White Rose MC Antique Meet 1978 (Hillclimb program Larry Franz Sr. Collection)

As promised...more White Rose MC Hillclimb program pictures. This is the 1978 Antique Meet at the White Rose MC grounds in Jefferson PA featured in the 1979 Hillclimb program... great stuff!

AMCA Mag Cover Pic 1981

Found this in the box...

XMAS SPECIAL Mailer Dec 1987 - 45 Parts

I found this mailer today in a box of old Swap meet fliers and various old paperwork. It was mailed to me in December of 1987...check those prices!!!! You can be sure I didn't miss this sale! (I still haven't figured out what to do with all those 45 cylinders though...as hard as I try I just can't wear out the ones I'm runnin'!)

Some of you Jersey guys may recognize this and the man behind the flier...he's still out there peddling Harley 45 parts to this very day...(the price and availability has changed).
Man it used to be cheap to build a 45!!!!!

White Rose Hillclimb Program 1977 - more from Larry Franz Sr Collection

I love this picture!

I had the privilege to know Red Wolverton in the early 1980's

Larry Franz Sr is in both pictures (with son Jerry Franz in 1977)

These White Rose Hillclimb programs are chock full of great photos. This is the same 1977 program as the previous post. It's great to see Red Wolverton in the program. He was a staple at the AMCA meets in the early 80's and an incredible part of Motorcycling history...dealer, racer, Hillclimber, etc.

White Rose Antique Meet 1977

See Herm above on the Zebra Chief

More from the Larry Franz Sr Collection. As mentioned previously the WRMC hosted Antique Meets in the 70's and featured them in their Hillclimb programs. Above are shots from the 1977 Antique meet.
Hey... there's Herm on the yellow and black Zebra Chief...cool.

GKM 5th Birthday Bash on the Jersey Side!!!

Yes it's in New Jersey!!!!!!

Greasy Kulture Magazine is featuring an East Coast bike on the cover of the 5th birthday issue (#25) so Walter from Kickstart Cycle is throwing a party! Get more info on the link here ... party .
Rebar in Lodi NEW JERSEY on Friday February 3rd!!!
First 50 guests get a free copy of the new mag. Back issues for sale, cheap drinks and food!!!!
Stop by if you are around...

35 Years Ago Today! White Rose Hillclimb Program...

 Check out the date of the meet... 1/23/1977...35 years ago today!

 The Markey's

What are the chances that I'm paging through a pile of the Franz family Hillclimb programs just now (literally) and happen to glance at the caption of the Annual Gold Hunt picture on page 41 of the White Rose MC Program and it turns out to be 35 years to the day???? January 23, 1977...had to post it...not to mention it was the 25th Anniversary of the White Rose Motorcycle Club! Let's see 25+35 = 60 years this year.

Anyway I have a pile of White Rose MC Hillclimb programs from the 60's, 70's, 80's. The cool thing is that the Markey family was (and still is) heavily into Indian Motorcycles and antique bikes in general. They would put on antique motorcycle meets at the White Rose Club House grounds and add the pictures to the Hillclimb programs.
The antique meets continue on today in the form of the AMCA Jefferson PA National meet.
Enjoy the pictures...more to come.

Much Love...Love Cycles Show...Feb 4,2012!!!

Snow Ridin' on the 52 Servi-Car Today

My riding partner

First snow in this part of PA since Halloween! Had to dig out the 52 Servi-car and hit the road. Hell, I even found a riding partner as wacko as I am...maybe more...I wouldn't trust my riding if it wasn't me doin' it...huh? Never mind. Nice ride to the tavern for lunch and beers...

KR Ice Racer - Spiked!

I found this old tattered picture in a mechanic's paperwork folder from a Harley-Davidson dealership in PA. I have posted pictures and scans of stuff from this folder in the past. Most of the paperwork in the folder was from the late 50's and 60's. This picture was amongst the various notes and info, but with no explanation. The photographer was obviously focused on the bad ass spiked front wheel. Too bad I can't read the date on the AMA Safety banner hanging in the back ground.

A Hill Climber's History - Another Letter from the H-D Factory 1956

 A letter from the Factory dated April 30, 1956 responding to Larry's inquiry regarding Racing Models

 The Pamphlet mentioned in the letter from H-D

 Very cool...hand written note from the H-D Sales Department on the pamphlet regarding the lack of availability of the KHRM

The KR! (still available)

In amongst my pile of literature that came from Larry Franz Sr.'s collection are various letters and correspondence from the Harley-Davidson Factory to Larry Sr. This stuff is fantastic and tells the story of the man and his obvious interest and involvement in racing/Hillclimbing from the 1930's through the 1980's. There so much cool stuff mixed in, but my favorites are the Factory Letters. Check it out from April 30, 1956. I love the fact that the Factory Sales guy wrote a hand written note on the pamphlet. I scanned two out of four available models that were in this pamphlet. It still boggles my mind that he saved all this stuff! I mean I find letters referring to obscure things and then Bam! I find the referenced material or part is in the pile too!

