Old Guys Simplex moto-peddle bike

[indian22]

A few months ago I posted about leasing out two of my bikes for a company wide internal promotion and that obviously worked out well for them and for myself, because they're back and want a V-twin flat track bike, generic, but authentic to the 1915-25 era of racing. No brakes, throttle, suspension, kick stand, starter, battery or fenders....just a typical of the type, raw period racer and I didn't say no, but told them I'd not do it with a Briggs, Honda etc. V-twin...so a vintage style motor is required if they can fit it into their next budget. It doesn't have to be an extremely fast bike just look fast on camera, but it has to run for the promotion videos and me.

I know of two motors complete, but not running both Harley F engines, with rebuild, really expensive...it's corporate money and I've been wanting to do a V-twin with the right look of a racer for a very long time. I'm surprised that I'm so excited about this, perhaps I do have a bucket list, who knows, but when money changes hands I'll be all in!

Packed and ready to roll out at sunup tomorrow.

Rick C.

 

[fasteddy]

Safe trip and I hope the weather stays dry and warm.

Dream build with someone else's credit card. Nice, and it doesn't have to be fast, just sound like it.

Steve.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

FFV8 may be a resource, he is casting and machining crankcases that would take wishbone con rods.
I still think Lurker's board tracker is the bomb.
Last year Co offered silk screen T's of his masterpiece VEKST. How could I pass one up.
Tom

 

[indian22]

Tom I've read those from start to finish several times and they are great. Couple of original engine reproductions, excellent, out there but pretty sure an original Harley or Indian can be rebuilt quicker for less. I'll be checking sources when I get back. The two basket case motors, but complete, HD's I know of are being offered in the 12 to 15k range and are from the 1915 era. 'ol Grumpy, my motor guy is the man on old Harley's & has re-built several F and JD motor in the past & did my last two Harley engine builds a "knucklehead" & a "panhead"...guys got mad motor machining skills and extensive understanding of these old engines. Just no social skills! Picture him in his younger years as the really big chapter Sgt. of arms for the Bandito m.c. & you'll capture his old guy demeanor...heavy on the mean & still big.

I ordered a half dozen of the different style Vekst T- shirts myself. He's been selling tribute/reproduction bikes out of Georgia recently I've noticed.

Leaving out at first light, packed & couldn't sleep. I lightened my load by 8 lbs. leaving the 48 v. pack and charger behind still have 52 amp. hrs. with me. So kit now weighs in at 22 lbs and just 7 lbs. on my back, but I can bungee that as well to the rack if need be. The rack is rated for 99 lbs. lol. Why not just say 100 lbs.? Total bike weight wet and with kit 115lbs. so 285lbs. total with me mounted so still pretty light for a four day ride.

Time to get down for breakfast and the road cold start but great forecast for today and tomorrow but Monday highs forecast low forties and Tuesday colder with chance of rain...low winds for all four days so I'll plan a smooth route for a short ride home Tuesday. I packed rain gear pues bien...voy a ver, adios!

Rick C.

 

[fasteddy]

I'm sure you've seen these but they are nice.

Steve.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...om/home.html&usg=AOvVaw04gKGwo09OUOyPfzg5OeEz

 

[PeteMcP]

Rick, Custom build commissions when the customer is picking up the tab to have their dream become reality is always the cherry on the cake. Bet you're like me and build everything like it was for yourself. Then when the time comes to hand it over, it's like giving one of your kids away - despite being handsomely compensated financially.
You'll be on the road by the time this post is on the forum. Sleepless nights before a gig was always the norm for me too. Lost count of the wide awake nights I spent before a big exhibition staring at the bedside clock waiting for the alarm to go off.

 

[indian22]

'bout to hit the road again after breakfast 17 hours actual saddle time the last two days...kinda' slowed me down this morning. High forecast for today is 41 degrees so I plan on fewer riding hours today. I'm on the last leg & hope to beat the weather back home Tuesday, early afternoon. The forecast is bad for the last day of my ride.

Hybrid's doing great only one repair, broke the pedal chain?? But I had a section of chain, quick link and chain breaker so 20 minutes on the side of the road and I was up good as new. Didn't loose the quick link, chain broke. I've a picture of it somewhere.

Having fun, the secondary roads have been in pretty decent shape so my pace has been excellent to this point and in light of the weather I'll be on asphalt the next two days in order to get back before the weather really sets in Wednesday.

Some photos along the way, just a sample. The long gravel road photo shows the horizon 22 miles distant. That loose gravel is 2 to 3 inches deep, most of the way & was the slowest pace gone so far, 12 mph about average, but had asphalt that averaged 30 most of both days.

