March 2009 - R.A.T. Pack
Transcription
March 2009 - R.A.T. Pack
The Largest And Most Active R.A.T. PACK In the United States Cascade Moto Classics, Inc R.A.T. Pack MARCH 2009 Thanks Everyone! By Lee Holzhey, Pack Leader “I just do what I do,” Soren Winslow said to me after accepting his award at our annual dinner last Saturday night, for all the help he gives our club. “Thanks a lot for the recognition, but I just like to help because it’s fun,” Ed Buschow said, after he accepted his award. We have yet to give an award to anyone in our club who was not deserving, humbled and grateful. To me it sums up the kind of people that ride Triumphs in Portland and attend our events. It makes my job as Pack Leader so easy, having club members who like to get involved. All I really have to do is keep things organized and everything seems to take care of itself. It’s because of you that I look good, and for this I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who helps out. I tried very hard to say this at dinner, and I want to repeat it now. Even though some of you help out year after year, (you know who you are) and just “do what you do” as Soren says, it is never taken for granted and it never becomes routine. Also, this is my chance to say thanks to Janice and Kelly for not only hosting such a great event, but for the fantastic 50th anniversary Bonneville print they gave me. It looks great in my living room! And finally, my biggest thank you of all to my friends Mark and Deborah for the motorcycle quilt Deborah made and presented to me at dinner. The last 41 years of my life would not be the same without each of you! This year looks to be our best year yet for Triumph events. Soren has already laid out a fantastic schedule of “official” day rides and activities that should be up on our website by the time you read this. Plus, our Spring Opener, Summer Scorch- er and Baker City Rally are already in the planning stages, and the dates should also be up on the website soon. We will also be having an open house in the Spring at CMC, plus our usual Summer barbeque, Fall bash and Holiday party! There is also one other little gem that is still in the planning stages, that for now we are keeping under wraps. But believe me when I say, you won’t want to miss it! So, this year is really shaping up nicely. For those of you that want to plan your own group ride, remember that you can post it on our website (www.rat-pack.com) at anytime, and get some friends to join you. How about planning a ride on breakfast Saturday? Just check the schedule in advance to make sure we don’t already have something scheduled. Also, we’re still hoping to put together the ride route book I talked about last month. While I have no visions of grandeur at becoming a best selling author, it would be great to have at least 20 different ride routes to share and post up on our website. Although I could probably scrape them together myself, it would be much better to have them submitted by you. Besides, most of my favorite routes are done on our Baker City Rally. (Oh yeah, that’s a plug!) So plunk yourselves down in front of your computer and Google up your favorite road. Then shoot me an e-mail ([email protected]) and tell me about it. I’m hoping to have this done by mid April sometime, so we can all begin enjoying some different roads and rides this season as submitted by our club members. Lastly, for those of you that are curious, the bikes on the quilt Deborah made for me were a 1962 Matchless G50, 1961 BSA Goldstar DBD3Y, 1962 Norton 30M Manx, 1955 Vincent Black Shadow “D”, and a 1967 Triumph T100C. Oh yeah, and some girls in bikinis were sitting on the bikes too. You know you’re getting old when you get a quilt like that, and you look at the bikes and not the girls. Oh well!! Ride safe everyone, Lee Kenny Dreer Motorcycle Diaries The Presenter: Kenny Dreer Saturday, March 21, 2008 10:00 AM Northwest Vintage Car & Motorcycle Museum Vintage Gas Station at Antique Powerland, Brooks, Oregon Details & Directions: /www.nwcarandcycle.org New Bonnevilles Arriving 2009 Models Scheduled To Arrive First Weeks of March PHOTOS NEEDED! Got a great digital pic of your bike? You and your bike? A