Doing My Part

Now that CA has it’s dumb EPA bike muffler law, I figured I’d do my part and try to comply. Hell, I’m the most law-abiding citizen you’ll ever meet. So I took a set of heat shields off a ’08 and stuck them on the end of the drag pipes on the Shovel. That’s as far as I’m willing to go with this dumb-ass law. In my mind it’s now ’08 EPA compliant. Friggen genius ain’t it!

But this kind of intellectual reasoning comes at great pains. It also puts some strange thoughts in your head. Like the Easter Bunny. I have a sneaky suspicion that the Easter Bunny is the illegitimate kid of Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. Think about it. Makes perfect sense. The Fairy spends all her time bent over a bed and Santa love tight spaces. Seems to me that they met up a few times over the years. Where do you think all those little elves came from?

Since they serve no purpose and look pretty strange, I think I’ll leave them on.

Thanks

I took this picture in a dark bar one night in Williams, AZ. It’s a pair of army boots and a U.S. flag hanging from a ceiling beam. I figure today is a good day to share it.

5 Month Road Trip

Gary, from over at USA Tour on a Harley-Davidson was spotted in town last night. He had his starlet-covered bike with him. I don’t know who painted Gary’s Road King, but the guy’s a genius! That paint is gorgeous in person.

Looks like he’s nearing the end of his 5-month putt. Gary sure as hell was happy about it. Not sure if it was from getting near the end, or being able to start Summer on the East Coast and end Autumn on the West Coast. That kind of ride would sure make me happy. It’s something we all dream about.

Cheap Crap

This thing was handling like crap. Finally found the problem.

Here’s Ms. Wrench Wench inspecting the cheap stock Harley bolt that broke. I’ve never seen one of these bolts fail before. The next time I’m at our Failure Analysis Lab, this bolt will be under the microscope for a better look. I’m sure Harley would say that I’m to hard on it or I ride it too much. That seems to be their answer for everything.

This is the pain in the ass that cheap bolt caused. At a cost of $14 for new parts, none of them Harley, I’m glad my live-in mechanic works cheap. I’m sure the Stealership would add a few 0’s to the cost, and probably screw it up anyway.

Perplexing?

I’m on about my 9th or 10th cup of java and a thought entered my vacuum. It’s common knowledge that those in AA tend to drink a butt load of coffee. Basically replacing one addiction with another. There’s always a big pot of coffee on the table at any AA meeting.

So I was just wondering, if I went out a found a ‘Caffeine Anonymous’ meeting, would there be a keg of Bud on the table? Somehow nothing is making sense too me right now. I think it’s the caffeine buzz taking over my mind.

Road Art

Ya just never know what you’ll see at a Army surplus store. Went out to J&S Surplus in Moss Landing today. Just to look around, they’ve got some neat stuff. Plus a pretty good Biker Leather store.

This sculpture is a new addition. I suspect the artist is somewhere in the Santa Cruz mountains tending his ‘weed’ patch with a big ole’ shit-eating grin on his face.

Tramp Lives

Yes folks, the Road Whore’s got a ride again. My advice? ‘Hide your livestock!’.

Had a great time helping a Brother save a butt-load of gas money. Plus, not many folks will let you do surgery on a ’08. They still take it to the dealer, and I still can’t figure out why. The above inner primary bearing is a example of why I will never take a bike to a dealer.

VD’s doing a movie so I’m not going to step on his dick. But this bearing pissed me off. Dealer installed around 10,000 miles ago. There were several things wrong with the installation of it, but this one just stood out like a erection at a nun convention. Most school-trained tech’s would pull the ring and press the bearing out. Bad move schoolboy. Us backyard boys inspect as we tear down. Look at every detail. Don’t clean or disassemble components until you get good look at stuff.

Right were that zip tie is sitting, is a oil-hole drilled through the snap-ring grove. The ears on that ring need to be on either side of the hole. The dumbass that installed it cut the life giving fluid to a drip. The poor bearing was starved to death. Bearing killer!!!