Biggest difrence between Bikers of the 70's and these "Bikers" we got now..
#341
02-03-2012, 05:50 AM
another big difference was the absence of the national and international clubs having the territory they do today,in my area in the 70's the predominate clubs were mostly regional and therefore smaller,,,heck it was around 1974 that we saw our first chapt of an international club in our state
guess. Not sure when the Sons got started down in the Springs but HA didn't
start a chapter here till around '95. Still never see'em. I did see one on the
hiway a couple years ago.
#342
02-03-2012, 06:12 AM
They both rode pretty good too 
I moonlighted at a local Kawa dealer a couple yrs during the summer heavy season and he wanted all his people on Kawa's so he gave me a beater Z-1 for $300 . That sucked so over the winter I kinda changed it a bit , he wasn't ready it at all but ended up building 3 more in shop for people who had to have one . Nobody cared back them we chopped and rode everything , I even did a Honda 350 4 cyl . for a guy .
I moonlighted at a local Kawa dealer a couple yrs during the summer heavy season and he wanted all his people on Kawa's so he gave me a beater Z-1 for $300 . That sucked so over the winter I kinda changed it a bit , he wasn't ready it at all but ended up building 3 more in shop for people who had to have one . Nobody cared back them we chopped and rode everything , I even did a Honda 350 4 cyl . for a guy .
We had him ride in the back and put up a smoke screen, kept the cars far back, a little castor oil and it sure smelled good.
I had an RD 350 that I could kick start with my hand. Really irked my buddy on his trumpet, he would trickle and kick and sweat and cuss, I would kneel down and push it thru with my arm, ringading. That was one sweet bike.
#345
02-03-2012, 07:40 AM
For what it's worth....both cars and bikes, I take pride in learning how they work and doing as absolutely as much of the work on them myself.
I've had help to make sure important things got done right, like welding or a watchful eye to make sure I assembled my first V8 motor correctly so it wouldn't blow up in 5 minutes.
But so far I've handed my bike off to a shop (dealer service) twice...once was because it all going to be warranty-covered repairs when I laid it down & the other time was a wiring issue that I coudln't figure out after going over it all weekend. (welding is the only thing I'm weaker at than wiring).
It was the 80's when I was old enough to start learning how to ride...12, and only when visiting friends who had bikes. My parents hate them & never let me get one.
Was 93 when I got my first bike. So yea, I'm part of the "new" generation.
But I still see it as not only important to know how to wrench on my own bike, but I consider it an obligation.
I've had help to make sure important things got done right, like welding or a watchful eye to make sure I assembled my first V8 motor correctly so it wouldn't blow up in 5 minutes.
But so far I've handed my bike off to a shop (dealer service) twice...once was because it all going to be warranty-covered repairs when I laid it down & the other time was a wiring issue that I coudln't figure out after going over it all weekend. (welding is the only thing I'm weaker at than wiring).
It was the 80's when I was old enough to start learning how to ride...12, and only when visiting friends who had bikes. My parents hate them & never let me get one.
Was 93 when I got my first bike. So yea, I'm part of the "new" generation.
But I still see it as not only important to know how to wrench on my own bike, but I consider it an obligation.
That's really what I love about motorcycles and mostly why I come here. I love machines and learning everything I can about them. I always do my own work and if it's over my head I'll find out how to do it. I was run off the road last year by a woman on a cell phone who decided to wander into my lane and wrecked the bike but I put it back together in my own garage. I can handle the paint, mechanical and electronics but like you I'm still trying to master welding. Got a bit yet to learn there. The biggest difference in working on the old bikes and the new bikes for me is the specialized equipment and documentation you have to have on the new stuff---even if you have the know how. I'm kind of torn right now between buying and new bike and just building my own. If my kids will return some of that college money, I think I'd rather take the plunge and build one. Probably got a little off track here but the builders are the guys I really tend to identify with and admire. I'm just amazed at how skilled and creative some of them are.
#349
02-03-2012, 09:39 AM
I have a can of oil in my garage. 10w30. Keeping it just because.
As far as clubs and colors, I used to see a regional club's colors often. Now a biker wearing colors is a seldom seen thing for me. There are certainly clubs around, but they seem to ride plain label. Regardless, when I come across a group riding tight formations, I know I'm not seeing a group of HOGs.
As far as clubs and colors, I used to see a regional club's colors often. Now a biker wearing colors is a seldom seen thing for me. There are certainly clubs around, but they seem to ride plain label. Regardless, when I come across a group riding tight formations, I know I'm not seeing a group of HOGs.
#350
02-03-2012, 09:44 AM
I have a can of oil in my garage. 10w30. Keeping it just because.
As far as clubs and colors, I used to see a regional club's colors often. Now a biker wearing colors is a seldom seen thing for me. There are certainly clubs around, but they seem to ride plain label. Regardless, when I come across a group riding tight formations, I know I'm not seeing a group of HOGs.
As far as clubs and colors, I used to see a regional club's colors often. Now a biker wearing colors is a seldom seen thing for me. There are certainly clubs around, but they seem to ride plain label. Regardless, when I come across a group riding tight formations, I know I'm not seeing a group of HOGs.
When I ride with the sil & his people we ride tight. Bar to bar.
None of'em are in a club anymore but some used to be.