Because I simply cannot leave well enough alone

I'm changing the goal of the Sportster. I've never kept any motorcycle forever so with that in mind I want to pay special attention to how much money I spend the old girl. I'm notorious for never finishing projects as well. With that in mind, the number one goal with the Sportster is to a) actually make the thing rideable in my lifetime and b) when the time comes to sell, not take a bath on the whole deal. That part is not changing. What is changing is what the bike is going to look and or feel like when it is done. I was going to try to put the bike back together with most of the original parts and have a mostly stock Sportster. Well...now that I think of it that's not really changing either. Much. So I'm standing in the garage the other night staring at the XLH in question and contemplating what to do next. Then I start stressing on the amount of work involved and quite frankly considering my own mortality and how life is short. Without getting too philosophical the short story is, I turned off the light and went in the house.
So I ran across this picture on the Sideburn blog...

I love the mirror placement.

Light. Bulb. Man, this Triumph is fucking bitchin'. It looks like the kind of bike you can just get on and ride, you know? Not coast to coast. Not with luggage. I already have one of those anyhow. Just ride for the thrill of riding and if you run out of road fuck it, you're running on MT53's baby, just keep on motoring. So let's overthink analyze this for a moment, shall we? Mostly stock so not a lot of complicated shit to worry about. Check. Racebike feel. Check. (that's my wheelhouse). Not so refined that we need to worry about paint chips or some oil dripping. Check. A few custom touches to scratch the creative itch. Check. I have most of the parts already. Check. Fairly comfortable at least from a riding position standpoint. Sit up and beg. Check.
So I went home and pulled the tins off and did a few minutes of cleaning. I have a rear fender I think I can use. I'm pretty sure the Old Man has a fork brace laying around. I've got a seat. I've got alloy rims. I still need bars. I should have the fender in my hands by Monday. The next thing will be to make a subframe to hold up the fender and or the occasional spouse. Not that my spouse is occasional. It's just that the only passenger I will probably have will be my spouse and that will only happen on occasion. I think the digression has become my trademark. Anyway, I'm considering moving the shocks to a bit more vertical and having a loop up and over the fender. I will mock up something with conduit and see how it pans out. The only real stumbling block now is the tank. I think that's another post.
In between remodeling my house, working 60hrs a week, and being a father and husband I should have this knocked out by oh, let's say...2030. Give or take. I'm kidding but I really think this plan can actually expedite the project. Assuming the engine is mechanically sound.

I stole this photo...

Well, I'm reblogging this photo. Fair use and all that. I was really feeling the stress here at work and decided to go over to Sideburn and look at flat-trackers. Always a good idea. Seriously, this photo shows everything I like about motorcycles. Feet up, backing it in. My goodness that is some seriously cool shit. I could never do that without high-siding but I like to fantasize about it. I should become a flat track photographer. If I don't get my head taken off by a crash it would be the coolest job ever. Well, maybe the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue photographer would be cooler but it doesn't happen every weekend.

This is Bryan Smith at The Indy Mile from last weekend. I missed the MotoGP weekend again but this event happens on Sat. night before the big road race. One of my favorite things about going to roadraces is the flat track event that usually happens at a track local to the road course. I could go on and on about that but suffice to say, if you go to Mid-Ohio or Road America or the like to a road race ask around ahead of time and find out where (or if) the flat track race will be. Prepare to have fun and get dusty. If you are lucky like me you'll get to see King Kenny ride a TZ750 around the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Somewhere I have a video of that that I took. I'll find it.

More Uncles and motorcycles

Over the past weekend Mrs. Surly and I went down to Seymour to hang out and went to a little party in honor of my Crazy Uncle who passed away last year. We had a great time and with the help of my Old Man, we dragged back Unk's 1971 BSA Lightning. He wanted us to have it and now we do. Not sure how joint ownership is going to shake out but this would be the third BSA twin and fourth total BSA I have been the proud (or partial) owner of. One of my friends is a motorcycle savant and has a set of sleeved carbs for this baby. With those and a little TLC, I could have this thing running in a weekend. If only I had a weekend.

The Beesa in STB's pickup.

In an unfortunate coincidence, another uncle passed away a few years ago as well. He had a 1969 XLH Sportster. I eluded to it back in June of 2011. There was a bunch of stuff that we helped sell for my aunt but understandably, she wasn't ready to sell the scooter at the time. I respectfully asked for right of first refusal and long story short...I'm picking it up on Sunday.

There's a sporting motorcycle hidden somewhere in this picture.

So I've been trying to keep the garage and my life uncluttered and I wind up with half a motorcycle and a Harley. Well I suppose that since it's Independence Day here in the good old U.S. of A the purchase of some Milwaukee iron offsets the partial ownership of the BSA from jolly old England.

This would be the target. Pic lifted from The Zon

It certainly warrants it's own post(s), but this is what I'm thinking I'll do with the Sporty. The blue bike is what it would have looked like originally. The Old Man thinks the hardtail is a bad idea. I don't know why that would make any difference to him considering he has about 10 bikes and only one is rideable. If it's parked, what difference would it make if it's uncomfortable? Just kidding Chief. I think making something like the above would be pretty attainable without too much money being spent. Of course, I've said that before.

Happy Independence Day!

Another quick one.

Watch for Dave Aldana crashing...

Rooster from SIDEBURN on Vimeo.