Turn the key and start it up - NOT!

[gareth lacey]

1984 on a new Yamaha twin 1000  going across the Nullabour, outside  Eucla saw ahead some motorcycles on side of road , 3 bykes all Harleys , 2 were broken down stopped and asked if they needed help ,told me to Fxxk off and words to the effect Jap crap, i got to perth,broome, Darwim and back to Perth and 12 months later back to Sydney, bike still purring , i wonder how far the Harleys Got? LOL

[facthunter]

 Presume you were riding an XV 1000. I test rode one and was impressed but they had chronic faults with the cylinder sleeves and had terrible chrome and are near worthless today.. . Dealers used to give me bikes to evaluate back then I've bought Yamaha's new and ONE Harley New which I still have. a 1981 XLS 1000. I significantly modified the  engine in  1983 and it hasn't had the engine touched since then  The later ones are a vast improvement on mine but IT will see ME out. and I've had plenty of people wanting to buy it.. . Nev

[willedoo]

I remember back in the early/mid 70's before the Harley boom when the so called outlaw motorcycle clubs had mainly Jap bikes. These days I don't think they are allowed in the clubs with any bike other than a Harley.

[facthunter]

I haven't heard of  such clubs. The only one I know is the HOG Harley Owners Group dedicated to a clean biker image.   Nev.

[old man emu]

Of course, before the 70s British bikes were the choice for "power" machines. I can remember in the arrival of Honda in the mid-60s. Who can forget the Hondells' "Little Honda"? The song was inspired by the popularity of Honda motor bikes in Southern California during the early 1960s: In contrast to the prevailing negative stereotypes of motorcyclists in America as tough, antisocial rebels, Honda's campaign suggested that their motorcycles were made for everyone. "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" campaign

 

Their first LP, Go Little Honda, featured 11 tracks in addition to "Little Honda," all with a motorcycle theme including "Haulin' Honda" and "Black Boots and Bikes and  "Rip's Bike." The remaining tracks, consist of "Mean Streak," "A Guy Without Wheels," "The Wild One," "Hot Rod High," "Death Valley Run," "Two Wheel Show Stopper," "Ridin' Trails" and "Hon-Da Beach Party." 

 

Little Honda was written by Beach Boys'  Brian Wilson and Mike Love. The Hondells members were session musicians (including Glenn Campbell) who also recorded commercials for Pepsi and Coty Cosmetics. They appeared in several teen-surfer movies of the time.

 

 

[kgwilson]

I wonder if Honda gave them any sponsorship or bikes to ride?

[old man emu]

I dare say that it was cash in hand.

[facthunter]

Postie bikes handle like they are made of jelly .  Nev

[willedoo]

14 hours ago, facthunter said:

I haven't heard of  such clubs. The only one I know is the HOG Harley Owners Group dedicated to a clean biker image.   Nev.

Black Uhlans, Bandidos, Commancheros, Coffin Cheaters, Finks, Gypsy Jokers, Hells Angels, Nomads, Rebels, Renegades etc.. Years ago, they rode Jap and British bikes with only the odd Harley seen. I'm fairly sure it's a standard rule of Harleys only now. I haven't seen a coloured club member ride anything other than a Harley for decades.

 

I remember one amateurish mob back in the early 70's called the Devil's Deros. I'm sure some of them were riding around wearing last years shoes from high school. Their patches were hand drawn with that textile paint you buy from craft shops. The leader of the pack had a Rocket 3, and he was a very short stocky bloke who had trouble putting his feet on the ground when stopped. One Saturday morning, he was leading the pack in all it's glory down the main street of their local town. When he pulled up at the main intersection lights, he had trouble with his short legs and fell arse over tit in front of half the town. They were almost dead ringers for that bumbling bikie gang in that American movie, the name of which eludes me.

 

Edit: got it, the Black Widows from the movie Any Which Way You Can.

Edited April 28, 2023 by willedoo

[facthunter]

Fairly sure.?  It would be unlikely to be accepted. if you think about it. Dealers would know of it also. I think I would have also got a whiff of it..  Nev

[willedoo]

21 minutes ago, facthunter said:

Fairly sure.?  It would be unlikely to be accepted. if you think about it. Dealers would know of it also. I think I would have also got a whiff of it..  Nev

Nev, when was the last time you saw an outlaw motorcycle club member riding anything other than a Harley? By fairly sure, I mean fairly sure all those clubs abide by it. Some I know for sure will only accept Harleys. They are quite free to ride a chook chaser around the paddock, but riding in a club capacity is Harleys. It's a bit harder to spot club members these days up here since the clubs were listed by the state government as criminal organisations, and it's been illegal for them to wear their colours in public for a few years now. It's all gone underground in this state.

