Cycle Icons

Santa says: "Keep it local"

2011-11-10T10:46:00.002-05:00

This crossed my desk the other day, via an email chain forwarded by a friend. Really nothing more then an extension and articulation of the "keep it local" movement. But it does perhaps have an increased profoundness as we approach this year's Holiday Season:

Christmas 2011- Birth of a New Tradition.

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods. Merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor.

This year will be different. This year, Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is! It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?  

Everyone – yes, EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?  Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages that are thinking about some health improvement. Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates. Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the Benjamins on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course. There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants - all offering gift certificates. If your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint? Remember folks, this isn't about big National chains - this is about supporting your hometown Americans with their financial lives on the line, trying to keep their doors open. How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle? Done at a shop run by the American working guy. Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day. My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal? Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes. Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre. Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five-dollar string of lights, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip. You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring for US, and encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. When we care about other Americans, we care about our communities; and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine.

THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.

Forward this to everyone on your mailing list. Post it to discussion groups. Throw up a post on Craig’s List in the Rants and Raves section in your city. Send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations, and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about each other. Isn't that what Christmas is about?

I'm down with this. If you are too, pass it along.

Cheers,

Leon

I'm going to refer back to Teddy on this one...

2011-08-09T20:57:00.011-04:00

29 hours in; after encountering less then ideal circumstances, not the least of which were currents pushing her 15 miles off course, she called it a day....

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/08/09/nyad.103.mile.swim/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

Reading the news, and some of the more negative comments to this story, some folks were terming this effort a "FAIL".

I am reminded again of that Teddy Roosevelt quote that is a favorite of ours over at Project Badger...

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

God, Bless. You are an inspiration, Diana.

Cheers,
Leon

Kickstarting the Badger

2011-06-25T18:55:00.006-04:00

As some of you may recall "The Badger" is our Royal Enfield Bullet based, ACE Fireball powered, street legal/vintage racer experiment. The project continues to generate interest and enthusiasm as we get set to hit the road, embarking on our season's race program.

Kickstarter is an internet based, community oriented funding platform for many types of creative projects. Team Badger member, Peter Raymond, wanted to try and employ Kickstarter to help fund the film project he is heading up.

Pete and his team put together a kick ass trailer; and, by golly, we're live.

Yes, $22.5K is a lot of money to try and raise. The amount was arrived at by Pete and his film team after budgeting out their costs of filming over the course of the Summer. These funds are for the film project exclusively, and will not be funding the bike or the race program. If I thought racing was expensive, the movie thing ain't cheap either.

Keep up to date with the Badger's progress, here:

Bullet Proof Badger, the Diary

Of course I'm biased, but ..... Please help support a great project. Thanks.

Cheers,

Leon

Hammarhead Industries in Cycle World

2011-06-24T08:36:00.000-04:00

Here's a real nice Cycle World piece featuring good friend of Cycle Icons, Hammarhead Industries, and their Jack Pine. The bike gets put through its paces, and truly seems in its element. Way to go, James!

Happy Birthday, Cycle Icons!

2011-05-06T08:14:00.005-04:00

I'm told 5 years is a bit of a milestone in business; with the vast majority not seeing the end of their first year, and the odds getting even worse during the second. Throw in the "Great Recession" for a little extra challenge. It's been a helluva ride. Good, bad, and ugly. But I'm either too stubborn or too stupid to give up. Probably a combination of the two. Though the road has been bumpy at times, it's smoothing out, and I'm looking forward to Cycle Icons having a break out year. I'd like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all my great customers, friends, and supporters who have helped make these past five years not only possible, but have made them the most rewarding of my career. Most of all a big thanks to my wife, CJ, who Lord knows has hung in with Cycle Icons through thick and thin. Couldn't a done it with out ya' Honey!

