Quick Kick

The Stig?

Ton Up

I was bitten by the bike bug a few years back, and man, it's an illness worse than the dengue.*

Unlike a true fever though, the only remedy for this sickness is more spark and horsepower. Fortunately, for obsessives like us there's a new tv show called Cafe Racer TV on HD Theater.

Go ahead and tune in to all the Brylcreem action. Blast the Eddie Cochran and inject yourself into the Brit-rock sub-culture.

*Disclaimer: Don't say I didn't warn you about the bugs...






Cafe Racer TV promo:



Eddie Cochran - Nervous Breakdown:



Eddie Cochran with Wolfman Jack intro - C'mon Everybody:

Mr. Mojo Risin

No way in hell will this bike ever hit 100mph. It may be an old design, but not even a flux capacitor will get this thing back to 1955. Speedometer and Ammeter. That's as bare as it gets folks.


Ever have one of those long, exhausting, yet satisfying days? That's how I started my weekend.

I received a voicemail a week ago from Scott the mechanic at Velocity Motorcycles notifying me that my Enfield was ready to go home. I was nervous to call him back because I was afraid of the potential damage to my bank account after his month-long prodding around the bike. Turns out that I had no reason to worry because Scott knows his shit.

He was able to minimize the damage and get the Duchess back to rumbling, but from what I'm told it was quite a bit more than I had originally anticipated. The starter switch was fried, sprag gear wasn't catching, oil in the crank had turned to mud, battery was junk, wasn't shifting properly, clutch was loose, etc. Total: $424. Sounds high, but when you consider that the bike only had 234 miles at purchase, was never broken in, and had sat in a living room under a spot lamp for three years...well...that price is a bargain. You read me right. Motorcycle display pieces are the new Thomas Kinkade.

We picked up the U-Haul utility trailer today in Alexandria at 12:30, and arrived at the shop in Richmond around 2pm. I had a chance to tour the shop as we waited, and ended up purchasing a new pair of gloves and a clear face shield for my Fulmer helmet.

But, typical of Murphy's Law (and Royal Enfields), when the bike was rolled outside it wouldn't start; kick, electric, nothing. The service manager called Scott (on his day off) and asked him to roll over. In the meantime we kicked it and boom...backfire. The carb came loose from its housing. Tightened the carb, tried kicking once more and...gorgeous slow idle. I fell in love all over again.

Scott did some more adjusting and then gave me the low down:

1) Starter button was replaced with a Yamaha's, but it is still janky because of the sprag gear; which are notorious on REs for not catching. It's super easy to burn out the starter switch if you're not careful. Recommendation: be nice. play gentle. can be scuffed up further down the road if problem persists.

2) Decompression lever is not seated correctly and does not work properly. Recommendation: bring back in the spring if it starts to drive me nuts. more of a luxury than a need.

3) Scott didn't realize that I had installed the K&N filter but had not rejetted the carb. Too much air is entering the chamber without the proper fuel mixture. This explains the backfires. Recommendation: reinstall the stock airbox until carb is rejetted. i can either learn to do this myself (yes) or bring back to the shop. the K&N sounds like a snake hissing between my legs which is surprisingly awesome.

4) What the "f" is up with my gas cap (see above photo)? With a full tank gas leaks everywhere. Recommendation: i had been given two gas caps at purchase and the wrong one was installed. too big and had a missing rubber gasket ring, but i didn't notice because the tank hasn't been completely full until now. replaced with the stock one and now it works fine.

5) Bike needs a good looking after. Recommendation: ride, Ride, RIDE!

After a long haul home I replaced the K&N with the stock airbox and rode back to my parent's house. The bike puttered out several times. It starts bucking like a Bronco which can be unnerving when you hit 20mph. I realized that the breather tube had come loose from the airbox and fixed it tonight in the garage.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to take it for a longer test ride. Stay tuned for more quirky fun...


The all new 2010 Royal Enfield C5 on the showroom floor. I've read such great things about these bikes.


Another shot of the C5. Take a good look because you'll be seeing it again soon (with sidecar) in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.


A nice vintage Triumph waiting outside for service. I don't know the model or year of the bike.


A 1975 Ducati 860GT for sale. $5000.


A 1985 Ducati Cagiva Alazzurra 650. $3,500. Velocity has a nice selection of motor scooters as well if you're a scooter-head.


Her Majesty, the RVA City Rumbler, waiting to be loaded onto the trailer. Check out that hot new state inspection sticker on the left front fork! Blech. I'm still not a fan of the aftermarket seat either. I want the solo saddle with springs instead. Next season my friends.


