wrench
Well-Known Member
White Pines looks like some pristine riding Beautiful
BTW do you still ride that BMW ? post a pic
Live to Ride and Ride to Live
- Thread starter wrench
- Start date
BTW do you still ride that BMW ? post a pic
Tom from Rubicon
Well-Known Member
Used to spend Easter Vac. camping and trout fishing at White Pines in my High School years.
Still have the 1979 R80/7, but it hasn't been on the road in thirty years.
Tom
Still have the 1979 R80/7, but it hasn't been on the road in thirty years.
Tom
wrench
Well-Known Member
HS days I had a Kawasaki 500 Triple and a Kawasaki 100 Enduro
I guess that BMW sitting for 30 years is now a Trophy in your garage
I would keep all my old M/C if I could
Venice Motor Bikes
Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
If any of you ever followed my VMB social media pages, you'd know that I was also into building & selling vintage Hondas!
Here's a few of those bikes that I built over the years... Almost all of these bikes were 'bone stock' when I got them.
'Obviously', I really like the Cafe' Racer look!
Here's a few of those bikes that I built over the years... Almost all of these bikes were 'bone stock' when I got them.
'Obviously', I really like the Cafe' Racer look!
Tony01
Well-Known Member
Daaaaaaammmm Norm!! Yeah I remember the cafe bike craze of 20 years ago I wanted one so bad. Didn’t know what I was doing at all, bought a 250 twin that today I could turn into a modded high comp beauty but back then, just sold it for $50 more than I paid and went and got an R6 for my first bike.If any of you ever followed my VMB social media pages, you'd know that I was also into building & selling vintage Hondas!
Here's a few of those bikes that I built over the years... Almost all of these bikes were 'bone stock' when I got them.
'Obviously', I really like the Cafe' Racer look!
View attachment 116308View attachment 116309View attachment 116310View attachment 116311View attachment 116312View attachment 116313View attachment 116314View attachment 116315View attachment 116316
The builds you’ve posted are pretty much exactly what I dreamed of… cafe UJMs… especially Honda 750/4 that was my dream. Well I actually almost built a 550/4 last year but got sidetracked by the worst of bike life. I guess I’m destined for other things.
Tom from Rubicon
Well-Known Member
My sister rode a CB350F. I only rode it the day I delivered it to the new owner. Dry rot tires so I couldn't thrash it but Lordy was it a fun ride.
I wished she had let me make an offer. I would have set it up as a Cafe Racer.
Honda CB350F - Wikipedia
Tom
I wished she had let me make an offer. I would have set it up as a Cafe Racer.
Honda CB350F - Wikipedia
Tom
Venice Motor Bikes
Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
Funny that you should mention the CB350F...
My very first 'real' motorcycle that I got in the mid 80s was a 1975 CB400F Super Sport that had a CB350F engine swap into it!
That bike was a total screamer!!!! The 350 could rev at 12000 RPMs all day long! Those old Hondas are bullet proof!!!
This is it...
Venice Motor Bikes
Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
I always wanted to convert a vintage BMW into a hardcore 'down & dirty' Cafe' Racer!
This is a picture that I found years ago & kept in my phone for inspiration... It's a mid 1930s supercharged BMW track racer.
This thing looks fast just sitting there!!!!
This is a picture that I found years ago & kept in my phone for inspiration... It's a mid 1930s supercharged BMW track racer.
This thing looks fast just sitting there!!!!
Venice Motor Bikes
Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
I was looking through my pictures & found this one... This was my very first Harley.
It's a 74 or 75 XLH 1000 Ironhead.
A lot of guys call these 'chick bikes' but in reality, they're little hot rods!!!!
Harley Davidson originally made the XL's to directly compete with the smaller & much faster British bikes; & in doing so they also made the foot shifter & rear brake levers on the opposite sides (to match the Brit bikes).
I was very skeptical of buying the bike because of this , but the seller (a close friend of my family), gave me some good advice on how to learn it quickly... He said not to use the rear brake for the first day or so... (Only use the front brake to stop)!
This was great advice because every time I went to shift I found that my foot was on the brake lever & I quickly remembered to shift with the other foot.... Once the shifting with my right foot became natural I could then learn to use my left foot for the rear brake.
When I started riding Triumphs years later, the foot controls still felt natural.
I can even switch from riding American, (or Japanese) to Brit bikes in the same day without any problems now!!
It's a 74 or 75 XLH 1000 Ironhead.
A lot of guys call these 'chick bikes' but in reality, they're little hot rods!!!!
Harley Davidson originally made the XL's to directly compete with the smaller & much faster British bikes; & in doing so they also made the foot shifter & rear brake levers on the opposite sides (to match the Brit bikes).
I was very skeptical of buying the bike because of this , but the seller (a close friend of my family), gave me some good advice on how to learn it quickly... He said not to use the rear brake for the first day or so... (Only use the front brake to stop)!
This was great advice because every time I went to shift I found that my foot was on the brake lever & I quickly remembered to shift with the other foot.... Once the shifting with my right foot became natural I could then learn to use my left foot for the rear brake.
When I started riding Triumphs years later, the foot controls still felt natural.
I can even switch from riding American, (or Japanese) to Brit bikes in the same day without any problems now!!
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Carbineone
Active Member
Nice riding Areas..I know some of those places but have never rode a Bike through them..Also have owned around 6 Triumphs over the years.Thanks for sharing.
wrench
Well-Known Member
That sure is a handsome (stud) Deer
But keeping a Deer you killed by accident with your motorcycle is legal LOL...
