortunately only one is running, so one theme of this blog will be repairs and refurbishing of the other two.   My bikes are an eclectic mix, so here's the list and status.

1999 Harley-Davidson Sportster XLH 883-running.  Customized with a friend, and has a one-offConcour sissy bar bent and welded by another friend.

1986 Kawasaki Concours-not running.  Parked a year ago and needs news radiator hoses and maybe a manifold to run, then a good tune-up.  Hope to get it running this Spring, and make it to 100k on that bike.

1997 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R-not running basket case.  Set-up as a track bike, hope to assemble and sell.

Next post I'll try to remember the previous bikes and list them.

Local biker magazines as a source for events and shops

When I am traveling, one thing I try to do is pick up the local biker magazines .  Usually I can find these at independent shops or a Harley-Davidson shop.  Here's a couple I always try to get:

Quick Throttle magazine (also at www.quickthrottle.com)
Thunder Press (www.thunderpress.net)

both have an events section.

Are there others? Likely, and if you have a favorite, please recommend in the comments.

Good visit to Pike's Peak H-D and Frontier Cycles yesterday

Got out and played tourist yesterday. Found two indy shops on the same street, so GPS in hand (well on dash) of I went.

Frontier Cycles was the first one visited. A small shop in the old school, bikes parked everywhere/catalogs and parts on the counter style, the owner and a mechanic were hard at work on a bike in the back as I entered. Good friendly guys from the few minutes I got to spend there. The other shop was closed so couldn't visit, but the old custom panhead hanging from their sign was pretty cool to look at.

After a quick lunch and a trip most the way up Pike's Peak, a friend and I stopped by Pike's Peak Harley-Davidson. The lot was full, as they were having the drawing for a Sportster and other prizes. There was even a bike or two, despite the approaching snow. We got there just as the last chili was given out, but everyone was friendly. Big shop in the new Harley style, plus they also are a BMW dealership. We enjoyed looking around and I used some Chrome Cash for a t-shirt and a shifter peg I needed. The buzz from the crowd'and the service makes me think the HOG chapter and riders here would be good to hang with.