Cheers,
Leon

18th Annual Gathering of the Nortons, April 17, Washington's Crossing Park, PA

2011-04-18T19:29:00.000-04:00

This event started 18 years ago with eight guys on Nortons, getting together on a rainy Sunday morning. It just keeps getting bigger and better every year; but still keeps a nice, cool, low key vibe. Always oodles of great bikes, stuff you don't see everyday. Truly something for everybody. The bikes in attendence totally run the gamut. Which is the way I like it. And it's gotta warm your heart to see stuff like Vincents and Laverdas out and on the road, where they belong.

In no particular order, or merit; a smattering of stuff that caught my eye.

You like Vincents? There were at least two, or was it three Black Shawdows? And a Comet to round it out.

Gotta love those '60's Triumph colors.

Some engine porn.

Couple of non-bike pieces.

Nice ass.

I was hoping I was going to see this bike. '75 Commando. I consigned it to its new owner in Fall of '09. At the time; a super low mileage (1300), one owner example, that had been in storage since 1978. Resurrected, gussied up, and out on the road, soaking up the sunshine. Now has 2400 on the clock and counting, and the new owner loves it.

All in all, a lovely way to spend a lazy late Sunday morning in the Spring time.

Cheers,

Team Badger, a.k.a The Island of Misfit Toys.....

2011-03-28T21:12:00.004-04:00

The core is in place, and I am very proud to present,

Team Badger:

Leon Stanley: Project Manager, Beverage Procurement.

Peter Raymond: Project Architect, Promotional Director, Media Liaison. Stu Carter: Racer and Badger Pilot.

Sumanth "Chumma" Janardhan, Tom Lyons, Ace Engineering LLC: Ministers of Power, Performance bits, Engine Builder.

Corey Lloyd, Lloyd Vintage: Strategic Partner, Parts Support.

Mark Rounds: Art Director.

Ron Truch: Team Photog and Documentarian.

Cathy Jo (CJ) Mugavero: Hospitality and Catering.

With the team in place, Project Badger is past feasibility study and on the drawing board. Also with this team there is no doubt in my mind we going to have one hellava good time.

So, synergy is Team Badger's middle name. And yes, sponsorship opportunities are available!

Cheers,

Why we ride.....

2011-03-18T09:06:00.001-04:00

The Following; sourced from reddit.com, crossed my path via Bike EXIF's FB page. Reading it makes me glad for both motorcycles and the arrival of Spring.

There is cold, and there is cold on a motorcycle. Cold on a motorcycle is like being beaten with cold hammers while being kicked with cold boots, a bone bruising cold. The wind's big hands squeeze the heat out of my body and whisk it away; caught in a cold October rain, the drops don't even feel like water. They feel like shards of bone fallen from the skies of Hell to pock my face. I expect to arrive with my cheeks and forehead streaked with blood, but that's just an illusion, just the misery of nerves not designed for highway speeds.

Despite this, it's hard to give up my motorcycle in the fall and I rush to get it on the road again in the spring; lapses of sanity like this are common among motorcyclists. When you let a motorcycle into your life you're changed forever. The letters "MC" are stamped on your driver's license right next to your sex and weight as if "motorcycle" was just another of your physical characteristics, or maybe a mental condition. But when warm weather finally does come around all those cold snaps and rainstorms are paid in full because a summer is worth any price.

A motorcycle is not just a two-wheeled car; the difference between driving a car and climbing onto a motorcycle is the difference between watching TV and actually living your life. We spend all our time sealed in boxes and cars are just the rolling boxes that shuffle us from home-box to work-box to store-box and back, the whole time, entombed in stale air, temperature regulated, sound insulated, and smelling of carpets.

On a motorcycle I know I'm alive. When I ride, even the familiar seems strange and glorious. The air has weight and substance as I push through it and its touch is as intimate as water to a swimmer. I feel the cool wells of air that pool under trees and the warm spokes of that fall through them. I can see everything in a sweeping 360 degrees, up, down and around, wider than Pana-Vision and than IMAX and unrestricted by ceiling or dashboard. Sometimes I even hear music. It's like hearing phantom telephones in the shower or false doorbells when vacuuming; the pattern-loving brain, seeking signals in the noise, raises acoustic ghosts out of the wind's roar. But on a motorcycle I hear whole songs: rock 'n roll, dark orchestras, women's voices, all hidden in the air and released by speed. At 30 miles per hour and up, smells become uncannily vivid. All the individual tree- smells and flower-smells and grass-smells flit by like chemical notes in a great plant symphony.

