Vintage Knuckle

Accidents Do Happen !!

Jeff Alperin had a mishap on the newly rebuilt Beast.  He is still optimistic about riding in the Cannonball.  Like any motorcycle enthusiast his first concern was his bike. 
I hope he makes a full recovery and is able to ride in September as he has spent a lot of time and money getting ready, wishing him all the best.
You can follow his blog, The Cannonball and the Beast here...........
http://cannonballandthebeast.wildapricot.org/

1928 Indian 101 Scout .....Restoration 4 U

I am still open to selling my 101 Scout and restore it for the right person.  It is a very original bike with a title.  The engine is being built by the very best and the frame and front end have been straightened and repaired where needed. 

All correct fasteners will be used and will be nickle plated.  The original gas tank is being rebuilt and was a nice tank to start with, it is pretty hard to find a good clean '28 Scout tank.  I am looking for an original chain guard and that may take a bit of time.  Of course a repro guard could be used.

I am taking the liberty of using drop center rims as the original clincher rims are very dangerous.  The bars on the bike are 1931 but I am looking for a set of 1928 bars to go with the bike.

The cost will not be cheap but you will know exactly what you are buying and can be involved as the project progresses.

If you are interested give me a call and we can discuss the details.

Tim Drennen...........................951-992-9839

1938 Velocette MAC Chassis 4 Sale

1938 Velocette MAC or MOV frame and associated parts for sale.  I have had a lot of Velocette stuff lately.

There is very little wrong with it and no rust other than surface rust.  The wheel is frozen but that is no doubt caused by siezed bearings.  Kind of wish I had kept one of the engines I just sold.   Asking $800.00  

If you are interested give me a call @ 951-992-9839

The 1928 Scout Saga Continues on E-Bay

This 1928 Indian Scout sold for $59,200.00 on E-Bay a few months back standing the antique motorcycle world on our heads !  It was a pretty high price for a Scout that according to some experts is not correct.  Their words, not mine.  This sale has been blogged about and talked about everywhere in the antique Inian Moto-Cyle world.  The auction price has not come even close the last two times it was listed.  Some blame the seller for promoting a hoax, but anyone who has sold on E-Bay knows that there are many flakes out there who will bid and not pay.  I wish the seller luck.
See it here.............................................
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1928-Indian-Scout-Museum-Quality-Restoration-WOW-/251113906847?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item3a778e229f#v4-40

Original Paint 1912 Indian For Sale on E-Bay

Very cool old Indian twin for sale on E-Bay.  It is being advertised as "original paint" so who knows what the price will be.  See it here ........................
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Indian-Motorcycle-1912-Twin-cylinder-single-speed-ORIGINAL-PAINT-AND-PATINA-/300744624545?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item4605c6c9a1

Custom 850-T

Custom Moto Guzzi 850-T by Moto Borgotaro............super clean !

Book of the Moment

Because I always have been and I guess, always will be a reader, I have decided to feature good motorcycle books that I have read and enjoyed.

This is a book by  Melissa Holbrook Pierson, The Man Who Would Stop at Nothing: Long-Distance Motorcycling's Endless Road.  It is a book about some mind numbing long distance rides, how about Prudho Bay, Alaska to the end of the tip of Key West, Florida in 86 hours and change !  Try that one if you are up to it.  Well written and intelligent, it also sees Melissa back on a motorcycle after being away from it for many years.  A good, thought provoking read .

Happy Birthday Gracie

My grand daughter Gracie turns one today.  She is a cool little kid and loves to play in the shop, here she is organizing the zip ties while playing with a wrench !  She loves to bounce my wrenches off of the floor because they make such an interesting noise.  Hopefully, one day I will take her for a ride on the Scout (although there is much opposition to such an idea).

Super Rare Original 1916 Excelsior Racer

1916 EXCELSIOR ORIGINAL BOARD TRACK RACER. RARE!! LARGE VALVE 1000CC.SEE NEW PIC. BEAUTIFUL RACER THAT WAS IN THE PETERSON MUSEUM. RACE THE BOARD TRACKS BACK IN 1918 TRU THE EARLY TWENTIES. VERY NICE RUNNING CONDITION. HAS ORIGINAL WHITE FIRESTONE RACING TIRES. CAN SEND MORE PICS IF INTERESTED. EMAIL ME AT DIAMONDSEARCH@HOTMAIL.COM. OR CALL  864-494-7705

For Sale on Georges World

Mabeco Motorcycle

If it looks like an Indian sounds like an Indian then it must be an Indian.  Not always.  The Mabeco motorcycle was made in the late 1920's by Max Bernhard in Dresden Germany.  It was a pretty close copy and got Indian pretty stirred up when they went from green paint to red.  Indian sued and put an end to the Mabeco.  Never the less, they produced some 3400 motorcycles.

