This morning in Salt Lake city it was warm and sunny and clear. Well it was warm about 45 degrees, very warm for November 13th, Sunny which made it feel like it was 10 degrees warmer, and the blue sky was clear. Very nice, I could not pass it up. I jumped on the Road King and I was off to work. I loved it, I immediately felt cool, and excited to be free on my Harley. I was cautious for sand a dirt on the road, but I definitely got some wind in my hair. Lunch was even nicer, wow for a November day this was a very nice ride. I cannot remember any day like this in the past years, I had put my bike to rest well before Halloween other years, except the one year I rode to work in the snow on Halloween, as the Bike and gear were my costume. Well anyway after lunch I got back on my Road King and off to work I went. All was well until I came out of the building in the Dark and o 6 pm. It was raining uggg, and wet end to a fantastic day ride. I certainly can’t complain but sunny and warm beats cold, dark and raining any day.
Here is a noteworthy shot of a super custom Softail. It was built for the Haulmark company, thus it has the bright orange paint and the company logo on the tank. I think Haulmark makes Trailer, to help move your precious bikes around, that is if can't get on it and ride it to the show. I am impressed with all the work welding and building and filling in the fender adn body on the rear of the bike. Talk about some serious fabrication work. I wish I could work with sheet metal like this. Once I get below about 3/16 or 1/4 thickness when fabricating I am done. It just doesn't seem to work for me. I can't weld it, bend it or make it look like anything but sludge. Well anyway look at how the frame moves forward adn into the gas tank. Then check out how the gas tank on the front flows right into the frame. Someone did a very nice job on this bike. If you know the fabricator please let me know and I will give them proper credit. This thing looks like it has a big old Engine al well. The big talk jugs are good looking, and yes I am talking about the engine cylinders guys.
While I was wandering around the Broken Spoke Saloon out North of town I started taking pictures of Custom Bikes. Here is a shot of a low single seat Soft tail. I am thinking this is a custom of some kind, the chain makes me think it is not a Harley Davidson. The bike does have some of the looks and features of a Fatboy, but I would guess it's not an official Halrey Davidson. The chain also make me think that motor maybe a fire breathing monster, not just a 80 cubic inch evolution HD motor.
The flames on the tank are very cool, I like them but think if I was putting them on my bike I would make them ghost flames, so they were not very visible. The other cool thing about this bike is the the way the handle bars are pulled back. They really change the look of the front, bringing it down and back. I bet it makes this motorcycle feel low and lean once you climb on.
Well my hat goes off to who ever owns this bike, I like it and think the overall look is pretty damn good, and I bet it gets up and goes.
I got a comment post as a follow up to the past post I made. I went and looked at a bunch of pictures of this new place. I did not realized that it had the largest swimming pool in Sturgis. I will need to remember this, When it is not storming and blowing with Hurricane force winds in Sturgis, it's Hot and muggy as muggy. At least this is my past experience. So on the Days it's hot and sunny, I think I will need to go check it out one of these next Sturgis trips
Here is a picture and a story about The New Broken Spoke Saloon in Sturgis South Dakota. I say it is new because is has only been around for 3 years or so. I also say it is new because I didn't know about it until this year and I found it completely by surprise. So let me tell you about the surprise, we all love surprises right.
This year we took a nice long motorcycle ride the first week in August and had a plan to tour way up north and drop into Sturgis from the North Western direction. We we driving the Highway across the middle bottom area of Montana, and approached Sturgis, through Belle Forche, and then looped east around Sturgis and down the bear Butte road into the Buffalo Chip. Well after a nice long days ride were could smell the cold beer and Sturgis Dirt and we were getting really close to the chip. Well then what to our wondering eyes did we see, a big new Broken Spoke Bar, about 3 miles north on the Bear Butte Road. What the?, When did they build that, we gotta stop flashed into our tired minds as we slowed and pulled in.
This is when the fun started, we were immediately sent down the row of vendors and towards the bar, Sweet we will get a front row parking spot, no wait, What, I was driving right through the bar, following a string of other bikers. How cool is this, Hit Sturgis and drive right into the Bar. Hell Ya, we had arrived. Once we settled into a row of bikes, I snapped this shot and headed for the Bar to see what else we could see. The trip was off to a great start and this leg of the journey was getting better all the time.
It was cold and wet when I started this morning, I bet the temp was in the 40's which is cold yet nice enough to withstand for about a 45 miles of zipping around the town. I had a meeting at lunch and to and from work so I got in a good amount of seat time. The amazing thing is that it is November 3rd. In Utah this is certainly part of the extended season.
So on another completely cool and unrelated note, the Road King turned over 8000 mile a couple of days ago. Which makes the Summers total miles 8000-3400 = 4600. That's not bad for a about 6 months of drive time. I know some people put on 6000 miles a month or what ever huge number. For me being as busy as I am and a working stiff with a 12 mile commute, I say I logged some miles. Not too bad, and enough to convince me that I really like the Harley Road King and think I will keep it.
The very few last nice and clear days here in Salt Lake to Ride my HOG and I missed it. I will ride tomorrow, I promise, I promise, I promise. Until then here is a shot of a bike I saw at Sturgis. Just one of the many machines I snapped a picture of. I will some day get the time and money to build a custom bike until then I will keep staring and all the wonderful bike I encounter. With each bike I see a few clues of things I like and other things I am not so sure of. This one is interesting, the way the pipes are all wrapped in black heat tape give the machine a different look compared to big, swoopy, shinny chrome, pipes. The frame is clean and tall, the blinkers and controls are neat. I like it and could see myself zooming down the road on it.
That about all I have to say, I missed out on a nice fall ride around the valley in the sun. It was colder than it looked but would have been nice for a spin around the valley. I saw hundreds of other bikes out so, I am glad many other got to ride. Harley were thundering all around the park as I hung out with the Kids at the Draper Skate Park. Most rider were wearing coat and gloves and hats, even if the outside temperature was in the 60's it's cold going fast on a big motorcycle. Well I shall live to ride another day, like maybe tomorrow. Yup's that's a good idea, let's see what the morning brings.
COLD, and I mean Cold, morning ride but it was clear and clean and crisp to the Nth degree. I warmed up after an hour or so. The Lunch time ride to the kids Skate Park and the after work ride were fantastic. I hope for another good day tomorrow, all looks well so see ya on the road.
So I missed the ride today, I was scared by the cold and the snow. As it turned out it was warmer and nice enough and dry enough to go for a ride. I should have done it, I love to ride, Zoom Zoom on the Harley monsters. Plus the 40-45 mile per gallon keep me happy about the ride. At least diesel and gas are dropping, Gas was 3.27 and Diesel was 3.59 in Draper today. This will help when I take the truck in for a fill up.