Sometimes the smells evoke memories so strongly that it's as though the past hangs invisible in the air around me, wanting only the most casual of rumbling time machines to unlock it. A ride on a summer afternoon can border on the rapturous. The sheer volume and variety of stimuli is like a bath for my nervous system, an electrical massage for my brain, a systems check for my soul. It tears smiles out of me: a minute ago I was dour, depressed, apathetic, numb, but now, on two wheels, big, ragged, windy smiles flap against the side of my face, billowing out of me like air from a decompressing plane.

Transportation is only a secondary function. A motorcycle is a joy machine. It's a machine of wonders, a metal bird, a motorized prosthetic. It's light and dark and shiny and dirty and warm and cold lapping over each other; it's a conduit of grace, it's a catalyst for bonding the gritty and the holy. I still think of myself as a motorcycle amateur, but by now I've had a handful of bikes over half a dozen years and slept under my share of bridges. I wouldn't trade one second of either the good times or the misery. Learning to ride one of the best things I've done.

Cars lie to us and tell us we're safe, powerful, and in control. The air-conditioning fans murmur empty assurances and whisper, "Sleep, sleep." Motorcycles tell us a more useful truth: we are small and exposed, and probably moving too fast for our own good, but that's no reason not to enjoy every minute of the ride.

-Author unknown.

Nice stuff. Don't know about you, but makes me want to go for a ride.

It's a beautiful day, and Friday, to boot. Can't wait to get up to the shop, and get lost in the day's work.

Cheers,

Dyno Run:

2011-03-15T09:16:00.000-04:00

A short teaser of Project Badger's engine builder, Chumma Gee's, bike on the dyno. NOT your mother's Royal Enfield!!

The Team continues to fall into place, with formal announcements coming shortly. Man, this is getting exciting!!!

Cheers,

The Badger, a mock up:

2011-03-11T20:39:00.003-05:00

A work in process, but the Team and process coming into focus, feasibility study ongoing:

Code Name: Project Badger, a feasibility study

2011-03-11T03:59:00.003-05:00

Royal Enfield based. 500cc iron barrel engine. Built in a rat cafe style. Road and vintage race legal. Kitted for both a license plate, and a number plate. Built to both a price and a standard. Hi quality, low brow. Goes like stink. A ride it to the track, flog it in the heat of battle and ride it home proposition. Possible in this day and age?

It's 4 AM, and I can't sleep. The mock up is forming in my head. If I'm still awake at dawn, I'm headed to the shop ............

Liberty Vintage, Philadelphia PA

2011-03-09T06:51:00.002-05:00

Fresh off the heels of yesterday's feel good group hug, comes this. A nice little vid featuring fellow old bike blood brother and keeper of the flame Adam Cramer, and his Philly based shop, Liberty Vintage.
Adam pretty much covers all the bases in explaining this "compulsion", and provides us with a nice ending to boot. Who knew? Nice job, Adam.

Here's to old bikes; and the folks who keep'em running, and on the road.

Cheers,

"We're all in this together"

2011-03-08T10:00:00.006-05:00

Remember the movie Brazil?

It was wacky as hell, but did contain one of my favorite lines in cinema. "We're all in this together". It was uttered by Robert DeNiro throughout the movie, and here at about the one minute mark:

Those who keep up with current events probably know that the economy has been in the news quite a bit lately. And the challenges it's presented are, by now, well known and hard felt. But, as Harry would say; "we're all in this together".

Unfortunately that doesn't always seem to be the prevailing collective attitude, but that didn't stop Harry Tuttle.