guy in a chicken costume riding your bike? We’re going to start running a few photos of member bikes in the upcoming issues. This is your chance for fame and… well, for fame, anyway. Originals are best, and the bigger the better. Send them to: [email protected] Contact Information CASCADE MOTO CLASSICS, INC R.A.T. PACK Cascade Moto Classics, Inc announces the scheduled arrival of the first of the 2009 Bonnevilles. Information from Triumph indicates they should arrive in the first two weeks of this month. The Bonneville line has gone through styling revisions for a great 1970’s look just in time for the 50th anniversary of this iconic motorcycle. Visually, the most striking difference comes with the new 17-inch cast alloy wheels at the front and rear, shorter mudguards and stylish megaphone silencers from the sporty Thruxton. The new seat proudly displays the Triumph logo, which is now printed in white. The handlebars have been revised and are now closer to the rider and seat height has been reduced by 25mm to improve the riding position. The introduction of a smaller, lighter, front wheel makes it easier to maneuver the Bonneville. Cascade Moto Classics, Inc. Janice & Kelly McCarthy 13705 SW Farmington Road Beaverton, Oregon 97005 (503) 574–3353 [email protected] OUR NEW R.A.T. PACK MEMBERS These members have recently purchased a new Triumph from Cascade Moto Classics, Inc Triumph Riders Association of Portland Pack Leader Lee Holzhey [email protected] (360) 798–4678 Jason Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daytona 675 Steve Berg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bonneville T100 Wolfgang Agotta . . . . . . . . . . . . Bonneville Black Matthew Olson . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sprint ST Ronald Hyde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Street Triple R Christopher Vitron . . . . . . . . . . . Bonneville T100 Dustin Nelson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Speedmaster Newsletter Production Lindborg Graphics [email protected] –2– Spring Riding Season Is Here Boost Your Skills with Team Oregon’s Intermediate Rider Training Course M otorcycling has a certain mystique that embodies freedom and excitement for an experience that is both rewarding and challenging. Discover how to harness that challenge safely with the professionals at Team Oregon. Proficient riders know — the more you know the better it gets. Team Oregon offers rider training for all ages and abilities. All courses are street oriented, research based and taught by experienced motorcyclists who are certified rider training instructors. Riders with limited motorcycling experience or those returning to riding who want to get a motorcycle endorsement are encouraged to enroll in the 8-hour Intermediate Rider Training course. This oneday training program builds fundamental street riding skills and strategies. Enrollment Eligibility: 21 and over: valid driver’s license. Fee: $129 With nothing to lose and everything to gain, it’s no wonder these courses fill quickly. So don’t delay — sign up today! Intermediate Riding Courses Oil Change & Service PICK UP & DELIVERY SPECIAL • PICK UP YOUR TRIUMPH • SYNTHETIC OIL + FILTER • PRE-SEASON SERVICE • RETURN TO YOUR DOOR $149.99* *Rocket III - $169.99 This Service Includes: Visit Team Oregon at: http://team-oregon.org 1. We will pick up and deliver your Triumph or Moto Guzzi 2. Synthetic Oil and new filter 3. Top off fluids Happy Saint Patrick’s Day May your day be touched by a bit of Irish luck, brightened by a song in your heart, and warmed by the smiles of the people you love. Janice, Kelly, Tara, Liz, Bill Mike, Brant, Mikey 4. Clutch adjustment 5. Brake adjustment 6. Clean, lube and adjust chain 7. Lube chassis 8. Our 12 point safety check Contact the Service Department to schedule your Triumph Service 503–574–3353 This service offer good through March 31, 2009 • Pick up and delivery must be within 50 miles of Cascade Moto Classics, Inc. CLASSICS INCORPORATED –3– RAT PAC K Calendar MAY 16-17 OVM Corvaillis Ride/Show/Swap Meet Oregon Vintage Motorcyclists Saturday May 16th - Ride 12:00 Noon, Benton County Fairgrounds, Corvallis, OR Sunday May 17th - Show/Swap Meet (Featured Marque: Triumph Bonneville T120 and T140) Benton County Fairgrounds, Corvallis, OR Contact: [email protected] 503-655-2125 www.oregonvintage.org MAY 24 Western Antique Aeroplane & Auto Museum Triumph RAT Pack Ride - Hood River, Oregon www.waaamuseum.org Meet: Cascade Moto Classics, Inc 10:00am Admission is $8 per person JUNE 6 Triumph RAT Pack Breakfast Meet 9:00am Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Rd., Beaverton, OR. At the back of the shopping center on the northeast side. Come and enjoy a good breakfast and some great people! Rides, Ev ents, Fun ! MARCH 7 Triumph RAT Pack Breakfast Meet 9:00am Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Rd., Beaverton, OR. At the back of the shopping center on the northeast side. Come and enjoy a good breakfast and some great people! MARCH 29 RAT Pack Back In The Saddle Ride Easier ride for newer riders and those that didn’t ride over the winter. Meet at Cascade Moto Classics at 10:00AM. Route TBA APRIL 4 Triumph RAT Pack Breakfast Meet 9:00am Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Rd., Beaverton, OR. At the back of the shopping center on the northeast side. Come and enjoy a good breakfast and some great people! APRIL 10,11 APRIL 26 JUNE 20 OMRRA Motorcycle Race Oregon Motorcycle Roadracing Association Portland International Raceway (PIR). PIR is located at exit 306B off of Interstate 5. Gates open at 7:00 am, bikes on track at 9:00 am. RAT Pack Northwest RAT Lunch Kit Carson Restaurant in Chehalis, WA. Meet at Cascade Moto Classics, Inc at 10:00am MAY 2 Triumph RAT Pack Breakfast Meet 9:00am Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Rd., Beaverton, OR. At the back of the shopping center on the northeast side. Come and enjoy a good breakfast and some great people! MAY 2 Cascade Moto Classics BONNIE 50th OPEN HOUSE Join us as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Triumph Bonneville. Free Food & Refreshments, Live Music, Special Events, Special Sale and just plain fun!! Watch for more details as the day nears. MAY 2,3 JUNE 5,6,7 JUNE 20,21 OMRRA Motorcycle Race Oregon Motorcycle Roadracing Association Portland International Raceway (PIR). PIR is located at exit 306B off of Interstate 5. Gates open at 7:00 am, bikes on track at 9:00 am. –4– Season Opener Ride 3-Day Event Triumph RAT Pack Details To Be Announced OVM Longest Day Ride Oregon Vintage Motorcyclists Designed to conincide with the Summer Solstice 250 miles. Leave Cycle Sports Yamaha/Kawasaki, 4764 Portland Rd NE, Salem - 9:00am OR: Leave the 76 Station near Exit 10 from I-205, Oregon City - 10:00am Contact: [email protected] 503-393-2852 www.oregonvintage.org OMRRA Motorcycle Race Oregon Motorcycle Roadracing Association Portland International Raceway (PIR). PIR is located at exit 306B off of Interstate 5. Gates open at 7:00 am, bikes on track at 9:00 am. JULY 4 Triumph RAT Pack Breakfast Meet 9:00am Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Rd., Beaverton, OR. At the back of the shopping center on the northeast side. Come and enjoy a good breakfast and some great people! JULY 12 OVM Tour de Clarque Poker Run Oregon Vintage Motorcyclists Scenic Clark County, WA App. 100 miles. Prizes for best poker hands. Lunch stop after ride. Leave from Tri Mountain Shopping Ctr, I-5 Exit 14, Ridgefield, WA - 11:00am Contact: [email protected] 360-944-1862 R.A.T. Breakfast 9:00am Saturday March 7, 2009 Peppermill Restaurant 17455 SW Farmington Rd. Beaverton, Oregon (Breakfast Meetings are held the first Saturday of each month) JULY 16-19 JULY 19 JULY 25,26 AUG 1 AUG 1, 2 AUG 16 Summer Scorcher Ride 3-Day Event Triumph RAT Pack Details To Be Announced OVM Glendale Gathering Oregon Vintage Motorcyclists OVM Members meet members from Retro Riders Vintage Club (Tri-Cities) – Leave from wherever you are and be at Goldendale Observatory, WA by noon. Contact: [email protected] 503-655-1778 www.oregonvintage.org OMRRA Motorcycle Race Oregon Motorcycle Roadracing Association Portland International Raceway (PIR). PIR is located at exit 306B off of Interstate 5. Gates open at 7:00 am, bikes on track at 9:00 am. Triumph RAT Pack Breakfast Meet 