Enjoy...there is more to come.

Indian Riders of Foreign Lands 1932

I was digging around in the Larry Franz Sr. literature pile again. This is from a 1932 Indian News.

Tech Note:
Hopefully you have set up your blogger to get rid of the Lightbox viewing format which recently reared it's ugly head. You can find out how to get rid of it and actually enjoy the pictures again thanks to Chris K. at MC ART here http://motorcycleart.blogspot.com/2012/01/get-word-out-kill-lightbox.html
Thanks again Chris!

A couple more from "Bolt On"

On his 41 UL sportin' an original Chrome German Helmet

Bolt On's 41 UL circa 1980

Brother "Bolt On" 1976

My buddy Mike "Bolt On" on his 1956 Pan Chopper back in 1976. He was 16 or 17 and this was the motorcycle he learned to ride on!
So the 56 Pan was 20 years old in 1976...hmmm...that's like riding a 1992 H-D today...it just ain't the same...

41 FLTT Running for the first time...Video!

I think I actually figured out how to post a video...watch out! The 41 FLTT first start ever today cold... in 18 degree weather...yeah I'm the knucklehead in the T shirt! As I mentioned in the previous post, it started right up and went down the road. It sounds kinda strange on the video but sounds just fine in real life....

Next...

The 41 FLTT Lives!!!!!

And Hell Yeah! I had to get into every picture!

Well shit...it's been on the side burner for 15 years. I would do a little here, a little there, but today all those little bits added up and boom! It's runnin'! I mean it started right up. Nothin's leakin', nothin' caught fire, nothin' fell off on the maiden voyage...fuckin' great!

Those of you that follow this worthless blog have no doubt watched this thing come and go on postings. Probably thought it would never get done.

I want to thank Gareth from http://backstreetbangkok.blogspot.com/ for giving me that final kick in the ass yesterday...thanks for the push, and yes I did have my son video the entire start up and first ride. I just need to figure out how to post it!!! (Techno Peasant that I am).

Oh and for the record it was 18 degrees out today. My son was freezing his ass off in his winter coat with the camera. He said, "Aren't you cold?" I said "Fuck No! I just fired up another Knucklehead boy!"

Much progress...41 FLTT Style

 Washing the tanks in the kitchen sink

 Clean and shinny

Re- Running the cables...dusty chassis

 Trimmed and connected the timer cable

 Adjusted bars, risers, cables run neatly through fork

 Yikes! What happened?

 Another NOS part is installed

 Nothing like NOS!

 No room for the lever when using the 20 Flanders risers and bars

Sooooo close!

It was one hell of a good work day on the 41 FLTT.

First, I had to wash the gas tanks. I had them stashed in my bedroom so they wouldn't get fucked up. Well, a year and a half of dust and hair spray (Kelly) made for a sticky mess! Hot soapy water and a microfiber towel made things right. The rest of the bike needs the same treatment!

Then it was running the throttle and timer cables properly. This took a bit of doing but they worked out nice. I dug up an NOS steering damper and had to take the front wheel off to install it. The bars are low with those 20 Flanders Risers so the lever for the damper wouldn't fit under them. I adjusted it to my liking and tightened everything up without the lever ( my Hillclimber is the same way). I got the bars where I like 'em and tightened all that up. Next was the fuel shut off and then mounting the tanks (for good...I hope). Gas lines installed and tight. Shifter linkage installed and adjusted ...hhhmmmm what's left....the seat, the grips, oil, gas and a battery...

Tomorrow should be the day!



41 FLTT Wiring Done and Fitting the Tanks

 ON/OFF Switch mounted and wired in

 ON/OFF switch tucked neatly under the tanks

 The minimal wiring is complete

Fitting the tanks

I finished up the wiring and permanently mounted my nifty little ON/OFF switch. I wired this bike up with no lights, etc. just power to the coil and charging for the battery. Set up for TT (but without a mag). I know after I get it running and bring it out to a couple of meets I'll be back in the shop rewiring and adding lights so it's roadable.

I need to finish fitting the tanks, install the fuel shut off, trim the advance/retard cable and hook it up, grips, seat, etc ... I'm a few hours away from getting this thing fired up...


60 Degrees in January!!!

Rode the "Dirty Nine" up to the lake...60 Degrees in January... beautiful!