Happy New Year! Here's to you!

Chessie's Rides....My favorite shots! PT. 3

Here are a few more photos I like...just for you to view!



This is me...at the pinnacle of Roan Mountain.  I always feel on top of the world when I ride...a photo like this is worth a 1000 words.



This shot is one that I hope helps the viewer understand a bit about being "behind the bars" and the views.



This is from Cades Cove (Great Smoky Mountain Park). Perhaps my favorite shot from this day's ride.



Well...perhaps not my favorite. This park is so beautiful. Amazing shots all around you.




Here's another shot from Cades Cove...yeah it's hard to pic the "Best" one of the day!



People will tell you, "Don't go to Cades Cove on your motorcycle."  I'm here to tell ya, if you go early enough, and on a weekday... riding though Cades Cove is very rewarding. You sure can't stop and grab photos like this while driving your car through the loop.





This has to be my all time favorite home.  It's on Flag Pond Road.  With Sam's Gap in the distance, and a grave yard up the hill.




This is the deconstruction of the Iron bridge on Iron Bridge Road in Carter County, TN. I was sad to see this.



I love being able to stop and notice "the little things" when I ride.  Something you don't normally do when riding in a 4 wheeler....



A short hike from TN 97 is this wonderful sight.  I parked my bike and hiked the AP Trail a short distance. Next year, I want to hike farther. I'm thinking of joining the local hiking club.



Here we are at Grandfather Mountain. Perhaps one day I will get off the bucks to actually walk into the park and out to the sight seeing platform...???? NAAAAA



This is a shot of the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virgina.  I'm down at the bottom of the gorge on an old iron bridge that crosses the New River...what a wonderful state WV is. I can't wait to do this again!



This is Kanawa Falls in West Virgina.  I love that state for riding. What a grand time I had.



This is a beautiful mill house in West Virgina.  Don't you agree about it's beauty?

I can go on forever...but it's best I don't! Did ya enjoy these shots? More to come!

The King with the peoples.

Workin Indian

Cooper MkV 1951

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For our last post in 2010 we felt like closing the year with a life sized toy.... We are also children after all!

All shooting sessions in Ze studio are an adventure story, this one could take two books full of what can be discovered and told about the machine and its pilot.
In this first post let's talk about this "machine". I write of a "machine" cause it's a strange mix between motorcycle and car as you're about to see.



It's a 1951 COOPER MK V, at those times it raced in the 500cc class of formula 3, very popular in England.

On such cars, some of the most famous english pilots have started and competed: Sterling Moss, John Surtees, Jack Brabham, Ken Tyrrell among many others.


500cc class was launched in 1946. John Cooper and his childhood friend Eric Brandon wishing to race in this economical category, decided as many other pilots of those days, to assemble their own prototype (T2). They will create later on, with John's father, their compagny, The Cooper Car Compagny.

John and Eric will win many races among which The Prescott Race and will make the COOPER 500 evolve during the following years. Afterwards, John had a brilliant carrier as a Formula 1 tuner and belongs to those who revolutionnarized this sport.



The prototype (T2) prefigures the model we photographed, its a tubular chassis, the bodywork is alloy made, the engine, placed behind the pilot, is an air cooled, mono cylinder, alcohol fed 500cc J.A.P 4B providing 45 Hp at 7000 rpm with a compression rate of 16.1 . Direct transmission is with a motorbike chain. At those times this JAP engine is quasi universal in many sports in England such as speedway, sprint, grasstrack, cycle cars....

The 4 gears box is of a NORTON MANX. A few models are equipped with a 4 gears BURMAN. The rims, true pieces of art, are made out of magnesium.


For some versions, they will even use the 1000cc V shaped bicylinder JAP.


For later versions the Jap engine will be replaced by the NORTON MANX one more powerful about 50hp soon on some models they will use a 500cc T100 Triumph alloy engine, this is the case for the one we photographed.


The owner, prefering the sensations and the torque of the mono cylinder, replaced it by a JAP.

I don't know if Santa Claus hear us, but I would certainly order one....

more details here

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Men's File issue #04 Preview

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Hey folks issue#04 of your favorite magazine is coming soon stay tuned !...
Meanwhile don't forget to order issue #03 here

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Just a Little Video Treat for You

Where this video really shines is in showing off two very pretty motorized fun generators.

Enjoy all the pretty.

Top 5 Motorcycle Trike Pictures for 2010

The top 5 motorcycle trike pictures were picked from pictures submitted to Motorcycle Views in 2010.

The pictures were chosen for a variety of reasons. I looked at each picture, read each description, and picked those pictures that held my interest.

Check out the Top 5 Motorcycle Trike Pictures for 2010.

