Bikes and Stuff

King Bill at the Dixon Swap Meet

2013-05-07T11:14:00.003-07:00

The 51 Flathead is on ebay

2012-09-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

I'm so sad. We put the 51 flathead on ebay today. For some reason I just love seeing this beautiful, rusty old piece of history out there.

http://cgi5.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll

The Flathead

This is a 1951 WL 45 cu in flathead that has a 1942 WWII motor. The WL was nick named liberator for its wide use in the Pacific and Europe during WWII. The solo model flathead 45 cu was discontinued in 1952, making all post war solo models rare. The 45 cu in flathead 3 wheeler was made clear up into the 70's for police and other municipal functions due to its dependable motor and economical cost of use.

The Flathead is sold, it just left yesterday 12/16/2012 :(

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Redwood Run 2012 - First Road Trip on the '65 Panhead

2012-06-12T13:24:00.002-07:00

We just got back from the Redwood Run. First time we've been in 13 years. Still as always the ride was the best part. The weather was perfect and everything, even Yuba City and Williams, are still beautiful and green. I'd almost forgotten how special the Redwoods are, we rode up the Avenue of the Giants, it's like those thousand year old trees make their own climate, so cool and green under there.

We didn't care for any of the music, Fryed Brothers, same old same old. Billy Idol was supposed to be there but didn't show. The one exception was Lucas Nelson, Willie's son, he was excellent, and we'd never heard of him before, so it's always nice to make a new discovery. No steak dinner on Saturday either, and security was a little uptight it seemed to me, especially since the turnout was really low. It wasn't crowded at all, which was really nice. A great camp spot was easy to find, and lines were not long for anything.

I finally feel like I've bonded with the Panhead after this trip. It feels so different after riding the '47 Knucklehead all these years. It has nowhere near the speed, and sure doesn't corner like the Knuck, but it sure is pretty, and the electric start is nice. With the shocks I didn't feel nearly as beat up after riding for 4 days as I used to, and it goes plenty fast enough for me.

When you're on a run, a 60 Second Tent makes setting up camp a breeze. While everybody else is still pitching their tent, you'll be ready to party.

We've got New Rust - An '80 Shovelhead, and a '50 Flathead

2012-04-20T23:46:00.000-07:00

We've got new rust in the yard. These were burned in a fire. But I still think they're beautiful. In fact they'd make great yard art. But someday they'll be riding down the road again.

The Flathead

This is a 1950 WL 45 cu in flathead that has a 1942 WWII motor. The WL was nick named liberator for its wide use in the Pacific and Europe during WWII. The solo model flathead 45 cu was discontinued in 1952, making all post war solo models rare. The 45 cu in flathead 3 wheeler was made clear up into the 70's for police and other municipal functions due to its dependable motor and economical cost of use.

The Shovelhead

This 1980 Shovelhead is too new for the old man's tastes. It only had a brief stay with us, as I write this it's already gone. But it'll be well taken care of and get all the TLC it obviously needs.

Have cash will travel.

We love this stuff, we buy this stuff! If you or anyone you know has old harley parts or old burned up bikes, especially anything Knucklehead, contact us immediately. sahewins@gmail.com and he will show up with money in hand.

Rust is Beautiful

Goin' Down in Downieville on the '47 Knuck

2012-03-11T22:31:00.002-07:00

It has often been said that there are two kinds of bikers, those that have been down, and those that haven't yet. I've been pretty lucky in my thirty years as a p-pad passenger, I've only hit the pavement twice. It just so happens that both times were within three miles of each other.

The first time, was in about '87. Me and my old man were coming back home from a long week-end up by Graeagle on the Knucklehead chopper. It was a low-budget trip, we camped in a cow pasture, had canned chili for dinner and whiskey for breakfast. I know, not a good idea, and he gave up drinking altogether twenty years ago, but that's how we did things back then.

We were just a couple of miles this side of Downieville, and were leaning into the first curve on a long switchback, when suddenly I noticed that my right hand was dragging along the pavement. The old man says that we hit some sand, all I know is that we laid it down and were sliding at about sixty mph on the right side of the bike. Lucky for us our path was unimpeded and we had plenty of room to slide.

In a situation like this, time seems to slow down, and he had time to look at me and ask me if I was OK. I just said "we'll see." I had climbed up on top of the bike to get my skin off the road. As the bike slowed down we were nearing the edge of the road and headed straight for a "curvy road" sign. I kicked myself free and landed on my butt in the road. By the time he and the bike hit the sign their speed was low enough that it was a good thing, as it stopped them from going off the cliff.

When it was over, we both got up and after a quick check to see if I was OK he went to pick up the knuck. As it turned out all three of us had relatively minor scrapes. The old man had more road rash than I, as he had been stuck between the bike and the road. His knee and forearm were pretty skinned up, and my right palm was ground down pretty deep. The bike fired right up though, and after nursing our wounds a bit at the next watering hole, we rode home.

