Bike builders that have machine tools/shops

A friend for most of my life sent me a package this week.
His father was an antique car collector and restorer and it appears a collector of periodicals too. My friend thought some covering motorcycles would be of interest to me.
So he sent me about twelve pounds worth. From 1965
This colorful volume.
Tom
DSCN0917.JPG
.
 
Also in my friend Mike Johnson's trove of dated periodicals were volumes of " The Midwest Antique & Classic motorcycle club news". The editor was Dennis Ryan, and a director was Clare Frantz, Both of whom were members of The Wheels of Fortune MC, a not for profit corporation and only MC to be registered with the National Safety Counsel. Which successfully lobbied the State of Illinois to rescind the mandatory helmet law.
I told Rick I would flesh out the short history of The Wheels of Fortune MC.
That law was enacted because the State paid to care for brain damaged motorcycle operators.
A son of folks we know recently died twenty years after a ride on a crotch rocket.
Sympathy card went out Saturday.
The Wheels of Fortune stayed true and our lobbying caused a change of heart in the states elected officials.
Was what we did good for the electorate? Insurance Companies would like to differ.
There is more about the WOF worth recording to the cloud.
Tom
 
Last edited:
Thanks Tom for the update. Helmets? Tough one, complex. Day to day I have yet don't wear, but understand the value. All of us have helmet stories and mine are mostly pro helmet much like my seat belt and air bag stories, but a very few are tragedies because of these safety devices. Personal freedom versus societal costs? Fun balanced against familial tragedy and pain versus gain? I see it and get it, smart money is on safety yet many text and drive etc. I'd like to save us all, yet we can't...though some would be good.

Rick C.
 
Re that pic of the Flying Millyard V twin. That's a runner for sure - and a famous one at that. Starting point was a pair of Pratt and Whitney radial aero engine cylinders. Here in the UK, engineering supremo Allen Millyard is a legend. He's responsible for a number of one-off engine builds created in his domestic garage/workshop. I recall a couple of weeks back watching a YouTube vid of him riding his Honda C90 converted into a V-twin. Can't be done? Allen will prove you wrong.
Plenty YouTube vids to watch. Just search for Allen Millyard.
 
Last edited:
PeteMcP said:
Re that pic of the Flying Millyard V twin. That's a runner for sure - and a famous one at that. Starting point was a pair of Pratt and Whitney radial aero engine cylinders. Here in the UK, engineering supremo Allen Millyard is a legend. He's responsible for a number of one-off engine builds created in his domestic garage/workshop. I recall a couple of weeks back watching a YouTube vid of him riding his Honda C90 converted into a V-twin. Can't be done? Allen will prove you wrong.
Plenty YouTube vids to watch. Just search for Allen Millyard.
Click to expand...

Yup I’ve known the name for a few years. Badass!! Check out this MTB https://m.pinkbike.com/news/allen-millyard-part-1-2008.html
 
When I was a kid I didn't understand why my grandma wouldn't let me ride the 2 mile stretch down the highway with him on the tractor. Now that I've had it in fourth gear myself I know exactly why he said no. I can't even imagine what this bike would feel like but image that it will go where you point it and all else is uncertain.
 
Took the opportunity to view more of Allen Millyard's builds on YouTube yesterday. Can't help but take your hat off to a guy who builds a FIVE cylinder Kawasaki engine from a Mach 3. And as if that wasn't clever enough, go check out his six cylinder Suzuki and Royal Enfield V-twin. Impressive as all these engines are, I have to admit a preference for his Honda SS100 V-twin. Imagine something like that in my Honda Solo....
Allen's engine building wizardry is legendary worldwide, and justifiably so.
 
Tony01 and Pete are spot on about this guy. Genius at work. No need to fret and worry...if he designed and built it then it's bullet proof! Watch the videos but read the interview Tony01 linked above, about his mountain bike...crazy smart designs that are raced. While motorized bike guys hand wring about bikes, tires and component failures at 30 mph. Mountain bikers routinely fall off mountains with all that entails (see Red Bull competitions) at much higher speeds. Well designed bikes can take more than most of us can even dream of dishing out and Millyard is something of a legend in design & fabrication already, mainly in motorcycling, but has now tackled bicycles as well.

Thanks to all who shared links etc. these were some I'd not seen before, but he's done a lot more that's worth a few looks.

Rick C.
 
Tom, I have dipped my toes into the knowledge of hand crafted boats but it's still just a one of those one day I might go at it sort of things. There are some tried and true boats to make copys of and it's unbelievable the way that some of the finished boats turn out. I would like to share a picture of an old hand crank drill press I found when I get the time to and see what you guys think.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top