So with Harry as inspiration, I'd like to cast a nod to a little outfit known as: Lloyd Vintage.

Lloyd Vintage has quickly established itself as a quality source of specialty motorcycle parts; doing a lot of, but not exclusively, Posh and Daytona. The good stuff. That previously you had to go half way around the world to source. Now the other hemisphere is calling Oklahoma. Check'em out .......

Find them on the web at: www.lloydvintage.com

So here's to the little guys. Keeping the faith. Guerrilla fighters in the New Economy. And helping to keep old motorcycles on the road.

And remember, though at times it might feel as though we are fighting a losing battle: "We're all in this together".

Cheers,

Old Cliches; or, When the Rubber Meets the Road

2011-03-05T06:59:00.008-05:00

From the hackneyed, feel good cliche department:
"It's not what happens in life, it's what you do with it"
"Attitude is everything"
"You can't control events. Only your response to them"

But let's dig a little deeper.

Searching the Scriptures, we find this gem; James, chapter 1, verses 1-12

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does........
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Friedrich Nietzsche (who of course was a downer on a good day) put it simpler, if not more secularly:

"That which does not kill me makes me stronger".

Just the kind of glass half empty, optimism I can get behind.

The interwebs are, of course, filled with cutesy pie, feel good, blah blah. The overexposure to which, like anything else, good or bad, tends to make one numb.

But this did make me stop, and gave me pause:

Deep shit. Not the least of which; the graceful acceptance of a hand roughly dealt, and a Father's transcending love.

And I think I'm faced with challenges? Once again, the sobering call to removes one's head from one's rectum, and get back to it.....

It is now dawn; and for another day, at least, I'm still in the game.

Amen.

Thanks for listening,
Cheers,

PS- On a more mundane note. The Model G is slowly getting back together. And it is starting to feel like Spring. I gotta get to work!!!

Precision machine work, Royal Enfield Style.....

2011-02-26T09:34:00.000-05:00

State of the Art stuff. Not! But give Cycle Icons a couple of flat rocks and a blunt implement and we'll get the job done.

When a good client and friend suffered his last e-start sprag clutch failure (a notorious weak link in the RE owner experience, and ironically in this case, suffered while KICK starting the bike!), he decided it would indeed be his last sprag failure and approached me about removing the electric start entirely and going kick only. I advised him that it is eminently doable, pretty straight forward, but does involve taking a drill to the side of your engine, as the kick only inner primary case bolts to different bosses on the engine side. Thus necessitating the drilling and tapping new holes. He decided he would rather be a spectator. Fine I said, and we got the bike in the shop.

The before:

The After:

The procedure:
The electric start's case mounting:

The fun part:

The end result; new holes, waiting to be tapped:

And now, going back together:

Definitely not rocket science, but does requires a certain "commitment". And kinda funny. Nothing like going at some one's motor with a hand drill, with them watching. Of course you can't resist making bad jokes, like "Oh shit, I think I went too far!!" But all in good fun. And to paraphrase the old Delta faucet commercial "no sprag clutch, no sprag clutch problems".

Cheers,

I'll second that.

2011-02-23T07:49:00.002-05:00

Here's a bit of text, pinched from Bike EXIF's latest offering. While the bike being described is cool enough, it's these general comments made about the bike that struck me most....

“We’ve forgotten what biking is about,” he says. “It’s all about feeling—the sounds and the rhythm of the motor, the contact with the machine. It should be unfiltered, direct. We’ve got too sophisticated. So the D-track goes back to the roots: it has a lot of soul and in the real world, away from racetracks and autobahns, it is fast. It’s performance that is easy to use.”

Couldn't agree more. And certainly part of the appeal of older bikes, at least for me. Both functionally and aesthetically. But it can exist in newer bikes too, as long as the builder keeps his eye on the ball. Cause after all the damn thing was made to ride.

Cheers,

Steppin' in high cotton.

