Sunday, January 24, 2016

Vard Forks are Back! - Vardhalla Inc. - From the Mechanical Genius that is Nicke Svensson!


50 kilo manganese bronze!


Fork cover sand mold

100% manual machined by hand on 1940's equipment.

Bushing Fabrication

Top bushing before he cuts the thread and cuts it down to size

All materials are aircraft approved bronze alloys and DOM steel.

Nicke's Supertuppen!

Nicke Svensson had an epiphany on New Years Eve...Why not bring back the Vard Fork???
He had already started fabricating Vard covers back in 2012 and now he has decided to hand fabricate the entire forks! If anyone can do it Nicke can...
When I asked if he had a picture of a complete Front End he said...
"No I don't... I got the idea on New Years Eve so things are moving pretty fast...Stay tuned. " And "Stay tuned" I will!
I will keep you posted as I get updates from Stockholm...

For complete schematics of this undertaking check out NickeLeaks at...
http://rigidhips.blogspot.com/2016/01/vard-schematics-revealed-by-nickeleaks.html

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Yosemite Road Run 2015 - Part 1 -Getting there...

Frisco Baby! Arrived in San Francisco Saturday September 19th. Ricky picked me up at the airport and we headed back to his place...got a chance to get acquainted with my ride for the week...Thanks Ricky!

Ken Nagahara just got done popping the Pan motor in his chassis and rode over from Oakland

It got a "once over"...

Look's Great...

Time to break out  the wrenches and do some tweaking...

Probably needs a few adjustments...

A little tighten here...a little tighten there...

OK it took a bit more than a little tweaking...

But in the end it was ready to go!

Sunday morning September 20th...a spare...just in case

Some of the boys gearing up to head out to Yosemite

I opted to ride in the van with Ricky for a while to catch up and BS for part of the way from Frisco to Yosemite...Ricky had "Chase Truck" duty this year...

Brian's Pan...

The handmade trophies for the event...

Had to make a stop in Oakland...


...to collect Ken...


A better look at the Trophys


Ken decided to hang in the van with us for a while too...

Leaving Oakland

Leaving Oakland

Brian riding out from Oakland

Ricky getting some early "chase truck" practice...
Rear brake locked up on Tony's bike

Who needs brakes anyway...freed it up and on our way

Just in case we needed assistance...

Quick stop...and met up with a couple more of Ricky's bikes

Couldn't take riding in the van anymore...Ken and I dumped out the bikes and rode the rest of the way


Made it to the Iron Door Saloon in Groveland Ca...our base camp, Yosemite Pines, was only a mile or so away...Perfect!

Ken

Eventually after some much needed celebration, we got to Yosemite Pines and I found this waiting for me!!! Sweet Home! Thanks to Dr. Sprocket and the Jersey Boys for arranging my medication delivery...a great surprise!

Dave and Mike

Trophy display in the cabin...

Luxury accommodations... 
Ken never did figure out that sofa bed

Things got weird...

...and weirder...

Mascot...Satan Goat


Thursday, January 7, 2016

The Race of Gentlemen 2016 - Major Date Change and West Coast Added!!!



The 5th Annual Oilers CC/MC Race of Gentlemen 2016
JUNE 4TH-5TH WILDWOOD, NJ
All tickets from Hurrican Joaquin that didn't get used will be honored in June
OCTOBER 14TH-15TH PISMO, CALIFORNIA
(There will be Night of the Troglodytes Show/Party Friday night on both coasts)

Monday, December 28, 2015

(not so) Frosty Balls Ride 2015...



Lotta late models...







Jumped on the Dirty Nine for the annual Frosty Balls ride on Sunday...this year it was more Moist than Frosty...Hell I didn't even wear a jacket...60 degrees or so...It's a short ride from Mike's Shop to the Wagon Wheel (maybe 15 miles) to commemorate Mike's birthday...I headed over to the Jersey Shore soon after for more Christmas Cheer...