Sunday Rambling…

I managed to start the old 62 Panhead this morning, 50 weight oil, cold garage and wet sump, can make it a little sticky! but a little blast of easy start helped get it moving. So I took it for a short ride on a quiet Sunday morning…Sunday Rambling…

My 1962 Harley Duo Glide

Sunday Morning on the Panhead

A little later after checking up on my old mum, I took a drive over to see Terry, as he mentioned at Kempton that he had just finished the Vincent he had been building. This really is one mans vision on how a Vincent should be put together, not one for the purists, and all built from parts and hand made pieces. The bike looks great in the pictures, but it is even better up close and personal.

Vincent Special

Vincent Black Lightning Replica.

1962 Duo Glide…

Another bike that has found its way into my collection of late is an 1962 Harley Duo Glide Panhead. This is a kickstart only Panhead, and has high compression, and to be honest take a bit of starting! but when it does start, what a great sound from the 45 degree v twin motor.

1962 Panhead

Playing Catch Up…

Holy cow my life has got busy. I seem to have so little time right now, new job, decorating in readiness to sell my house, where does the time go?

So best I shut up and post some more pictures from the last Kempton Jumble a couple of weeks back….

A little project

A Nice Ariel

Harley Panhead

Goggles

Popham Mega Meet!

Sunday was the annual bike show at Popham Airfield in Hampshire, just off the A303, and once again this year the weather played ball, giving us a warm sunny day, with just an odd shower to keep us awake!

I had decided to take my Guzzi Ambo out for the day, and arranged to meet up with a couple of Harley riding friends for coffee at the halfway point. where Mark turned up on his very nice Panhead, one of a few old Harleys that he owns, and more importantly, rides.

Harley Panhead

After coffee’s and breakfast we all headed for the show, and when we got there it was heaving, loads of people both displaying old bikes, and just there to look around. it really is a well organised, well run event, lots of food and drink wagons, a large autojumble area, and a massive classic bike arena. It is a firm part of my yearly calender of old bike events.

GT550

Triton

Anyway, if you would like to see some more pictures from Popham, there is a slideshow here…  http://kevindean.zenfolio.com/p825972814/slideshow

The Guzzi Chronicles, Cont…

Well after a day spent rebuilding my Guzzi Ambassador chasing the oil leak that has plagued me from day one, and finding more than I bargained for when I opened it all up as you can see below…

cause of oil leak on left hand cylinder…

Blown head gasket

And signs of problems on right hand cylinder…

Damaged bore

So I pulled it all apart and fitted new Gilardoni kits, and had it all buttoned up and running yesterday, so today I thought I would give it a ride out to my local MAG ( motorcycle action group) show, on a bitterly freezing cold Easter Sunday… BRrrrrrrr!

Honda CB250 Cafe

Harley Panhead Bobber

After a fun but cold day it was soon time to head for home, the Guzzi ran pretty good, just a little popping from the exhaust to sort out, but overall I am happy
with how it ran, and to top off a fun weekend, my bike won “Best European” in the show too.

More pictures here….  http://kevindean.zenfolio.com/p384160536/slideshow

Best European Winner.

So there it was… Monday!

So there it was ringing in my head, the Monday morning alarm, telling me it was time to get up for work, but oh no!, this time it was wrong,  you see it is a bank holiday over here. One of those odd bank holidays they throw in every now and then, normally on an overcast, dank and miserable day, and this one was no different. Well when I say no different, I mean weather wise of course, but the day itself was special, for it was the Fleet Lions Charity ride day, held, would you believe in well, Fleet.
So up and cleaned, the coffee was calling, but then so was my bike, not one of those old leaky, rusty, brit bikes, but a good solid leak free Japanese bike, my 1974 Kawasaki Z1b to be exact. So off to my lock up, open the door, keys in, fuel on, choke, and we are away for a coffee at the Gorge Cafe, one of Reading’s oldest cafe’s, and where I had arranged to meet a few friends for the ride over to fleet, but only after we had demolished a full english first.

Monday Morning Z1b

The ride over to Fleet was in itself an uneventful ride, but the weather was doing its best to annoy everybody, rain blowing in the wind, and a heavy grey sky, but hell we were having fun, and the bikes were all running great, and what an odd assortment we were, Two Harley’s, a Pan and a Shovel, an Ariel rigid twinport, a Thunderbolt, an AJS 500 single, and my Z1b.

Boston Police Panhead

And so we come to the end of another Lions club Rally, a great day spent with like-minded people, and always good to catch up with a few old friends. And so I leave you with my bestest bike of the day, what a great looking little bike, I would have loved to take it home..

Honda