Not exactly vintage but

[vintagemxr]

...it's in the right spirit. A little free advertising for Cycle World:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unaRkye1OBk&feature=player_embedded

the other Doug

[vintagemxr]

And just to reply to my own post: I noticed that the sign and bottle opener on the wall behind Egan and Co. looked sort of familiar. Turns out they are sitting in Randsburg, CA and I photographed the thermometer sign back in Dec of 2009.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5168/5252553354_8857f69124.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldgliderguy/5252553354/)
Nesbitt's Orange Soda thermometer (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldgliderguy/5252553354/) by vintagemxr (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldgliderguy/), on Flickr

the other Doug

[Sir Limpsalot]

My word - I enjoyed that! What a great little film. A great rider too.

Oh, and there's nothing wrong with replying to your own posts..

[Sir Limpsalot]

I do it lots of times! :)

[Deans BMW]

That was totally delightful, again you see the strong attraction of California. what a great bike.

[DarthRider]

Good vid O'Doug, thanks.

The good old days!
We called them "cow trailers" rather than "dessert sleds" but the bikes were the same.
It was much easier in those days to find land to ride on, both private & public. And we didn't have squids & 2-strike yet so it was easier on the land & ears. And around much of Texas it was farm or ranchland and we literally rode "cow trails"...lots of fun.
We didn't need full knobbies, 13" suspensions and 200 lb. bikes, but if they'd come along then I'm sure we'd have adapted pretty quickly!
The most fun "cowtrailer" I ever rode belonged to a friend. It was a beautiful Rickman Matisse with a warmed up 650 Triumph Tiger engine, with single carb. He had a full knobby on the front and a Dunlop Trials Universal on the rear...an combination and one that would never work for racing.
But for our purposes it was perfect, limited traction in the rear for "long, lurid slides" as the magazines used to say, and lots of traction up front. You could steer it with either the rear or front end or both, and with that glorious Rickman chassis, stiff & light, you could ride it standing up, sitting down, with feet up.:ricky:

Like this one but in beautiful Rickman Blue and different tires.
http://www.pulstudio.com/1bike_web_gallery/Rickman%20edit/Rickman%20pics/RIC_Metisse.jpg

Here's some another guy on his...
http://www.angelfire.com/biz/snwvlly/bikes/bigjump.jpg

Here's an article about all that, by a guy named Steve...
http://www.angelfire.com/biz/snwvlly/bikes/steve.htm

My own bike then, a '69 Triumph Tiger, set up much like this one (not mine).
It later morphed into a full custom tracker/bobber...but I didn't screw up the handling!
http://earwig.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/1966-T120/IMG0410/1205004933_9GNv7-L.jpg

[Donson]

That made Me want to go for a ride. Oh, wait....It's 108 degrees outside. Nevermind.:patch:

[Deans BMW]

That made Me want to go for a ride. Oh, wait....It's 108 degrees outside. Nevermind.:patch:


I just came back from a nice ride, that Vid reminds me of my driveway...:041:

Its only 92 out with 8% humidity :angel:

[Sir Limpsalot]

Looking back at the video and at those pics Dave posted, it's neat how closely matched the new and old bikes are. I'll bet old Steve would have been first in line for a ride..

[vintagemxr]

Some years ago I snagged a ride (http://40on2.blogspot.com/2004/09/ein-kliene-nachtmusik.html) on a street legal Rickman Matisse Triumph 650. Great fun on a California evening. Always wanted one of my own, probably will never happen but at least I got to ride one once.

the other Doug

[Arby]

Great post OD (both of them:) )

There's a lot of USFS roads here in the southern Applachians. It's a fire roaders paradise, those Triumphs would be right at home. Of course, overcooking a turn could get ugly as it's a long way down on some of these roads.

I met up with some old guys yesterday on KLX's and a XR Honda who not only could haul ass on those roads, but also showed me some excellent back country trails. Geez, old guys aren't supposed to go that fast!!

Temps were in the low 70's, but it did begin to rain on our parade. As we popped out of the woods onto a country road, there was somebodiy's empty carport. We just pulled in like we owned the place and waited it out.

A most enjoyable day! It was fortunate for me that these guys adopted me for the day.:041: Hopefully we'll hook up again. (And I'll have a camera with me)

RB

[Sir Limpsalot]

I love the car port bit :) Mind you, if my experience of American hospitality is anything to go by the owner probably would provide sandwiches and drinks!

Talking of the Rickmans, did you know that "metisse" is French for a sort of mongrel? The "Rickman Mongrel" just doesn't have the same ring to it!

[DarthRider]

I love the car port bit Mind you, if my experience of American hospitality is anything to go by the owner probably would provide sandwiches and drinks!


I think the Denizens of the Cafe' and Peckerheads would, for sure!:beer:

[panthercity]

And "Rickman Mongrel" would fit right in with most of the Peckerheads I've known.

[vintagemxr]

I keep half an eye on Craig's List in AZ hoping that one day a used Triumph Scrambler at the right price will show up and coincide with some extra mad money in pocket. I've spotted the Scrambler a few times but never had the requisite cash at that moment and when I had the cash The Universe conspired against me and caused it to be spent on less interesting things.

the other Doug

[Sir Limpsalot]

I've spotted the Scrambler a few times but never had the requisite cash at that moment and when I had the cash The Universe conspired against me and caused it to be spent on less interesting things.

the other Doug

A sad situation. And one with which I am all too familiar. Panthercity Bob is selling his scrambler by the way..

[DarthRider]

If it's Bob's, it's very well maintained, well ridden and never "put away wet"!