Archive for April, 2008
Updated Motorcycle wish-list
Dear rich readers,
I know you are trying to figure out what to do with all your extra money. Just buy me some of these motorcycles and we will both benefit! Your wallet won’t be so fat and my garage won’t be so empty.
1. 1965 Honda CB160
I will build it the racer part myself – so don’t worry about the condition, my rich benefactor! Just any old engine on a frame is all I need.
2. Suzuki RM125
An older one will do. This looks like a very fun little compact bike – easy to get in the air and lots of torquey power. A fun track bike!
3. Kawasaki KLR 650
Well, one of my first three motorcycles was a Kawasaki, so I’ve always had a spot in my heart for them. I just want one of these (preferably one of the new 2008′s) to ride across somewhere like Australia or Mongolia. Could you also include freight and airfare?
4. Vespa GL
Still in love with the Vespa GL. The lines on this thing are beautiful, and riding two-up on a smallframe is uncomfortable at best. So I just need a nice GL please. I’d like this to be shiny as well, because I’m saving a Rally 200 for a rat bike.
For every bike you purchase me, I promise you a lot of photos and even a ride or two on them. It is really worth it, my rich rich readers. Stimulate the economy!
that’s the breaks, baby
A few things:
My dad might visit this weekend! Awesome!
I’m officially debt free, with my airplane ticket and various debts paid off yesterday. This also makes me officially broke again. Oh well, you can’t take it with you!
The CB160 fell through – the guy wanted 750 dollars for it, which is about 500 more than I wanted to pay.
My Vespa engine is officially completely taken apart, it looks not so bad inside and won’t take that much work to fix.
“Circle of Trim” by Airport 5 is amazing.
Jaxon bought a motorcycle in New Orleans, so next month he is going to go get it, which means I will hopefully have a riding partner for most of my ride up to Oregon.
Girls girls girls. GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS! GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS. (that song)
What are some great albums? I sold 180 dollars worth of junk on ebay. Stuff I was going to give to Goodwill! Amazing. However, it was a good reminder that most ebay buyers are stupid. Even though I ALWAYS say “I only ship to the United States” because I hate messing with customs, I always get winners from Australia and Berlin and shit. And they are like “HOW MUCH IS SHIPING TOO ZIMBABWE PLEASE” and I email them back with “40 dollars, 900 rubles, or two ponies.”
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
I blew it, reader! I drank two iced teas at lunch along with a crawfish po’boy sammich and I’m FREAKING OUT.
And I’m trying to listen to the New Yorker fiction podcast but I can’t stand how mellow the reader’s voice is and I need to get outside!
I’m going outside!
kick WOW
Ughhhh.
Uggggh, dear reader.
I’m drinking the tea this morning, with the caffeine in it, which means I’ll be wigged out crazy anytime now.
Sometimes when I wake up and I haven’t had enough sleep and I know it is time to get in that shower and then get on that motorcycle and then go to work, and I almost can’t do it. I lay there thinking “How. How can I get out of this?” But then I drag my ass out of bed.
And then the most important step comes in. Because when you are sleepy driving a car, you can remain sleepy and lethargic and still drive. But generally, you should be alert on a motorcycle. Generally.
So I listen to the rock and roll music this morning. I listen! This morning, I decided to go with Back in Black. This is how it goes:
I put on the album and listen to half of Hell’s Bells while my bike is warming up, and I am still waking up. This is an important step, because I need to be on the road and going before the next song comes on.
Because the next song is Shoot to Thrill, and this is my favorite AC/DC song. And because I grew up watching 80′s action movies with my Dad, this loud rock and roll song triggers a synapse in my head that says “You are rocking now, you must go faster. You must make this an action scene.”
So I go fast, and I do the weave through traffic, and it is FUN. And I’m awake. And its a little stupid. But then I remember that no matter where I’m going on my bike, even if it is to my soulless office job, I have fun doing it. While other people are worrying about having enough time to get a latte and a muffin, I am weaving in and out of traffic listening to appropriately cheesy rock. And I like it.
ANY HOO – I’m awake now, but at work which is essentially like being asleep. Except this tea is kicking in, which means I’ll probably post about 30 blog posts today. Oh, and I maaaaaaay have a source lined up for a CB160 junker. Maaaaaaaay. Too bads I be broke at the moment! Come on, economic stimulus!
all I think about
Oh man, all I think about is two wheel transportation. The only time I ever consider getting an actual car is sometimes I look at ads for old trucks – because these can hold motorcycles.