2011-02-20T09:12:00.001-05:00

Talk about "cycle icons". News of two heavy hitting, historically significant bikes to be featured at the Quail gathering this May. Motorbikes don't come any more famous then the Rollie Free "bathing suit" Vincent; and if the McQueen bike appeals, I'm sure you better bring one big ass check book.

Read their stories here, courtesy of:

The Vintagent

and:

The Selvedge Yard

Cheers,

Artful Deposit Winter Gala

2011-02-14T08:42:00.000-05:00

A small taste of the fun we had this past weekend at the Artful Deposit.

The day was a wonderful celebration of art, family, friends, and my wife's 25th year (!) of the Artful Deposit Gallery. Congrats, Honey. And Happy Valentine's day!

Cheers,

More love songs, motorcycles, and death

2011-02-12T08:39:00.002-05:00

This Saturday morning's musical interlude. Again courtesy the brilliant Richard Thompson. And again featuring vivid motorcycle and death imagery. Wrapped up in a love song. Albeit, a dark one. I hope Spring is on it's way, cause I think this bear of a Winter is starting to affect my mood. Enjoy....

And I'll give you my Vincent to ride. Talk about a testament to Love. Hell, this can double as my Valentine message.

Cheers,

Hell yeah!

2011-02-10T22:57:00.003-05:00

This of course crossed my desk via the internet.

And in the interest of full disclosure, I'll tell you the end first. It winds up being an effen' commercial. For a Bank, no less.

But, I'll forgive them that and say, Hell Yeah!

Besides Banks, I'm also not a huge fan of the "Motor Company". But last Spring Harley had an ad campaign, that surely was intended to touch the same nerve. The gist was; yeah things suck right now, but "Screw it, lets ride".

Amen.

Beautiful job, gentlemen. I want to be on your team.

Life takes no prisoners. Let's ride motorcycles.

Cheers,

Let me ride on the Wall of Death.....

2011-02-05T08:06:00.001-05:00

.... one more time.

Woke up this morning with this in my head. Whether it's a good way to start the day, I'm not sure. But what the hell, a little musical interlude. And at least related to bikes....

Yeah, let me take my chances....
One more time.

Cheers,

A day in I.T.

2011-02-01T14:35:00.000-05:00

I.T.? Well, my own feeble version, at least. If you're reading this, hopefully the morning's efforts are manifest. A bit of re-design. We've added a bunch of pages, and thus tons more content to Cycle Icons' Blogspot. The about us, the shop, bikes & eBay stuff for sale, projects pages etc. A better picture of what's more fully going on at Cycle Icons.

Of course now we actually have to GET stuff UP on the "for sale" pages (!); as I curse the loss of the pics I thought I had of stuff to post up. The trace angst of a computer crash. Easily remedied ASAP.

But for now, I'm excited. Excited about sharing a deeper, broader forum. And a more dynamic Internet and business presence for Cycle Icons. But as I bask in my new found Blog savviness, I have to say.... This stuff continues to boggle my mind, as it flat out didn't even EXIST, but a few years ago. But rust, life, and the internet never sleep. In business, or otherwise; In this day and age, if you're standing still... you're falling behind.

Cheers,

Road trip NYC, Ace Hotel, 1/21/11

2011-01-26T17:54:00.000-05:00

Shit ton'o work. With trips to the Javits Center IMS show thrown in for extra excitement over the course of the weekend. But at the end of the day; a helluva an event, a party, and weekend.

Thanks to James at Hammarhead Industries for having me along for the ride, Wes and Grant at Hell For Leather and Ural for their support, and lastly to Pabst Blue Ribbon! It flowed freely, and didn't run out.

Cheers,

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T07:59:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas, everyone. Here's to all our dreams coming true. Today, tomorrow, in 2011 and beyond.
Best wishes for a safe, happy and joyous Holiday Season.
Cheers,

It doesn't get much better.....

2010-12-19T08:41:00.000-05:00

Then watching Ann Margret ride a Moto Guzzi:

Yeah I know she's not going to win any Motorcycle Safety Foundation awards with her choice of riding apparel, and the guy who seems to be taking his style queues from JC himself seems a little odd, but a tantalizing minute 19 seconds none the less.