9:00am Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Rd., Beaverton, OR. At the back of the shopping center on the northeast side. Come and enjoy a good breakfast and some great people! SEPT 5 Triumph RAT Pack Breakfast Meet 9:00am Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Rd., Beaverton, OR. At the back of the shopping center on the northeast side. Come and enjoy a good breakfast and some great people! SEPT 5 RAT Pack at the All British Field Meet The celebration of British cars and cycles at Portland International Raceway. Features a huge auto & motorcycle display plus vintage racing on track. Great fun! Meet at CMC following breakfast meeting to ride out, or meet us there. Special display area for R.A.T. bikes. SEPT 10-13 SEPT 27 OVM Oaks Park Picnic/Ride Oregon Vintage Motorcyclists Saturday Ride: 11:00 am, Jim Dandy Drive-In, 96th & NE Sandy, (near I-205 exit 23A) Sunday Picnic: 11:00 am - 3:00pm, Oaks Amusement Park, Area 3, Portland, Contact: [email protected] 503-655-2125 www.oregonvintage.org OCT 3 OVM Heart of Lane Oregon Vintage Motorcyclists 150 mi loop around Eugene, OR. 10:00am, Midtown Market,1591 Willamette St, Eugene, OR. Contact: [email protected] 360-944-1862 www.oregonvintage.org AUG 22,23 OMRRA Motorcycle Race Oregon Motorcycle Roadracing Association Portland International Raceway (PIR). PIR is located at exit 306B off of Interstate 5. Gates open at 7:00 am, bikes on track at 9:00 am. AUG 23 Bonneville 50th Anniversary RAT Pack RIde/Celebration Northwest Vintage Car and Motorcycle Museum, Brooks, Oregon www.nwcarandcycle.org Meet: Cascade Moto Classics, Inc 10:00am –5 – OCT 10,11 Baker City Rally 4-Day Event RAT Pack Baker City, Oregon Details To Be Announced OVM Clackamas County Cruise Oregon Vintage Motorcyclists Leave at 10:00 am from Oregon City, 76 Station. Lots of curves and twisties; about 100 miles. Lunch after the ride. Contact: [email protected] 503-655-2125 Triumph RAT Pack Breakfast Meet 9:00am Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Rd., Beaverton, OR. At the back of the shopping center on the northeast side. Come and enjoy a good breakfast and some great people! OMRRA Motorcycle Race Oregon Motorcycle Roadracing Association Portland International Raceway (PIR). PIR is located at exit 306B off of Interstate 5. Gates open at 7:00 am, bikes on track at 9:00 am. NOV 7 Triumph RAT Pack Breakfast Meet 9:00am Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Rd., Beaverton, OR. At the back of the shopping center on the northeast side. Come and enjoy a good breakfast and some great people! DEC 5 Triumph RAT Pack Breakfast Meet 9:00am Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Rd., Beaverton, OR. At the back of the shopping center on the northeast side. Come and enjoy a good breakfast and some great people! By Lee Holzhey, Pack Leader S aturday, February 21st was our 12th Annual RAT Dinner. With almost 150 people in attendance it turned out to be quite a night! The Gray Gables Estate did a great job of hosting our event, and even made sure they had Guinness in stock for the evening. As people began to arrive the kilt’rs started to make their presence known and several RAT’s decided to show their Scottish heritage (I know, it’s an English bike!) by wearing kilts for the night. Even a couple of ladies had on the Scottish apparel and it made for a fun night. After a dinner of Roast Beef and Chicken, everyone settled down and were treated to a comedy routine by Mike Jenkins. After Mike had the crowd going with his motorcycle humor, he got Steve, Scott and Jay up on stage for what can only be described as a game of “flip yer balls”. After having a basket strapped around their waist with a ball hanging below it, they each had to try and get the ball into the basket without touching it. Considering that Scott and Jay were in Kilts it was looking like it could be a very entertaining night indeed! Jay proved his prowess at getting his ball in the basket and won the night. Once Mike had warmed up the crowd it became time to give out our annual awards. Rick Wescott, Gabe Spaccarelli, Rick Chappelle and Don Arneson were awarded for their continuing efforts to help our club with their organization of our spring opener