In the early days of motorcycle production everyone copied whoever had the best ideas.  Both Indian and Harley used Evinrude engines when the first started and the frame were copied from Merkel.  The Japanese built a Scout replica in 1922 that was so good that Indian acquired one and were amazed at the production quality.

Most of this information came from the Indian 101 Scout Association and some on-line research.

Just goes to show you, "there is nothing new under the sun".

1931

I posted this picture to give me a good referance for headlight and horn spacing.  Yes, I post pictures I like and go back and look at them.

Lefty

I came across this picture of what looks like a 1931 101 Scout.  It has the shifter on the left, haven't seen one set up like this before.  I was thinking about doing the same thing, if you ride a variety of motorcycles it is much safer to always know the right hand controls the throttle.  Especially as I get older ?

I think this bike belongs to Buzz Kanter

Einstein

Fitting The Fender

I installed the front fender today and I am so glad I went with a complete dry fitting prior to paint !  The nuts that secure the leaf spring was hitting the fender so I removed the lock washer and it fit better but it still isn't quite right.

I am also making a bracket for the front horn.  There isn't a lot of room for the horn either so I have to be sure everything is just right before anything goes to paint.

Just some little things but i am glad to have the chassis back so I can do something on the bike.

The brake lever is a Harley set up and is on the wrong side to be correct.  If anyone out there has a correct right side lever and would like to trade let me know.

Recirculating oil Pump On My 101 Scout

I am thinking about converting my 101 Scout over to a recirculating oil system, my tanks are being rebuilt right now anyway so this would be a good time to do it.  In my mind, and I could be wrong.  A 101 Scout would be perfect with the ability to go further without having to carry your own oil.  These are some pictures I took from the AMCA site to kind of show what it looks like.

You may have noticed that I have decided to keep this bike and ride the wheels off of it !

If anyone who is reading this blog has any experience either pro or con with regards to converting over to a recirculating oil system I would really like to hear from you.   One of my main concerns has to do with devaluation as this is a first year 101 Scout.  I was thinking about it yesterday and it seems to me that anyone that is interested in spending $40-50K on a motorcycle would like to ride it and this would add to the ridability of my Scout.   I know a lot of Indians are just sitting out there in collections but as the younger generation gets involved they may want a bike they can actually use with as little trouble as possible.  Just my thoughts ??

I can be contacted at timdrennen@yahoo.com   Any interesting ideas and pictures will be posted up for all to share.

She Is Home Again !!!!

I brought the 101 Scout chassis home yesterday.  It was pretty cool as I had not had most of this bike in my possession since last November.  

The frame has been straightened, when I first took it to John Bivens it was so bent he spent a couple of hours before he could even bolt it to the frame table.  He installed the foot board castings in the correct position so the boards would have a slight tilt to them.  This was something of great importance to early Indian riders as it positions your feet at a natural angle in relation to the motorcycle. Someone had installed them so they were flat, I really believe this bike was a hill climber at one time.  The right lower frame tubing had to be completely replaced, looks good.

The forks did not require too much work, but the front legs were all wrong and had to be straightened and the correct bends put in them.

The bars are kind of an anomaly, they have a 1931 casting with 1928 bends, I just happen to like a 1931 headlight and horn assembly better and I doubt if I will ever build another 101 for personal use so I took a few liberties.  

Heck, I have never even ridden a 101 Scout and am only going on what I have heard and read.  I picked a 101 scout as the bike had to be pre-1930 and in my mind it had to be an Indian so what better bike than a 101 Scout ??

After many months and what will be many thousands of dollars it is good to have it home.  I may reconsider selling it and just build it.  I bought it for the Cannonball ride in September but I am not able to do the ride for various reasons. 

I have often wondered over the past year what it would be like to do like Cannonball Baker did in the early days, just you and your bike from New York to San Francisco.  No support team, no organization, no time restraints.  Just coast to coast on your own as fast as you can go.   I am smart enough to know there would be issues and you would have to strategically position parts along the way in case of trouble.  In Bakers day the bikes were new and there was dealership support along the way with parts that fit his bike.  BUT, surely it can be done faster than 14 days ?   Just have enough in your pocket that in a worst case scenario you buy a pickup and haul her back home ??????

Summer Indians

A few Indians, some are rusty and crusty and some are as pretty as a Georgia peach !

Some pictures are from The Jockey Journal and some were just picked up along the way