Rick C.

 

[fasteddy]

Beautiful country Rick. Great to hear that the bike is doing well as well as yourself. Hope you make it home before the weather sets in.

Steve.

 

[FOG]

U da Man Rick!

 

[indian22]

Thanks guys I got back after dark yesterday. I really pushed it to stay ahead of the weather, not speed wise but just too many hours of cold riding yesterday. Bone tired on arrival, but beat the ice storm back. Two great days of actual touring and one of just riding to cover road....fun trip, but I'd have preferred stretching it out to five days of perfect Fall weather and staying more on the secondary roads of the original route plan. I completely skipped the beautiful national park, granite mountain and lakes section of the trip just 50 miles south of us because of the forecast. I guess a special Spring ride is in order for that?

Nothing but the pedal chain fell off so the hybrid fared extremely well and I'm not too beat up either, just really tired, Monday was a real work day and a half!

I'll resize some photos today. I'm not leaving the house for awhile!

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

Rick, Custom build commissions when the customer is picking up the tab to have their dream become reality is always the cherry on the cake. Bet you're like me and build everything like it was for yourself. Then when the time comes to hand it over, it's like giving one of your kids away - despite being handsomely compensated financially.
You'll be on the road by the time this post is on the forum. Sleepless nights before a gig was always the norm for me too. Lost count of the wide awake nights I spent before a big exhibition staring at the bedside clock waiting for the alarm to go off.

I've given this business a good deal of thought over the last few days Pete & realize that all that glitters isn't gold. There are some legal hooks that need be addressed before this thing grows legs to match it's sizable claws and fangs already displayed. I really want to be a part of this even though the contract has a lot of moving parts which could be deal breakers.

Corporations have shields in place to protect them. I'm not even a business & don't intend to be a business so as an individual the contract is all I've got and has to be weighted heavily in my favor or it's a no go.

The sleepless night allowed time to decide on eliminating some extra weight and remember adding extra chain, breaker and quick links to my load, which turned out to be necessary a necessary roadside repair. This small addition to my kit more than made up for the lost slumber which I definitely made up for on the subsequent night's rest.

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

I'm sure you've seen these but they are nice.

Steve.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=14&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiu3KvL2rvlAhVkGTQIHaUWDHw4ChAWMAN6BAgAEAE&url=http://www.timelessmotorcompany.com/home.html&usg=AOvVaw04gKGwo09OUOyPfzg5OeEz

Hey Steve. Timeless, built in your neck of the woods, yes? That's an option as is Billy Lane for real deal engines on period correct shop built frames and I've shared these resources with my company contact. I'd like them to be well informed before going into this as I'm a one trick pony on this request, real Harley power on a board track frame that's not a replica but realistic to the type. No branding other than the engine itself. HD's & now Indian's corporate policy is to go after infringements on replications or mis-representations of their protected real or intellectual properties. The use of an authentic engine is fine, but the bike or it's components can't "wear the colors". Harley style seems their preference at this time. Yes or no I'm good with it.

Seems they also have an interest in a second bike that can be thrashed a bit for action video productions for runup promotions while the main bike is being built out and this is also something I'd also be interested in. Kind of like using a stunt double for the leading man...just has to resemble the actor.

Rick C.

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Rick,

Great to hear that the trip went well with a minimum of problems.

Timeless Motors is in Georgetown, Texas. They have a disclaimer that the bikes are not built to modern standards.

Steve.

 

[indian22]

Hi Rick,

Great to hear that the trip went well with a minimum of problems.

Timeless Motors is in Georgetown, Texas. They have a disclaimer that the bikes are not built to modern standards.

Steve.

Steve that's actually good news practically in the company's backyard. I was certain Timeless operated in Canada originally. Timeframe isn't crucial until it is & cost isn't the major consideration either. This is a decent option, much better than dealing for the Argentine Indian bikes or Choppers Inc. for a one off build & I'd add or me to this short list. Proximity is important and one thing they found appealing in our original business arrangement, so I'll be contacting Timeless and Choppers Inc. to get the bid ball rolling with introductions & following proposals. There's a buck to be made one way or the other.

The original motors weren't built to modern standards either so guess that's not a deal killer.

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

I made contact with Comeback Motors in Buenos Aires this morning about their beautiful Indian reproductions, which have a well established reputation. Not exactly next door, but they are incredibly detailed, but perhaps too well finished for an authentic factory racer, some track patina is desired for this one & Harley preferred.