and summer scorcher rides. Dave Harvey was our “Good Guy” award recipient for his help with the club, and Ed Buschow took home the “Eager Beaver” award for all that he does. The “Triumph Booster Award” was given to Bo Miller for his unwavering support of our Triumph marque. This year’s ‘Pack Leader’s Choice’ award was given to Soren Winslow for his consistent help with club events, and Gabe Spaccarelli won our ‘Most Valuable Rat’ award for his constant support of both Triumph and Cascade Moto Classics, Inc. Somewhat less serious were our awards for other notable feats. Adam and Sierra Harris were given a 3 lb. chocolate heart for riding away from their wedding on a Triumph, and Isaac Bauman’s little dog, Chocolate Sprinkles was given a tiny pink Triumph helmet for when he rides in Isaac’s tank bag—which is all of the time! At our summer barbecue Lori Moore decided she wanted some popcorn. Janice told her to go ahead and make some, but the line soon formed and Laurie found herself making popcorn for over 6 hours… and never did get any! In honor of her efforts she was dubbed “Miss Popcorn” and given the appropriate crown and sash. Steve Eckles broke off a footpeg and tied it back on with wire and Velcro to get home; he was awarded a pre-made Velcro footpeg. For those of you that have been to breakfast and heard Dick Winningstad chant, “Sprint, Sprint, Sprint”, we decided sales would be up if more would hear him so we awarded him a cheerleader megaphone. (Maybe that was a mistake!) Clive Machon rides Rocket III even when he breaks off parts and has a tendency to use whatever he can find, as evidenced by the stick he jammed in a radiator hole to fix it. So, he was awarded a radiator repair kit of a cork and some glue! Lastly, our MVR Gabe Spaccarelli had a deer in Baker City that literally tried to climb on the back of his bike on the Susanville road, so he was awarded an anti-deer bat suitable for carrying on the bike. After all the awards were handed out, Liz took over and gave away some great door prizes. Sherry Eckles won a nice leather jacket which she promptly traded –6– to her son Ian for his Triumph chair he had won earlier in the night. Nice swap Ian! Then our grand prize of the Triumph neon sign was awarded to Bob Greene. I bet his is the only house in the neighborhood with a glowing blue living room at night! Janice and Kelly weren’t left out of the night when our club presented them with a Thank You for their efforts and support of our club by giving them what every Triumph lover just must have—a mailbox painted like the tank of a Bonneville! Kelly refused to put it out at his house for fear someone would steal it, so it is on display at Cascade Moto Classics. Not to be outdone, Janice and Kelly presented me with a 50th anniversary Bonneville print signed by John Bloor. It looks great in my living room! Lastly our night ended with a nice surprise for me. My lifelong friend Deborah Barrett presented me with a handmade quilt covered in English motorcycles adorned by girls in bikinis! There are a BSA, Norton, Vincent, Matchless and of course a Triumph. The back of the quilt has a nice sentiment from Deborah and Mark about our times together on motorcycles and it made me very proud to accept it. Finally, Janice closed out the night by thanking everyone who attended, with a special thanks to Mike Butler, Ken Howell, Tom Ruttan and Russ Lindborg for all their volunteer work over the previous year. What a night! Be sure you don’t miss it next year! –7– On The Road Again It’s A Clean Machine Will Ammutt In Penny Lane there is a fireman with an hourglass And in his pocket is a portrait of the Queen. He likes to keep his fire engine clean, It’s a clean machine. remember using that same expression 30 years ago as an excuse to go and drink beer at the Round Table Pizza parlor. While I’m sure the Internet definitions are nearly as numerous as those provided by different purveyors of motorsports, they all seem to share the same basic elements. Penny Lane, by Paul McCartney Bench Racing usually starts out as a legitimate discussion of actual facts or events. hree of us were in my garage talk- The facts will only act as a catalyst because ing on a