The 5 1/2 inch headlight that came stock on this bike is truly awful. In the near future I will be replacing it with the more period correct (and safer) 7 inch unit from Classic Motor Works.


Snug as a bug in a rug. The behemoth utility trailer worked out well in the long run.


Happy Trails. Until next time...

Cape Cod

Gant Rugger Fall/Winter 2010.

Unbeknownst to me (before now), Gant Rugger has teamed up with the band U.S. Royalty to promote their fall/winter clothing line.

Check out their promotional movie Cape Cod and tell me that it's not a brilliant piece of marketing. Afterall, you can't go wrong with motorcycles, music, and the great outdoors.

White

Part 2 of a photo series.

Click here for Part 1.

Motorcycle Diaries

Daniel Espírito Santo is a Portuguese photographer based in Lisbon.

I'm really digging this photo set he calls Motorcycle Diaries, although the classic Ariel definitely takes second billing to the achingly beautiful mulher riding tandem.

See the rest here.

Kimura-san

"...but it's incomplete until a person rides it."
-Shinya Kimura

Blazing a trail from Japan to California, Kimura-san is a true pioneer.

Ural Factory Motorcycles

OK, so I mocked the Ural a bit in my last post. But, the manufacturer has a pretty neat little history. Check it out.

V Trip

Today was the day. I finally trailered up the Enfield for transport down to Velocity Motorcycles in Richmond, VA. I dropped it off for a full service and state inspection. At last.

I'm looking at a four week wait until they can get around to servicing the bike, but I'm cool with that. It's over to the experts now.




The showroom floor.

1973 Norton Commando 850.

1971 BSA Thunderbolt.

Royal Enfield Cafe Racer.

Ducati Cafe Racer. Not for Sale.









It's tough to look tough on a Ural. There's a Commie joke in here somewhere.

No trip to Richmond is complete without a visit to Buz and Ned's. Home of the Flay Slayer.

Deus Bali

With a passion for surf, motorcycles, and life, the guys over at Deus Bali are the real deal.

Bits and Bobs

I haven't posted about "Her Majesty" in awhile because, well, not much is going on with her.

I haven't been very happy with the install of the left side mirror. It jiggled too much and when I pulled it back out for repairs I ended up destroying the little custom wing nut. I decided to just fab a replacement and settled on this little rubber stopper from Home Depot. I drilled a hole down the center for the machine screw to rest inside and slid it back into the handle. It is much more secure now.

Last month I ordered an ACE Canister air intake system from Classic Motor Works, but the line was discontinued due to a faulty reflector screen (it was burning seats!). I was on the fence about whether or not I should just replace the cheap-o filter until I came across a K&N unit for $40. I've used K&N products in the past and have been really happy with the results. It was an easy install.

Other than a few nagging items she's all ready for her visit to the shop and the dreaded "state inspection of doom".

The $.80 rubber stopper.

I drilled a hole down the center for the machine screw.

Here's the result. It looks and feels a bit more professional.

The old and very bulky filter box.

Old intake - gone.

My new K&N from Classic Motor Works.





Installation was easy and future cleanings will be even easier.

Not exactly the look I was going for but engine performance should be much improved.

1977 Honda CB400

Method and Motorcycles

Warren Beatty cornering on a Triumph.

While cleaning up some old photos on my computer I came across a file titled "random actors on motorcycles". Upon further investigation I realized that they are not really random at all. In fact, they share one important bond aside from their love of speed. That is to say that they are all associated with The Method school of acting.

According to one description:

The “Method” required a performer to draw on his or her own self, on experiences, memories, and emotions that could inform a characterization and shape how a character might speak or move. Characters were thus shown to have an interior life; rather than being stereotyped figures representing a single concept (the villain, the heroine), they could become complex human beings with multiple and contradictory feelings and desires. it was the ability to convey the complexity-indeed the confusion of inner feelings that made the Actors Studio-trained Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, and James Dean such emblematic figures for the Postwar era.

So there you have it. Now if I could only rationalize their affinity for Triumphs.

Steve McQueen glides around on his Triumph.

Paul Newman ready for some desert scrambling.

Actor Mickey Rourke on his Kawasaki in this production still from the movie Rumble Fish, 1983.

Marlon Brando lounges atop his Triumph Tiger in this production still from the movie The Wild One, 1953.

James Dean astride his Triumph.

Jack Nicholson in The Rebel Rousers, 1970.

Dennis Hopper rides his customized Panhead in Easy Rider, 1969.

Al Pacino in Paramount's Serpico, 1973. Seen here on a Honda Superhawk CB77.


ca. 2001 — Daniel Day-​​Lewis in Brimmed Hat on Motorcycle — Image by © Steve Smith/​Corbis