I have two current projects going right now and a future project already lined up! I love bringing something back from the dead and watching the mechanics of an engine – to see how everything goes together and to logically figure out why something isn’t working.
I buy tools and parts every week – just today actually! I ordered parts to be take my vespa crank apart, and once I figure out everything I need, I’ll make a 2nd order. And I’ll put it back together, and tune it, and it will go 20 mph faster, and I’ll be excited.
Then I’ll make one of these:
I want to build a super lightweight, totally street-illegal Honda CB160 racer. I’ve been looking for a junker CB160 lately, but no luck yet. That’s ok though – my Vespa is my #1 priority right now. But just look at the bike you see above.
I’ll give you a moment.
It is so basic and stripped down and just… awesome. You remove everything from the bike except what is required to make it go and make it stop. Strip off the center stand, side stand, the electric starter, even the kickstarter! You push start these bikes. You remove the alternator, because you just charge the battery for the weekend and go. Take off the air filters and side covers, knock up new rear pegs and a brake lever. Rattle can the frame.
I waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaant.
So that’s my next project – I have my feelers out for a bike (and one bite already).
I love motorcycles. They don’t disappoint.
One last CB160 racer picture:
Oh yeah, I think about girls a lot too.
jesus mountain
I was told about it many moons ago now I’m planning to go if not this weekend two weekends from now.
Some squares call it salvation mountain, but Joyce called it jesus mountain so that is how it remains.
better then
I’ve been looking up vintage bike race photos, and there are a ton on Flickr. I found these on Le Blog Moto via The new Cafe Racer Society.
Check out Le Blog Moto for more awesome photos. The blog is in Italian, however.
TRIAL TIRES! TRIAL TIRES!
I forgot this story. On my way back from Rosamond this weekend, I stopped at a gas station to top up my tank and eat some cheese crackers before hitting the canyons.
This guy came over and said “How is the 350 running?” I said “it is running fine, thanks.” He started talking about how he used to race go-karts and motorcycles at Willow Springs. I said that was great. Then he asked me if I raced my 350.
I said “No, this isn’t really built for racing, it is pretty much stock.”
The man gave me a look like I was crazy. “WHAT? YOU SHOULD RACE IT! All you need is trial tires! Trial tires, dude. They are so sticky. I had this one motorcycle and I put trial tires on it and they were so cheap and great. You look at them and they are square! And.. well.. when you burnout with those tires (points at my bike) they make a noise like this: “BRRREEEERRUUUUUUURRRRRT” but with TRIAL TIRES they make a noise like this “WREEEEEN-ERRRRT” and that’s all you need to race out there! I’m telling you dude – trial tires. Just get some trial tires and race.”
I just nodded, then he said he is out on the streets right now, and I nodded. Then some Harleys showed up and he wandered over to them.
So I’m totally shopping for some square trial tires online right now.
random things.
Ok, I just pulled not one, but two of the longest hairs out of my head. They were over 6 inches long. Now, for all you girls out there that’s ain’t no thing, but for me it is. But now I’m thinking “Shit, why did I pull those out? What if I need those tomorrow?”
Today was so hot my butt melted.
I’m drinking my second iced tea and it is 9:30 at night, and because I don’t do drugs this caffeine is going to fuck me up and I’m regretting it right now. BUT ITS SO GOOD, AND ITS SO HOT.
Speaking of losing weight, I made a concerted effort to counteract that today with a Scottish Breakfast, a beer, and later a double Tommy Burger. Baby diaper burger.
We are just sitting here, aren’t we?
Yes we are.
merrily out
Yesterday I rode my motorcycle for 7 hours – the races were great. You can see more on my Flickr page.
I’m out to get a British breakfast with Westside, then head out to Orange, CA for a scooter swap meet. Maybe I find some awesome parts. Or a Vespa hat. My hair – it is getting too long. I need a hat in this wind.
My farmer’s tan is getting wicked awesome. However, my helmet-face tan is quite silly looking.
Here are some poppies. Enjoy.