recent Saturday. One of the discussion will eventually grow into the guys’ cell phone began to ring. incredible tales of such absurd proportion He answers and it is obviously his wife (or as to be wildly entertaining (all the while someone else he calls Honey) on the phone maintaining a mantle of sober truth) for and she apparently has some chore for him the participants. to do. I know this because it is the same Basking in the warmth of my ceramic when my wife calls. If she asks, “What are garage heater I slowly worked on shining you guys doing?” it is usually followed by the wheels of the Big Twin. You see? That instructions to pick up enough supplies at right there is a Jen-You-Wine bench racthe local market to outfit an expedition ing original. Hey, it’s January for cryin’ out into the Amazon. He quips, “We’re just bench racing.” Personally, knowing the upcoming request to forage for provisions, I would have quickly come up with a more meaningful description of our activities. “Really, Sweetie, I’d love to get right on that but, you see, we’re right in the middle of solving the Riemann Hypothesis.” Unfortunately the sorry sap followed up the bench racing comment by asking her to hold on while he got a pen and paper. Not everyone is as quick as I am. As the male bonding time broke up and my buddies went back to their domestic chores, I pulled the cover off of the Big Twin. I had ridden earlier that day and so I knew the tire pressures to be loud. My garage, as much as I love it, is up to snuff, the oil at the correct level and lucky to be ten degrees warmer than the the chain oiled. Rather than go inside and outside temperature this time of year and face my own honey-do list I wheeled over that’s pretty cold. My ceramic heater is my mechanic’s stool and prepared to wax about half the size of a shoebox and proand shine. vides heat only if you are sitting directly I thought back to the initial phone call. in front of it at a distance of no more than “We’re just bench racing.” I knew instantly three feet. Which I was. what he meant. In fact, that phrase is comGuys my age are pretty damned profimon to many types of motorsport and, per- cient at bench racing. We’re old enough to haps, other sport as well. There are defini- tell stories that very few people can chaltions provided on the internet; the inter- lenge. Most of our contemporaries are net even has websites titled “Bench Rac- either suffering from dementia or have ing.” The term itself predates the Internet… enough of their own exaggerated tales to or Al Gore’s invention of it anyway. I can defend that they wouldn’t risk a different T –8– version of yours. I mean, really! Why not exercise some mutual support and validation after all? When I started flat track racing, there was more than one weekend that Randy Mamola was riding the same event. Voila! Yet another Golden Globe winner in the bench racing category. Indeed, Mamola was there but he was an adolescent squid racing an 80cc Yamaha while I was a twentysomething squid racing a 250cc Bultaco. Mamola went on to win 13 Grands Prix while I was less than noteworthy except for some spectacular get-offs. Yes, indeed. I have raced on the fabled Sacramento mile. I had my big British twin flying down the straightaway at over 100 MPH. True enough. However, for the bench racing multiplier, the event was a one-time deal for amateur riders and, although I did pretty well in the heat race, I blew my bike up in the main event. Yet in the telling, the emphasis in the story is about the heat race, about being tucked in on the straight and then sliding the bike through the big corners. It makes a great story if you don’t count the fact that, in the practice session I was being passed by smaller bikes in the corner and the reason the bike blew up was because I “worked” on it between the heat and the main. As I moved from shining wheels to applying a coat of wax to the paint on the Big Twin I couldn’t help but conclude, hot damn, I’m really pretty good at this bench racing thing. Perhaps I could go on a speaking tour to give pointers to less experienced story tellers. Maybe Janice and Kelly would book me for their next Open House. Of course even this