Polar Bear Grand Tour Run to Schoch's Harley-Davidson on Dec.19, 2010

Check out pictures and videos of the eighth motorcycle run of the Polar Bear Grand Tour season to Schoch's Harley-Davidson on December 19, 2010.

Triumph Recalls 2010 GT and ST Motorcycles for Incorrect Dipstick Length

Triumph is recalling certain model year 2010 GT and ST motorcycles.

The plug/dipstick is of an incorrect length. As a result, the accuracy of the dipstick for measuring adequate levels of oil may be compromised and adequate oil levels may not be maintained.

The number of units affected is 216.

Check out my Motorcycle Recalls feature for more details.

Fun,fun,fun.

Holiday Wishes

May all your dressers be lit like a Christmas tree.

Merry Christmas from the Wing Nuts!

The Hustler

.... and a little more Joe Hurst history.

This time from Choppers Magazine May 1969.

Roth liked nicknames and the bikes named for the features. Roth asked Joe if he had any nicknames, Joe said no.... then Ed asked, if he liked playing pool.... Joe said said yup.

The Hustler is pretty much the prototype of what would become the South Bay Style.

If I got it straight, this was Joe's second Harley and the Shovelhead was out of Dick Allen's chrome frame bike (Wheeler Dealer Chop. Mag. Oct.'68). Joe always laments, the funds from selling his complete Panhead only got him an engine and trans.


Joe's the Godfather of the swooping double braced sissy bar and Dick Allen springers. This fork was the first one Dick Allen made. Actually second, the very first was for a Triumph, but Joe jokes, that doesn't count! The first few Dick made had Harley spring perches and top trees, later versions were completely fabricated from scratch.

From the shadow of the sissy bar, I was able detect the bike next to Joe's was his friend Jim Andrew's Grapes of Wrath. It was featured in another issue.


The tank featured a stylized "13" as on his former Panhead. The seat maker's credit is an error, Phil Ross stitched it up. As Irish Rich pointed out, this front view of the forks was used for the ads in this issue and others.


Here's the cover of the issue it was in. Not Joe's bike, but I know you guys enjoy the Choppers Magazine stuff.

Prior to this feature, the Hustler had tall stacks and had won First Place in the Street Bike Class at the Trident's custom car and bike show. More on that later.

Nifty Lookin' Motorsickles

Well, looky there.

I have to admit, I've always thought the Speed Four would be a little better with tank treads.

Jurassic Cars 001

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Hollywood Mustang

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Merry Solstice

Believe what you wish, but there's no denying that this time of year has always been linked to many traditions, ceremonies, and celebrations which were connected to the sun's rebirth. Decorated evergreen trees and the 12 festival days of Yule are just a couple examples of those old celebrations.

This art shows why we have seasons. The globe to the right is where we are now.

Christians did not always celebrate the birth of Jesus as the original focus had been on his resurrection. It's interesting how the birth of the "Son of God" is celebrated at the time of year that many ancient (and not so ancient), cultures celebrated the return or rebirth of the "Sun" which they worshiped as God.


Talk about alignment. It was rained out here on the west coast (bummed I couldn't see it), but a rare lunar eclipse that coincided with this year's solstice happened early this morning. It's been centuries since and will not happen again until 2094. Most people alive today won't see it. Makes you stop and think... and wonder what the world will be like then?

I have to admit, I like the ancients, have always been a bit relieved and happy when the days get longer each day.

Southsiders Babe December 2010

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Photographer Yoshiyuki Iwase
Bluff Glazing 1935
Silver Print


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And Now ...Something Completely Different

I'm not into Hondas, but it's cool.


Just in case you were wondering where it's from.

It Took A Lot Of Balls...

328 chrome ones!... to customize this '77 Harley Full Dresser.

Recently on Ebay

286 small chrome balls, 42 large chrome balls, 75 lights, 263 chrome bullets, and 23 visors to be exact.

You might say, a dresser for the "Fringe Element".

A lot of balls and horny too!

Seller said, "this bike is VERY front end heavy and will take getting used to". "this bike will NOT do 70 mph on the freeway".

Also stated, "this is an old bike that rattles, vibrates, and has seen better days. Definitely a treasure".

Really?!! ...a treasure?

Commuting In the Wrong Vehicle

Hey there. Been a while.

So, due to a series of events not interesting enough to share, I had to drive a car to work today.

It was... terrible. Other drivers were cranky (one actually took the time to call me an asshole), the thing barely maneuvers, and the visibility was terrible. Why do cagers submit themselves to this daily torture?

Blech. Glad I don't have to do that too often. I'm already looking forward to riding the Triumph in tomorrow.

The Loose Goose Lives

I didn't make it to last week's Chopper Fest, but found this shot from the show on Bikernet.com

The bike is credited to Levi Louie and is called the Loose Goose. You might recognize it from an earlier post . Yes, that's Grant Peterson stalking behind it.