Harley Friday again, but for how long?

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Its getting easier to find this stuff, what with the “wanted warrenty claim” scandal, shares falling, home market sales in decline, and Indian sales and profits rising weekly I’m almost feeling sorry for them, well not really. There is talk of 115 and 130 cu inch motors but they don’t go much better than a “shovel head”as of pollution restrictions and weight, still that’s what Triumph did first in the fifties with a 650cc then in 1973 with a 750cc but it still got more un-reliable, vibrated and was dated by the mid sixties. Harley need to learn their customer base is dwindling, as the “biker’s” are in their late sixties or seventies, and 1% outlaws can ride a USA motorcycle alternative, young guys want 2 wheel cars that is, ones that require no “wrenching” and that’s what Harley have done since 1939 Knuckleheads just redesign or a rehash. The V-Rod was a small sign of thinking outside the square but stupidly they kept making the old range, so people just bought them (the old versions) and V-Rods have never sold well, if the old “boat anchors”were deleted then they may stand a chance appealing to a larger market, they won’t and Ronald Reagan won’t “bail them out” this time so inevitably they will fail

Indian’s in Stockholm

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Been all all over Europe this last month and until today hav’nt seen a Indian in any shape or form, well today I heard two in Stockholm and rushed over for a photo while they were stopped at traffic light near my motel. They were slightly reserved till I pointed to my Indian belt buckle unfortunatly the lights changed before I could say much after I have a couple of Indians as well, still they look like they are being used regularly

Is the man Mad?

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Mark at Zorro’s must be being affected by the cold weather and needs dollars to warm himself, the list he has released below has some “stonking” good deals for a modern Polaris Indian till the end of August if you have one of these models or any Springfield version ring him as beside supporting a fellow Aussie(with a weird accent) your dollar is still worth a dollar in Australia, and he guarantees all that he sells. Beside that he can assure you of any concerns about colours, fitting, or supply of custom parts he maybe able to source for you from around the world

Indian chief accessories comparisons

20/07/2016
Indian OEM ITEM ZORRO
2879581-156 HIGHWAY BAR FR $580 HIGHWAY HAWK 598-030 $419.99
2879582-256 HIGHWAY BAR REAR $430 HIGHWAY HAWK $399.99
2879968-156 STAGE 1 MUFFLER $1070 RHEINHART $1056
2879667.-05 BLACK TOOL ROLL $220 LEATHERWORKSINC 10 BLK 100 $169.95
2879667-01 TAN TOOL ROLL $220 LEATHERWORKSINC 10 TAN 100 $249.95
2879740-00 SADDLEBAG SPOOLS MOUNT $220 EASYBRACKET $300
2879917-02 SADDLEBAG SET BLK 1940 LEATHERWORKS 125 BLK $999.95
2879454-156 REAR SOLO RACK $480 AEROMAC $449.95
REAR SISSYBAR RACK $480 MOTHERWELL $499.95
2880654-156 HI FLOW AIR FILTER $690 S AND S$699
2881476-00 WINDSHIELD SPOOL $100 INDIAN WINDSHIELD SPOOL $100
2879574-02 WINDSHIELD $910 LOCALLY MADE WINDSHIELD $495
2879736-156 SISSYBAR ASSY INC PAD$ 855 HIGHWAY HAWK INC PAD $299.95

ZORROS WILL PRICE MATCH ANY INDIAN CHIEF ACCESSORRY FROM THIS LIST UNTIL 30.8.2016

The Gypsy Tour 2018 the Old Hume

 

 

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With Chris Horner announcing the Gypsy Tour in 2018 following the old Hume Hwy I can’t wait, obviously it won’t be like the road pictured above pictured over 100 years ago as it was well sealed by 1950 in Victoria anyway, NSW wasn’t but by the early sixties was. The problem with the Hume freeway today is that’s it’s possibly the most boring piece of road around I remember going up the old highway with my parents as a youngster and although the cars were slower and hotter in summer there was always a chance for a stop and a cold Tarax along the many little towns it passed through and that’s part of our fabric that’s missing today. So needless to say I’m booking pronto as the cutoff at around twenty souls is all that Chris will cater for, if you are thinking of going contact him,it will go to Sydney and come back on the Princes Hwy so quite a number of miles for your Indian and probably be in March for about 12-16 days , think about it.

When you have to go this is the way

 

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I always said to my wife when “I keel over” and you think a motorcycle hearse would be a suitable way to send me off  don’t pick a H-D as I would kick the lid off the coffin or worse still come back and haunt her, now at last there is no fear as some undertakers are at long last getting more descerning and choosing Indians for probably a more reliable ride into the afterlife.

Usually it’s sockets but mostly collets

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A couple of years ago, I had a “Eureka” moment and bought a large rubber mat with lots of holes in it, the seller at Rare Spares assured me that they would trap small spares eg:collets in the holes and hours or days would be saved, enthusiastically I parted with my well earned sheckels and dragged it to beneath my work bench. This seemed to work initially except for the majority that bounced off the rubber and still disappeared under the bench, “Murphy”s Law” dictated like toast landing butter side down that 75% of my collets still went into a parallel universe annoying to say the least, recently I was in Ireland and you can see why the Irish are like they are and “to be sure to be sure” they must loose lots more than collets.

A picture of a era long gone

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I think this picture is evocative its shows a lost America, with a steam train rattling past two friends riding the American highways on a Indian outfit with little or no traffic, fully loaded but staged for this picture I would say as the luggage would fall off within minutes of travel, string is useless as a method of retaining loads as above. The picture wants me to feel that I’m the one taking the photo and on the journey with them but I suppose that’s what Life magazine intended, a great shot none the less.

I know your missing these

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Garry Hogg recently asked for more Harley material as above the last time I saw him, well possibly the two best H-D’s I’ve seen the first cures all the engine problems of the venerable “Boat Anchor” by fitting a Honda 4 engine, this doesn’t alter the Honda as they handled like a “camel with a broken back” so no worse. But for the Harley its a better machine all round, the Topper would be a good bike to attend a HOG owners run on with your son and matching caps!

Sad end for a man ahead of his time

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There seems to be a resurgence

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With last weekends run in the depths of winter, and new ride coordinator Owen Jones concerned that numbers would be down it seems that the run had massive support, I know that The Moto-Bean at Malmsberry is a delightful place to visit as in the past it was not to far to travel and the atmosphere during lunch surrounded by various classic machines is a popular destination. All well and good I know my mate Pete Kime was chuffed about the support this event gained, and also to others that lead the ride that day, I think personally this is what the IIRA is all about, riding your bike and preferably a Indian “chewing the fat” with fellow motorcyclists & with a meeting once a month to see what’s planned for the next event. A non-political club is all most people want, and heaven knows our Federal Politicians are giving us the opposite of that presently. I’m striving for that (less political) in our future,our charter says “We are here to have Fun,Fun,Fun that’s all I want.