Heading Out
Tomorrow morning, at the crack of dawn, I’m heading north to Rosamond, CA to the Corsa Motoclassica 2008! Tonight, instead of seeing a wicked awesome concert tonight, I decided to make sure my bike was all set for the trip. I changed the oil and reset my pipes, checked my timing and fixed a small oil leak on my left side of the crank. I think it is all ready.
Here is the route I’m taking just in case you are wondering. (Or I don’t return and I am lost in some desert canyon cooking my shoes for food).
I’m actually going out alone – Jaxon got a job this weekend and won’t be making it. So I bought a small magnetic tank bag and fixed up a tool kit with everything I’d need to basically take my bike apart. The bag looks good on my bike, and I was going to get one eventually anyway for my big trip.
Because both of my real digital cameras are broken, I’ll be using my iPhone for digital stills, and a small videocamera for the races. I hope stuff turns out… it would be a great opportunity to take some awesome shots, but I just don’t have the room for the right equipment.
This will be a true test run of riding long distance with the minimum of stuff. I’ll be taking my tank bag, my motorcycle jacket and a long sleeved shirt, and that is it. (I might wear pants, too). Anything I buy or trade there will have to be strapped to the bike. I only plan on getting a new speedometer at the swap meet, and maybe a few motorcycles. Ha! I guess I won’t be camping there, but we’ll see how it goes and who I meet.
My scooter is serious toast – and it looks like I won’t be making the Hedonism scooter rally in two weeks… at least not on my scooter. DURN!!! However, I’m thinking of going out on my motorcycle. I’m feeling it over with the club and stuff.
Did you know I was part of the Westside Scooter Club? It is basically the best damn club out there. Everyone in it is so freaking nice and hospitable, it makes me have faith in humanity. And our Beach Invasion Rally will rule all. Behold:
Okie dokie. If I don’t make it back alive, be sure they play “Motor Away” by GBV at my memorial service! I’ll be back with photos galore!
Wonders: Airport 5 – “Tower in the Fountain of Sparks”
Tobin Sprout and Robert Pollard’s sideband Airport 5 is an awesome mix of Pollard weirdness and Sprout’s excellent production. Sprout mailed the backing tracks to Pollard, who added vocals and tuh-duh.. a whole album!
Tower in the Fountain of Sparks was their first album, released in 2001 after some singles were released earlier that year.
The album is full of sleeper songs, some seriously awesome hooks are hidden in some of the longer (nearly 5 minute) songs. I go in depth on some of the songs, so I put it all after the jump.
quick realizations before going out
I was lukewarm on the new Stephen Malkmus and I was 70/30 on the new R.E.M. but here’s da thing:
I’m 100% on both of them now. The Stephen Malkmus has really grown on me, despite the jamming. There is a real sublime character to the lyrics on this album… not quite sure how to describe it.
And R.E.M., well, the album is fucking great. And I’m all about the opener now. I’ve listened the crap out of it. These two albums sort of complement each other well – R.E.M.’s album is short and sweet and SM’s is a little more meandering.
I need to buy a new belt – I seem to have lost weight and now I have to cinch up my belt one more notch. This is surprising to me as well, reader. I needed a new belt anyway. An ex-girlfriend gave me the one I wear daily, and even though I still appreciate the gift maybe it is time for something new. I think it is the only thing I still own that she gave me, actually. Not true. Just remembered one other thing.
quick question
If I throw away my old Weezer pin, will my “past self” time travel to now and call my “current self” a stupid old man? And ask what happened to the rock? And look at my current record collection and scoff?
And if he does that, can I hit him in the head? Just a little?
What Me Did ™
Today I woke up very early. It was warm, and I rode my motorcycle to the grocery store and bought stuff for breakfast and lunch.
I declare: Whole Foods has THE WORST bagels on the entire planet. They are too bready and taste like toast.
Then I came back and cleaned and cleaned. Then I mailed two packages. Then I cleaned more. Then I took two big bags of stuff to Goodwill. Then I rearranged my room. Then I threw away a lot of stuff.
Then I listed four ebay auctions, and I finally listed my bass guitar on Craigslist.
The I blogged about what I did today in the worst, most annoying writing style I’ve ever seen. Forgive me, reader.
But me so bizzy.
Oh and I listened the crap out of R.E.M., Devo, T-Bone Burnett, and Deerhoof.
FART!
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