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The '47 Knuck's Reincarnation as a Stock Bike and the '65 Panhead

2012-02-20T09:23:00.000-08:00

When the California Motorcycle Helmet law took effect in 1992, the old man decided if he was going to have to look like a dork, (what he referred to as the Peewee Herman look), it wasn't right to be riding a chopper. So he rebuilt the '47 Knucklehead as a stock bike. He had been collecting the parts for it for years. When he got the stock original frame and the springer front end it all began to come together. I loved it from the beginning.

So now he had the tank shift, suicide clutch and throttle. We still had the mechanical brakes. After the last trip to Sturgis he went ahead and put disk brakes and a stock windshield on it. It's still 6 volt.

The stock bike was so much more comfortable to ride than the chopper had been. I had a nice wide flat seat, and the foot pegs were positioned perfectly so my knees didn’t get all tweaked and I could use my legs as shock absorbers, because of course it was still a rigid frame and didn’t have them.

Besides all that, I think it looks pretty cool. I was just going through my old photos, and I don’t have many really good ones of just the bike, not packed or anything. We still have the ’47, always will, but it is not in prime shape at the moment. It’s sitting in a corner of the shop waiting for a rebuild, and it possibly will have a new paint job by the time it’s on the road again.

At the moment the riding bike is the “new” bike a 1965 Panhead. It has a push button, electric start and shocks, which do soften the bumps some. At first I hated it. It just didn’t feel stable in the corners. But I am getting used to it, and it is pretty nice that he can start the bike while I am sitting on it.

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What-to-Take-to Sturgis on your 1947 Harley Knucklehead

She's Gone... Goodbye to the '42

2012-02-06T15:20:00.000-08:00

The 1942 Knucklehead has been sold. We'll miss her, but she's off to a new home with many more miles ahead.

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Our Trip to Sturgis on the '47 Knuck

2012-02-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

The only time I have been to Sturgis was the year 2000. The old man went a couple of times without me. I'm sharing a few photos here. If you want to read the whole story of our trip, you can see it on my HubPages by clicking the link below. Enjoy and thanks for looking.

Our Trip to Sturgis on a Harley Davidson Knucklehead

The old man, stylin' his tie die Sturgis shirt at the Idaho border

Me looking glamorous after a week on the road living
out of saddlebags


Can you pick out the Knucklehead in this photo? It stands out like a sore thumb to me!

This was at the Grand Tetons

For the whole story visit my Hubpages at

http://sherryhewins.hubpages.com/

Sturgis is a great place to see blues music. We've seen some fabulous artists there.

The Redwood Run and Shelter Cove

2012-02-01T20:40:00.000-08:00

For years my old man and I used to go to the Redwood Run up by Garberville, CA on the 47 Knucklehead. We started in 1985 and the last time we went was about 1997. Most of the time after the run was over we went to Shelter Cove to camp for a couple of days. Here are some photos of those old times.

I have written a couple of stories on Hubpages about our adventures my latest one can be found at the link below. Thanks for looking.

The Knuckleheads Find the Lost Coast | Who Says Vintage Harleys are Not Dirt Bikes

There was always great music at the Redwood Run

It reminded me of the Hippie Music festivals back in the '60s.

The Old Man's Sold a Knucklehead on ebay

2012-01-28T15:43:00.000-08:00

This beautiful '42 Knucklehead is gone, but there will be another one coming along. I'll keep you posted.

How We Got The '47 Knucklehead Chopper

2012-01-10T21:19:00.000-08:00

Nowadays it seems like every guy that wanted a Harley Davidson motorcyle when he was young goes out and buys a new one the day he retires. He gets the windshield, heater, the stereo and a complete set of leathers to go with it. Now I'm not knocking it, I'm sure it's nice to ride in ease and comfort, but that's not how it was for us.

Shiny and new, and never been kicked

It was the early 80s and my husband Bryan and I, both in our 20s were living in Cactus Flats. It's out in the sticks on the desert side of Big Bear Lake, CA in the San Bernardino Mountains. Sometime around 1981 Bryan bought a running panhead, that was his first Harley. It was pretty thrashed but he rode it around for a couple of weeks before it blew up. As a result of riding the panhead he got to be friends with Donta, an old local biker, a knucklehead rider, who lived up there in Sugarloaf.

Well Don was helping him out with working on the panhead, and they went down to the motorcycle swapmeet in Costa Mesa. Having a nose for a deal Bryan spotted a '47 knucklehead motor all in pieces, but even after haggling the guy down from $750.00 to $546.00 and fighting off the wolves who were circling, he didn't have the money he needed to buy it. So Bryan and Don hit up everybody they knew, and a few they didn't and scraped together what they needed to get the motor in the truck.

On the way home there was some disagreement about who was actually the owner of the motor. After a heated argument, Donta was finally convinced that Bryan really did want it bad enough, and wasn't going to allow himself to be intimidated out of it. The panhead motor was left in the corner of the shop and over the next few months what had been planned to be a panhead was modified for the knuckle motor. When he first got it up it was a chopper in a pan wishbone frame with a glide front end, a suicide clutch, jockey shift, and mechanical brakes.