very plan fits the bench racing definition; I do tell some stories but the exaggeration is in how well I think I do it. The Big Twin is looking sharp and I throw the dust cover back over it and turn off the (mighty) ceramic heater. The wife has a list for me and I have to run down to the store. By Reg Lansford T he original Cafe Racer bike-style and lifestyle began in the mid-tolate 1950s in and around London. By the 1960s it was in full swing with young Brits riding a variety of race-styled motorcycles: Nortons, BSAs, and especially Triumphs. A Triumph engine in a Norton frame was the absolute ultimate. The cool accessories of that era included clip-on handlebars, rear-set foot controls, and the iconic “bum stop” seat. Lying flat on the tank and hitting 100 mph was known as doing the ton and those were the Ton Up Boys. With rock music as their soundtrack, the Ton Up Boys started calling themselves the Rockers. We look back on those days with envy. They were somehow simpler and more exciting. As one Rocker said, “It’s as cool as you can get”. But the cafe racer era didn’t last all that long. The Ton Up Boys matured and took on the responsibilities of families. The British motorcycle industry died, and the bright light of the cafe racer movement dimmed… for a while. Now it is back. The cafe racer style is everywhere today. It has blossomed following the merciful death of the mediadriven chopper drivel. It has come back with a vengeance in Europe and Great Britain, and also in the good ol’ USA. It includes not only the original British bikes, but also a variety of 70’s Japanese multi-cylinder beasts and even the occasional BMW. But the true successors to the early Cafe Racer bikes are the modern Triumph Bonnevilles and Thruxtons. These are the cool bikes. Most of those 1960s Ton Up Boys would have given up their old bikes in a flash if they could have gotten a modern Bonneville—a better bike in every way. That’s not to say vintage British bikes aren’t cool. They are. They’re just not up to modern performance standards. This is the golden age of the modern Cafe Racer. Everything needed to convert the modern Bonneville or Thruxton, or for that mater dozens of other bikes, into your personal vision of a cafe racer are readily available. Today you can easily modify your Triumph to make it whatever you want. Information on both early and modern cafe racer movements is available as never before. If you need some inspiration for your cafe project, there are many sources available. Mike Seate recently wrote the definitive book on cafe racers, old and new, and he now publishes a quarterly magazine dedicated to the genre. Seate is a fine journalist and author and both his book and magazine are well worth their price. A partial list of cafe racer sources is included in the sidebar to the right. Like most books, those listed here will likely only go through one printing; if you want one, get it now. The same might be said for any of the parts from seen online. You snooze, you just might lose. But not to worry. The cafe racer bike has a long tradition of the owner making his or her own parts for the bike, or designing the part for the local machine shop to produce. Can’t find just the right part? Make your own. What are you waiting for. Get at it! Those Norman Hyde pipes are just waiting to give your bike the mellow sound of a true Triumph twin. And, the Triumph parts book is full of great add-ons. That graceful seat with the bum-stop is just waiting for you. And good advice is readily available. There are inspiring books and magazines. Groups like the Brit Iron Rebels are glad for you to join so they can share lots of advice. They even have a few on-line how-to videos. Get to it… time’s a wasting! This is the golden age of the cafe racer. –9– Cafe Racer Information & Sources Mike Seate’s Magazine & Book Mike Seate’s Cafe Racer magazine and his book, Cafe Racer the motorcycle. These should be at the top of your reading list. Available at: www.caferacermag.com Other Books: The Ace Cafe: Then and Now by Charlie Williams Cafe Racers of the 1960s By Mick Walker Rockers! (Out of print - try Amazon.com) By Jonnie Stewart Other Magazines: The Classic Motorcycle