Cheers,

This is news? Hell, I could have told you that!

2010-12-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

Perusing the morning news, I came across this.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101216/bs_nm/us_usa_economy_special

Based on the "sick man" reference in the title I expect to read something about Americans poor physical health. Oh, it's metaphorical and the piece is about the economy.

I read on.

And I'm graced with little gems like:

"The recession merely revealed a reality that has been with us for a long time. We faced a growing gap in education and skills that we tried to fill with debt and credit, which gave us the illusion of growth."

Now I have like barely one semester of college, and by and large, I don't get paid to think. But, no shit. I've been saying these things for years.

Or actually, other people have been too. Years ago (20+), and I honestly can't remember which race or the candidates; but during the presidential debate one candidate was taking his opponent to task for his proposed economic policies, and ideas for job creation. His retort was something like: "That's great, and we'll all deliver pizzas to each other". How prophetic. And no disrespect to my fellow Americans trying make an honest buck delivering pizzas, but it would seem as though we are just about at that point.

Cheers,

P.S.- After the holidays, I promise to calm down and get back to motorcycles. At least mostly.

Another Holiday Message

2010-12-14T08:41:00.000-05:00

Taking the piss out of one of my Holiday faves.

Cheers,

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/6f62088f27/peace-on-earth-little-drummer-boy-with-will-ferrell-john-c-reilly?playlist=featured_videos

A holiday message, of sorts.

2010-12-11T08:25:00.000-05:00

Thought this was pretty cool. I'd seen it awhile ago, but it crossed my path again today. And at this time of year I'll run with it. A statement of vulnerability, courage and resolution. A celebration of both our great diversity and shared humanity. Maybe there's hope. Merry Christmas.

Cheers,
Hope you enjoy it:

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2539741

Thursday, 11/18

2010-11-15T11:30:00.000-05:00

Food? Beer? Bikes? I'm in. See ya there.

Where the hell did that two months go?

2010-11-03T18:38:00.000-04:00

Been a lot going on, not the least of which has been the laptop crashing twice, and visit to the computer Doctor. But we're back, so bear with us while we get caught up.

Build projects abound, a busy week's wrap up

2010-09-04T05:17:00.000-04:00

Busy week with build projects in the shop. Two stalled projects got a bit of a kick in the ass, and a beater Ducati came in out of the blue.

My long rumored 67' BSA 441 cafe. On a lazy summer afternoon a couple of years ago this got mocked with the help of a couple of beers. An amalgam of stuff from the shed, that seemingly worked pretty well together. But quickly back-burnered for lack of time and funding.

But now the time seems ripe.

Of course the easy part. Stripping it down! And now reduced to a rolling chassis. I get scared cause I'm always way better at taking stuff apart, then putting it back together. Easily distracted, and seduced by the next idea. But time to de-tab the frame, suss out an oil tank, and re-locate a small battery.

The Enfield based vintage rat bike got a nice shot in the arm with a tank contributed by our good friends at Hammarhead Industries. Deemed a cast off in their shop, it was just about what our customer saw in his mind's eye. A little longer and slimmer then the stock tank, with some tastefully sexy lines. A few more pieces to source and mock up for customer approval, and then time to strip and paint.

And talk about out of the blue. Good client and friend of Cycle Icons, Jeff Rogers, couldn't resist this Craig's List find. Total beater 1994 Ducati 900 SS. Rode hard and put away wet. Needs some love desperately, and we'll make sure it gets it. Still largely in the discussion phase, with tons more to follow. Stay tuned.

And with all the excitement, we can't fall too far behind in preparation for next weeks outing at "The 100 Motorcars of Radnor Hunt". Info at www.radnorconcours.org . Please join us, Sunday the 12th, as we team up in support of Hammarhead Industries. In addition to showing off HHI's "Jack Pine" and "Volta", both of which have been getting tons of great press, HHI will be debuting a new Woodsman, based on the new fuel injected, unit constructed Royal Enfield. Caught a glimpse of it yesterday, and it's going to look and go great!