Yup, Deer can be Road Hazards
But keeping a Deer you killed by accident with your motorcycle is legal LOL...
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wrench
Well-Known Member
On May 14, 2025 I was sitting at a red light waiting to make a left turn. When the light turned green the semi truck (18 wheeler) behind me plowed into me, knocking the bike over on it's right side with my leg caught underneath, The truck didn't stop
The truck pushed my bike and I thru the intersection while I'm trapped under the bike
"The whole time I'm waiting for this truck to climb over my bike and squish me like a bug"
People got out of their cars waiving their arms in the air yelling at the truck driver to stop, Finally the truck stopped
Truck driver said he didn't see me, I said "I hope you didn't do that on purpose" LOL...
Police report was filed and there's also traffic camera footage and witnesses
I went to the hospital and got x rays because my right side and foot hurt. I also had some road rash on my right knee
X rays confirmed 3 broken ribs and a badly sprained right foot
I called a motorcycle attorney and have a good case with a police report, witnesses, traffic camera, and doctors report
Bodily Injury - Pain and Suffering + Property Damage
I took my bike to Harley service for a damage evaluation Besides the right side of the bike being all scratched up from the road
They said the frame and swingarm was bent and the crankcase was damaged, Repair cost was estimated at over $20K
My motorcycle insurance AAA paid me total loss value so I bought the 2025 Heritage Classic 117
The bike that got totaled was a 2022 Heritage 114
My new bike 2025 Heritage Classic 117 Whiskey Fire and Vivid black
I got her on July 17
I dig that Whiskey Fire it pops when the light hits it
Stock condition
After I added a few accessories
HD Tall Boy 2 up seat
HD Engine guard and Hwy foot rests
HD Saddle bag guards
HD Passengers backrest and luggage rack
HD Coil cover
Lay down license plate
Speedometer hood
Flag pole & Flag
Clock on handlebars - by Marlin
Coffee mug / Water bottle holder with garage remote
Gremlin bell
The truck pushed my bike and I thru the intersection while I'm trapped under the bike
"The whole time I'm waiting for this truck to climb over my bike and squish me like a bug"
People got out of their cars waiving their arms in the air yelling at the truck driver to stop, Finally the truck stopped
Truck driver said he didn't see me, I said "I hope you didn't do that on purpose" LOL...
Police report was filed and there's also traffic camera footage and witnesses
I went to the hospital and got x rays because my right side and foot hurt. I also had some road rash on my right knee
X rays confirmed 3 broken ribs and a badly sprained right foot
I called a motorcycle attorney and have a good case with a police report, witnesses, traffic camera, and doctors report
Bodily Injury - Pain and Suffering + Property Damage
I took my bike to Harley service for a damage evaluation Besides the right side of the bike being all scratched up from the road
They said the frame and swingarm was bent and the crankcase was damaged, Repair cost was estimated at over $20K
My motorcycle insurance AAA paid me total loss value so I bought the 2025 Heritage Classic 117
The bike that got totaled was a 2022 Heritage 114
My new bike 2025 Heritage Classic 117 Whiskey Fire and Vivid black
I got her on July 17
I dig that Whiskey Fire it pops when the light hits it
Stock condition
After I added a few accessories
HD Tall Boy 2 up seat
HD Engine guard and Hwy foot rests
HD Saddle bag guards
HD Passengers backrest and luggage rack
HD Coil cover
Lay down license plate
Speedometer hood
Flag pole & Flag
Clock on handlebars - by Marlin
Coffee mug / Water bottle holder with garage remote
Gremlin bell
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Tom from Rubicon
Well-Known Member
Glad to see the new ride has crash bars too. Hopefully as strong as those on the totaled ride. Do you have photos of the crash scene?
Is that a Coasty flag on the rack?
Tom
Is that a Coasty flag on the rack?
Tom
wrench
Well-Known Member
Yup, US Coast Guard
BTW Crash bars are called Guards
Good thing I had those bars, they saved my leg and maybe my life - Besides the bars keeping the weight of the bike off me and my leg
The engine guard and the saddle bag guards made my bike wide enough so it wouldn't fit under the trucks front bumper
Truck pushed the bike across the intersection by the bottom of the bike
I took some pics of the bike The tank and fenders didn't get damaged but when a bike has a bent frame and swingarm it's Totaled
Harley damage repair estimate was $21k the oil pan and crankcase was also damaged and needed to be replaced
Truck hit me on the left saddle bag causing the bike to fall on it's right side
Yup, it was a red truck
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Wevil Kenevil
Well-Known Member
Spiderman sense slowing down wrench? We will have to all chip in and buy him one of those arctic orange bicycle safety flags with U.S.C.G. emblem painted on it with the little blinkey light on top so he can be seen. LoL...
Seriously though, I am glad yer ok man... Nice ride!
Isn't vivid black that super opaque light absorbing color black? Or maybe it's void black I'm thinking of...
Seriously though, I am glad yer ok man... Nice ride!
Isn't vivid black that super opaque light absorbing color black? Or maybe it's void black I'm thinking of...
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wrench
Well-Known Member
Blind spot in front of a big rig is 20'
Trucker said he didn't see me. I guess he forgot I was there after he pulled up behind me
Maybe I should put a 10' flag pole with an orange flag on my bike LOL....