With the hardtail frame and the chopper seat on it, this motorcycle was anything but comfortable, and we soon found out there's a good reason why you need a front fender.

We had a long road ahead and a lot to learn. So that was the knucklehead in its first incarnation and the beginning of a new chapter in our lives.

Funny story, I just saw that 2 people found this page by searching "riding a motorcycle with no front fender," so I guess I better answer that question, just in case somebody hasn't figured it out yet, the front tire will throw stuff up at you, in our case we rode a short distance in the rain and it threw up a big roostertail of water right in our faces. Definitely get a front fender.

Have Cash, Will Travel

If you or anyone you know has old Harley parts or old bikes, especially anything Knucklehead, in any condition, contact us immediately. sahewins@gmail.com we will show up with money in hand.

Visit my Hubpages at

http://sherryhewins.hubpages.com/

The Toy Run - Christmas in Gold Country

2011-12-04T22:50:00.000-08:00

Residents of the small foothills town of Nevada City know Christmas coming when they hear the massive rumble of motorcycle engines making their way down Broad Street.

On the second Saturday in December, participants begin gathering at the Eric W. Rood Administration Center at 9:00 am.
There they greet old friends, check out the motorcycles and socialize. Most are riding Harleys, but any make of motorcycle is welcome. Each rider brings a toy, many also bring food items and make cash donations. Coffee, hot cider and donuts are provided. T-shirts and raffle tickets are available for purchase.

The procession begins at noon and ends at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley. If you’re lucky you might even see Santa on vintage Harley with a giant Teddy Bear in the sidecar. The route is lined with throngs of parents and children cheering them on.
2011 marks the 20th annual Nevada County Food and Toy Run. It will take place on December 10th. Recently California State Senator Doug La Malfa presented a Senate resolution to to the CEO and founder of the group Thom Stacer to commemorate the anniversary.

For Stacer the Toy Run is a fulfillment of a personal dream. He saw a need for such an event as a youth when mines and mills in the area would close during the winter. Now, with a dedicated group of volunteers, he works all year planning for the annual pilgrimage. The nonprofit group works closely with law enforcement who provide traffic control for the procession.

In past years many riders have thrown candy to eager children on the sidewalks, but organizers and law enforcement have asked that this be discontinued for fear a child might run into the street after candy and be injured. Some participants have a hard time giving up this popular tradition, so it is an ongoing effort to get the practice entirely stopped.

Once they arrive at the fairgrounds the toys are taken to the main exhibit building and handed in to volunteers who lovingly arrange them on tables grouped by appropriate age range. Then the lucky children are let in to make their selections.

The socializing continues with vendors selling food and crafts. Speakers fill the audience in on all the new developments, amount of money raised, any problems or concerns law enforcement has with the run, and new procedures under consideration. The presentation concludes with the raffle. Prizes for the raffle are items donated by sponsors, usually they include lots of motorcycle accessories and some years the grand prize is a new Harley Davidson. As the Winter sun goes down and the temperature drops many of the attendees go on to celebrate at other local venues into the evening.

What began in 1991 with a small group of about 90 local bikers donating food and toys to local needy families has grown into a treasured tradition that draws as many as 1500 riders who come from from all over the state and beyond.

Lots of participants say they prefer the Nevada County Food and Toy Run to larger toy runs, like the Sacramento Toy Run, because of the small town feel the local involvement and the more intimate contact with the recipients as they actually get to see the people who benefit from their efforts. All proceeds are kept within Nevada County.

Of course there have been a few problems and complaints over the years. Traffic on the main thoroughfare between Nevada City and Grass Valley is stopped for an hour while the bikes wind their way along the 3 mile stretch, so some unprepared travelers who were caught unaware are kept sitting at intersections until all the bikes have gone by. Most people are able to take it in stride and appreciate the good works being done, and efforts are being made to warn the public in advance that the roads will be closed during that time so they can plan accordingly.

Area merchants were at first apprehensive of large groups of bikers going past their businesses at this, most busy, time of year. In fact, for this reason, for the first few years the procession was routed around the area of downtown Grass Valley. But business owners have come to appreciate the fact that the toy run attracts many people to the downtown area. They come to watch the spectacle, then stay and patronize local shops and restaurants.

No matter what the weather the toy run goes on. Even in 2009 through driving rain a few hardy souls made the ride. Only 250 rode in the procession that year, but many showed up at the fairgrounds in cars and trucks bringing donations. 150 turkeys, 150 hams, 300 ten-pound bags of potatoes, and many bags of groceries were given away. No child went away empty handed.

The Nevada County Food and Toy Run is a tradition that exemplifies the true meaning of the season. It stresses good will towards man, and the importance of caring for others. It give us an opportunity to set aside the commercialism of modern Christmas. This is not to say that it isn’t a whole lot of fun for those involved.

I expect that the Nevada County Food and Toy Run will continue to grow in size and popularity for years to come.

My home town, Nevada City is a small California town located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.