[facthunter]

Queensland is one place I don't know the "scene". I know what Campbell Newman tried to do. Dutton has the same attitude. Nev

[willedoo]

Those clubs have changed a lot over the years. In the early 70's most club members that I remember were into just riding bikes, having a good time and pretending to be bad boys. These days, there's club members who rarely ever ride a bike. They are more business organisations than bike riding clubs now. Sometimes dubious businesses, sometimes legit.

[facthunter]

A lot of them are not that nice but some clubs do great work and they get tarred with the same brush.   Nev

[kgwilson]

I have a number of friends in the Ulysses club. Their motto is "Grow old disgracefully". You have to be 40+ to join. Ulusses is the largest social club in Australia. They ride everything usually large and expensive including a lot of Harleys and love motorcycling & often do charity runs etc.

[facthunter]

I gave up riding with them. Nice enough people but they are generally NOT good riders , They ride too far and I saw too  many close shaves to want to stay riding with them. On dirt roads they go at about walking speed. Never saw ONE Harley. or a Honda Leadwing. I rode a Buell XB12 SS Lightning Long and no one knew what it was.  They also go to bakeries to eat and eat suggary fatty foods. Don't talk motorbikes or tires etc. Nev

[willedoo]

This one is at the Queensland Transport Museum at Gatton, Queensland.

 

[facthunter]

20's Indian Standard model NE. Prior to that known as a Powerplus .Bit over done. The wheel s and spokes should only be black and no chrome till 1930. Nickel prior to that but not on springs. Nice bike though  and still on Clincher tyres. Notice the swing arm rear springing with LEAF spring discontinued after 1924. Replaced by the rigid framed Chief 1000cc and also 1200 cc  both with helical gears primary drive The 1,000 cc model didn't persist for long and the chief in various forms continued on till about1953 with the 80 inch  Blackhawk  Chief and the closure of the real Indian Marque.   Nev

[old man emu]

Although I own a vintage Harley, I have always wanted a 40s Indian Chief. Trouble is that I would have to learn to ride it as the gear stick is on the wrong side, and it isn't in a gate.

[facthunter]

They are nowhere near as robust as a Harley.. That's not bias. You only have to have the motors and gearboxes dismantled side by side and compare the dimensions and strength and more robust design. The equivalent is the  Model "UL"   You can set up the later Indians for RH throttle wit LH gear lever. and you get used to not having a GATE.  Nev

[willedoo]

I had an ex RAAF Indian model 741B, and comparing it to a mate's WLA, the Harley was for sure the more robust of the two. The Indian had been bored out to approximately 750cc (just a guess) by the previous owner. I had a set of original 500cc barrels and the walls were quite thick, but I think the previous owner had pushed the limit with the re-bore. I regret selling that bike; sold it plus a Dusting side car in 1972 for $80.

[willedoo]

It took a long time for some of the British bikes to catch up with some design features.  I can remember being amazed at the Harley and Indian cast alloy, bolted on chaincases and multiple width primary chains. My AJS 500 was a 1957 model and was the last model with that crappy, leaky, tin chaincase, so it was 1958 before they had something decent.

[facthunter]

Many of those were bored to  600cc but to get bigger capacity they were stroked as well .In Australia they were raced to virtual extinction and butchered (through bolted etc)  I had some brand new engines for both the WLA and the 741 The 741 brand new was sloppy in all the fits. You had to hone and fit oversize rollers to get it good. The original 500cc motor is under powered in that solid frame. The Russian refused to pay for them and they were always RARE in the USA. Harley refused to build a 500 cc which the war dept wanted. Nev

[facthunter]

I didn't like TIN primary drive cases either so about bike 3 was a 750 101 Scout built in 1928. That model was extremely successful. Full helical primary gear drive with wet multiplate clutch.  Nev

[kgwilson]

Wasn't it a 1920s Indian Scout (heavily modified) that Burt Munro broke the world speed record on that still stands?