Classic Racer Classic Bike Classic Bike Guide (Borders Books, Rich’s Newsstands) Web Sites: Check out these sites, then check their “links” pages. You will be led to some gems. This treasure hunt should yield lots of inspiration and who knows what kind of special things for your bike. A great way to spend a rainy afternoon: www.britironrebels.com www.caferacermag.com www.clubmanracing.com www.caferacermotorcycle.com www.normanhyde.co.uk www.benjiescaferacer.com www.dresda.co.uk http://caferacersociety.blogspot.com www.bellacorse.com Local Source: There is only one really good local source for factory parts, Norman Hyde products, and sound advice (plus a dyno): Cascade Moto Classics, Inc 13705 SW Farmington Rd., Beaverton, OR www.cascademoto.com Street Strategies A Survival Guide For Motorcyclists The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum Ed Kretz Jr. Successful TT and Road Racer Oily On Spilled Diesel Oil Is A Major Surface Hazard for Motorcyclists By David L. Hough Y ou’re heading for the Saturday breakfast meeting, running a little late, but a quick transit on the freeway will get you there in time. The sun is just starting to warm the air and dry the morning dew off the pavement. Rounding the freeway on-ramp, you lean the bike into the curve, roll on the gas to accelerate to freeway speed, and turn your head to watch for traffic. You catch a brief whiff of petroleum in the air, but your attention is focused on merging onto the freeway. You don’t see any traffic, so you continue to accelerate. Suddenly the big tourer slips sideways. The tires aren’t howling, just sliding, as if some invisible hand had shoved the bike sideways. Then, just as suddenly, the tires regain traction, and you fight for control as the bike snaps violently from side to side. Rolling off the gas, you drift over to the shoulder and stop, your hands shaking from the near-disaster. You expect to find a flat tire. But apparently there’s nothing wrong with the bike. Then you smell petroleum again, and realize there’s a slippery liquid on your tires. Looking back at the ramp, you now see the oily sheen of spilled diesel oil seeping downhill from the center of the lane. You had done everything right except scrutinize the road surface. While it is important to check for traffic before merging, it’s also important to maintain your awareness of road surface hazards. On- ramps are notorious for fuel spills because liquids tend to spill from full tanks as vehicles round the tight turns. An odor of petroleum is an important clue you shouldn’t ignore. You can usually see a slightly darker color on the road or a rainbow-colored sheen of spilled oil. Since liquids tend to seep downhill, one precaution is to favor the uphill wheel track and avoid the center of the lane whenever you suspect a spill. Used by permission: STREET STRATEGIES, A Survival Guide For Motorcyclists, By David L. Hough, ©Bowtie Press 2001 Ed Kretz, Jr. was an AMA Grand National Championship competitor of the 1950s and 1960s. Kretz was known primarily as a TT and roadracing specialist, but he also was a leading off-road rider in the 1950s. He won a class at the Catalina Grand Prix in 1956. His biggest career win came in 1955, when he rode a Triumph to victory in the prestigious Peoria TT. He was the son of Ed Kretz, winner of the inaugural Daytona 200 in 1937. It might have been tough coming through the racing ranks with the Kretz name. His father was the most popular motorcycle racer of the 1930s and ‘40s. Kretz Jr. had an illustrious amateur career. In the 1950 Daytona amateur event, Kretz led all but the final half mile of the 100-mile race, riding the same Indian on which his father won the Daytona 200 in 1937. He then went on to beat a field of top experts in a 50-mile road race at the Santa Ana Naval Blimp Station, riding a Triumph. By 1951, Kretz was a rookie expert and became national No. 33. He scored his first podium result that year, finishing third in the Peoria TT National. In 1956, he scored a pair of topfive national finishes (both at Peoria) and finished tied for sixth in the final AMA Grand National Championship standings. 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