Motorcycles

[Albert GRANT]

Based on the logo on the gas tank & the chrome bar around the back of the seat, my guess would be a circa-1946 Indian Chief. But a real expert might come along & provide a more exact identification since I'm not an Indian guru. Great photo though!



Because of @Albert GRANT's post from a couple of weeks ago, I found myself in a dealership yesterday sitting on top of a Triumph 400 Scrambler XC making vroom-vroom sounds. I was out on my BMW R1200 GS in the Flatside Wilderness Area of central Arkansas last week enjoying myself. But I was also thinking it would be a hoot to have something smaller & lighter to play on. I absolutely loved my little 1980 Yamaha 400 XS Special that got me through college at LSU. The current Triumph lineup has a bunch of classic-looking bikes from my youth that appeal!

View attachment 780998

The question is, did you test drive it? I hope you did and would love to hear your thoughts. I initially went for the looks but quickly fell for the riding!

 

[C.W. Richter]

*Taught both kids to ride well, but one is a Dr/Mother and no time for such, the other (also Dr) had to be eased out of it slowly. He's still living his life, but IF anything happened to his right hand, he'd be FINISHED with work, so he gets it and hunting the globe on foot it is! There's that great book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," and there's a LOT of truth to that-it teaches a kid Soooo much (it just involves so many skills, places and people.) You learn a LOT of skills spending time around 'em! Like, dodging deer, bear (and Zebra, Kudu, Eland etc. in TX!!) Just zip across the (wet) cattle guard and don't get killed...lol Once rode home from a Spring celebration at a ski resort, only to get caught in a snowstorm (road racing bike with slick tires)...i followed other cars closely, in the center of the lane where car exhaust systems were melting the snow a bit...I was prepared to go down, but it never happened. 'Was hrs from home so no one was going to come rescue me (and I had to be at my strict corporate job the next a.m.) Co-workers would always joke with me...On snowy/hurricane/ice storm days they'd all say "Hey! Ride in today??" LOL 60K mi/yr. I didn't need coffee at work and the ride homes were very scenic (i'd hit 3-4 states very quickly, taking different routes every eve.)

 

[BeeMaa]

Please excuse the bad picture. Here is my dad I think sometime between 1959-1961 not 100% sure. Ironically, he was killed in a vehicle accident, not on a motorcycle. When I told my mom I was thinking of getting a motorcycle, she said to me "I brought you to this world, I will send you back" and she was serious. I never got a motorcycle.

Does anyone know what motorcycle this is?

It's a ca 1950 Harley Davidson Hydraglide

It's a Harley Panhead engine that was made from 1948-1965. The rear suspension looks to be rigid with telescoping front, making it a Hydra-Glide that was made from '49 to '57.

 

[odonata]

The question is, did you test drive it? I hope you did and would love to hear your thoughts. I initially went for the looks but quickly fell for the riding!

I didn't test drive the Triumph 400 Scramber XC. I was just giving my brother a ride to drop off his truck for some repair work & knew the Triumph dealership was nearby so I did a quick stop since I'm normally not in that area. I retire next month so I'm looking forward to having a lot more free time to do what I like (and I like motorcycles!). The problem is too many options to choose from & limited garage space. Besides, endlessly mulling over the choices is half the fun. But that scrambler did check a large number of boxes for me based on the intended usage.

 

[BeeMaa]

The problem is too many options to choose from & limited garage space. Besides, endlessly mulling over the choices is half the fun. But that scrambler did check a large number of boxes for me based on the intended usage.

Just like firearms and having enough room in the vault.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Yep

Dear Mr @Ontario Hunter,

I cannot answer your question in a meaningful manner.
There is history behind these things.... if you don't know or care for it, it won't make sense.

I have 2 options only:
Keep it DSB or make it SSB.

Removing both bridges is simply NOT NEGOTIABLE

Please excuse the bad picture. Here is my dad I think sometime between 1959-1961 not 100% sure. Ironically, he was killed in a vehicle accident, not on a motorcycle. When I told my mom I was thinking of getting a motorcycle, she said to me "I brought you to this world, I will send you back" and she was serious. I never got a motorcycle.

Does anyone know what motorcycle this is?

View attachment 780996

It’s a 1949 or 1950 FL hydraglide. The tank emblem changed in 1949. But they moved away from the “springer” front end in 1949. So it’s in the range of 1949 and 1950

Very cool picture

 

[matt85]

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Thank you, i came out surprisingly good considers i was launched off the bike. If anything, getting thrown free was what saved me. My entire right side was bruised, sore, and had some light road rash on my leg. But nothing on me was broken.

The bike also came out pretty good. It is costing the guy who hit me $3000 to fix and it will likely be at the shop for a while. Hopefully ill have it back before the summer ends!