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

Rested up! 542 miles over three days of riding; at just about 25mph average pace & long days. GPS showed I hit 40 mph a few times, but that was unintentional, no speedo, but the harmonic buzz is totally accurate & got my attention at forty. I'll eliminate that when it warms up a little outside.

Pedal chain failure was just that, snapped with just light pedaling along pressure at maybe 20mph. It looks as though a pin pulled loose from a link plate, not the quick link, it's fine. Chain is good quality and shows little wear. Rear cog is brand new & the front pedal lever sprocket is in good shape also so donno'?

The hybrid preformed well across the board, but it's a fuel hog for a 66cc China girl and used well over six gallons for the distance. I used the batteries sparingly except going through the numerous small towns and skirting the edge of Oklahoma City where I spent Saturday night. The route I selected for that first days ride ending in OKC was almost double the miles for the gps suggested course driving an auto and more than forty miles longer than the suggested bicycle route. The first two days were spent exploring, but I still managed several rest stops including coffee and food. I also covered a lot of miles.

My hope was to make this ride over a different route, same approximate distance, in 4 to five days. Weather and circumstance altered both course and time frame, but I'd do it again...just not real soon!

Fall colors are just now starting to show up here and there, but after these two days of hard freeze the green is going away.

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

Photos show a lot of red and that's shale rock, not dirt. The shale was used by the early settlers to build foundations and entire homes with. Oklahoma also has red dirt & all varieties & colors of earth. Red shale and white gypsum outcroppings cover hundreds of square miles in this area along with red granite mountains and also bottomless sand now covered with grass, but during dust bowl days formed shifting dunes hundreds of feet high in areas. These are still there now just covered with grass & prickly pear (pictured), my Dad commented that it looked like photos of the Sahara. Native grass and cedars (especially in gypsum) grow well on the thin rock topsoil and provides good grazing for livestock. 360 degree horizons can be viewed from the cap rock & endless blue skies. Even so plenty of rich farmland and many water tanks large and small abound fed by fresh water springs (one displayed), streams and rain water runoff. Our canyon country is quite beautiful as well. Those who think it's flat out here should ride it sometime or see how you hold up hiking it. Interstate travel doesn't qualify one as having actually experienced much that any of our states have to offer...this one included.

I very much enjoyed the ride and wish I could have completed two more days of riding through the most spectacular areas I'd hoped to enjoy and share.

Single digit wind chill last night & this morning...the fire feels nice!

Rick C

 

[curtisfox]

Nice! Yes fire fells good, have had the heat on for almost a month now, warm in the shop also. I always take 2 lane roads when i travel, now in motor home. But use to go south in a Suzuki sameri, then latter a pickup, and take all the back roads. Been in a lot of back country, and off the beating pathways. Sure would be fun on a bike, but not this old fart any more. Oklahoma is beautiful country, as is all, or most of the south. I am not a desert person, so love the trees and green. Especially the warm weather a spring brake sorta, most of March and April, asures snow will be gone when we get back home. LOL. Thanks for all the pictures...........Curt

 

[indian22]

Nice! Yes fire fells good, have had the heat on for almost a month now, warm in the shop also. I always take 2 lane roads when i travel, now in motor home. But use to go south in a Suzuki sameri, then latter a pickup, and take all the back roads. Been in a lot of back country, and off the beating pathways. Sure would be fun on a bike, but not this old fart any more. Oklahoma is beautiful country, as is all, or most of the south. I am not a desert person, so love the trees and green. Especially the warm weather a spring brake sorta, most of March and April, asures snow will be gone when we get back home. LOL. Thanks for all the pictures...........Curt

Thanks Curt. I'm glad you've chosen to travel the paths least taken on your adventures cross country. Americans seem to rush & in doing so miss so much along the way. It hasn't always been that way and really needn't continue to be. Our choice.

My ride was actually cut too short, not in distance, but the time frame was half as long as I'd hoped for.

The desert is an acquired taste, but growing up in arid land and vast landscapes helps the process. The desert blooms almost overnight with incredible beauty and withers almost as quickly. I've traveled the world and love mountains and sea...especially the sea, open and vast, much like the desert, only wet!

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

I've decided to try my hand at building a V-twin Harley intake over exhaust, F head style "motor housing" for an electric mid- motor drive which will eventually find a home in a loop frame board track bike. Motor and controller are here. The case side plates and jug fins have been cut out from both steel and aluminum sheet so I've most of the basic components in hand. I'd not think the motor fabrication to be a long term project, but a completed bike might take some time. I've projects in mind that will have priority over this one.

Rick C.