Cheers

What is it about old bikes?

2010-09-03T09:53:00.000-04:00

While perusing Bike EXIF recently a couple of comments directed at a BMW air head really jumped out at me. And I think aptly articulate, for me, in part at least, what it is about old bikes.

#don't said: "I have the opposite problem, after motorcycle engines went liquid cooled they became big ugly chunks of flat metal so designers started burying them under all kind of fairings and other crap. The engine used to be the center piece of a motorcycle, now it’s just a lot of pointless angles and false complexity to make your eye think you’re looking at something interesting when really there’s nothing to look at anymore. I don’t own a single modern bike for this reason. Even a modern air cooled ducati has the engine all hidden away under junk that’s supposed to look “high tech”. Look at an old round case one. How in a million years could anyone think the new ones look better?"

#mingh said:" I’m with Don’t. I don’t want my bike to look like a set of nike airs. While a modern Ducati is probably heaps more reliable than any bevel, or a speed triple probably goes much faster than a T150 Trident, new bikes are only about numbers, not about emotions and engineering beauty."

I couldn't agree more. For me it's largely bound up in the classic engine architectures. And you have to be able to SEE the damned thing. The big British single and parallel twin. A Ducati or Guzzi V twin. A BMW air head boxer. We'll leave the HD stuff to the other guys. But all "Cycle Icons".

Nice to know at least a couple of other guys out there still get it.

Cheers

That Sox and Martin?

2010-08-28T18:36:00.002-04:00

So I take a different way out of town this morning, and head down one of Bordentown City's little side streets. Out of the corner of my eye I think I notice something that stirs some long forgotten childhood memory. I double back, and sure enough on the front of a local business' trailer is "Sox and Martin".

Now, I've had no reason to even think of Sox and Martin since I was a twelve year old kid with his nose stuck to the inside of the latest issue of Hot Rod magazine. And if you've seen my current hair color, you know that that was quite some time ago. But, Sox and Martin? Could it be? A local business buys a trailer second hand, and for whatever reason decides to live with some of the old graphics? A trailer with a bitchin' race history?

For those old enough to remember, and for those too young to know, a little history.....

http://www.ronniesox.com/history.html

But as a kid, this is what I remember....

A little later...

For a pre-pubesent kid in the early 70's, too cool.....

And of course, Saturday afternoons in front of the tube. Hanging out with Dad and his Carling Black Label, and if you were lucky this is what you happened to catch on Wide World of Sports that day. Just enough to throw a kid over the edge.

I don't know, maybe it's just me. But if you take the time to notice the funny little things that cross your path in life, and let the mind wander...

And wonder?

Huh? Is Sox and Martin's old race trailer in Bordentown?

Or maybe they're just old fans. A homage.

Or family keeping the torch alive? I dunno.

But I'm a Romantic.

It's a funny world.

Cheers

Pre War Rat Bike Project

2010-02-15T17:21:00.000-05:00

A good client, and loyal Royal Enfield enthusiast has commissioned Cycle Icons to build what he has dubbed a "Pre War Rat Bike". This is, in part at least, some of our inspiration.

This is our canvas. Cycle Icons' long suffering "parts bike". It deserves a better life, and Peter agreed.

Stay tuned.

Cycle Icons in NYC

2010-02-06T13:21:00.000-05:00

Cycle Icons helping work the Royal Enfield stand at the recent Cycle World Int'l Motorcycle Show, Javets Center, Jan. 22-24.

New York City always adds that extra bit of excitement and energy. Was great seeing some old friends, and hopefully made some new friends too. The size of that show always amazes me, the Enfields are always well received with tons of attention, and fortunately my voice hung in after three days of pretty much non-stop yakking.

Pardon the beer, it was late Sunday afternoon, the end of a long weekend!