Roar of the Lion

This morning I finally fixed the throttle adjust problem. It wasn't that its a complicated problem, just a pain to access. I had to pull the carbs to get to where the other end of the throttle adjust screw butts up against the throttle - once I got in there, I discovered the whole thing had come out of it's little tunnel. A few precise turns and it was comfortably sitting back where it belongs. Once I got the whole carb assembly, air boxes and gas tank back together the bike fired right up and the idle was once again adjustable. So for now, no more holding the throttle open manually at stop lights just to keep the bike running.

On a side note, I took one of the mufflers off, just out of curiosity (in the pic) and it looked amazing. I'm definitely going to get some short, straight mufflers for the hornet. With one of them off, I started it up (probably not the best idea) to see how it sounded, and it was pretty incredible. The whole garage was rumbling and thumping. Somewhere deep inside the dark, fiery heart of this little bastard is a primal, bone-shaking roar that's been bridled by these ugly mufflers - I'm going to set this lion free.

Pray for Combustion

During a lull tonight, I got out the 1shot and did some more sloppy painting on my helmet. It's not the prettiest thing, but neither am I, and neither is my beloved hornet, so this ugly little bastard is in good company.

Flat Track Society

I came across these photos on the MotArt (from Iron and Resin), and I could be mistaken, but I think that's a CB360. It could be a 350, but that tank looks just like a 360. Anyway, this is one of the best treatments of an older Honda twin that I've seen. It's so simple, it's beautiful. From here it looks lowered, different tires/fender, forks and bars, exhaust and seat. A lot of work, but very well done.

Long Beach, 1969

Came across this photo from the '60s on American Wind. It's fun to see that others were cruising around Long Beach on Hondas long before we were. I'm another rusty link in a long chain of under-500cc degenerates.

Road to Nowhere

Just an oldie of Seth and I's bikes on the road to Azusa.

Close Encounters

I went on a quick ride around town today and spotted this great little BSA scrambler down by 2nd Street. I have no idea what the model is, or if it's mostly custom. Beautiful bike. I ended up riding the Honda down to the end of the peninsula again, and rode off into the sand a little before the lifeguards could kick me out. Nice morning.

History Mystery

It's not always a bad thing to have your grandmother on facebook. My grandma posted this photo today. This is her brother, my great uncle Richard. I've never met him, but my mom says he currently lives in Salt Lake City - and used to live in El Monte, Calif. He was the cool uncle, she said, who rode motorcycles and had a pin-up girl tattoo on his arm. From what I can tell, this is probably a 1965 BSA, maybe a Sport Star? What's even more cosmic, is that these are the same mountains that I rode through a few weeks ago on the Honda, without a clue that some 45 years ago, my great uncle was up there on the same roads, on his BSA.