Electra Glide In Blue

After years of being down on my knees or flat on my back, I finially bought a motorcycle lift. I only wrench on my own stuff so I really couldn’t see dropping 800 to a grand for a nice Handy lift. I settled for a Harbor Freight motorcycle lift, on sale for $299.00.

After I set this lift up, I was amazed, just how long I made it without one. I am seeing my motorcycle like never before. Nothing like having your motorcycle up in the air, and right in your face, I love it. Plus my knees love it!

Ride Safe.

I just can’t stay away from from the motorcycle listings on Craigslist. It seems as though I’m not alone, scanning the listings as they pop up sometimes by the minute. I have received several comments and emails from readers on how they are doing the same, and scoring some good deals on motorcycles and motorcycle parts off of Craigslist.
I caught this ad last week, motorcycle shop closing do to death of owner. Sad but these things do happen. This shop just happened to be about 35 miles east of me, the sale was last Sunday. The listing was brief, small shop, mostly Harley parts. I had never heard of the place, but thought I’d give it a look see.
I arrived right at 10 am, the stated start time, and there was a hand full of people inside all ready. It seemed as though allot had been picked over, maybe there was a early-brid sale I was unaware of. So I was forced to dig around a little and hand picked some pretty good parts and a nice old wheel stand.

This wheel stand, I think I may have paid too much for at $100 bucks.

I can never pass up a old star hub wheel for a 20 dollar bill.

Why I bought this, an old Weber carb, I don’t have a clue, other than I jewed them down to 80 bucks.
Good Ebay item I guess.

Here is a set of 5 gal fatbobs, 84 and earlier new in the box for $70.00

For $20 bucks a Mustang seat, just like brand new, exactly like the one I have now on my 68FLH, which needs redone.

I also picked up a new 21in front tire for cheap. I had another line on a Sportster front end about 45 miles to the south so I loaded up my stuff and headed down the road. This was listed for 75 bucks, the guy met me at his house and wheeled out this front end.

Paid him the $75, loaded it up and headed back to the house. All in all, I think I did pretty good for scoring some motorcycle parts off Craigslist. Total out of pocket for the day just under $400, not including gas.
Ride Safe!

Are you a motorcycle nut like me? I just seem to leave my cares behind me when I hit the road on my bike! I also love my skin. I have shopped for leather goods before and found many different types. So many that it gets confusing. So when shopping for motorcycle leathers what type of leather is best?

Leather can be made from virtually any animal. Leather from each of these different hides will have different characteristics. The characteristic that is good for one application may not be good for the next. For example you may want soft supple leather for a high fashion garment, but more ridged tougher leather for protective gear.

Sources of different leathers would include, but is not limited to the following:

1. bison
2. buffalo
3. ox
4. elk
5. ostrich
6. sting ray
7. snake
8. crocodile
9. shark
10. goat

Of this cow, sheep, buffalo and ox are the most common.

Leather Types

Leather is generally sold in these forms.

Full-grain or top-grain leather is the upper most section of the hide. This section contained the epidermis and hair. They have been removed. Full-grain leather has not been altered or corrected to remove imperfections or natural marks on the hide. The leather being left in its natural state will give it the best fiber strength and greater durability. Full-grain leather is the most comfortable because the natural grain has natural breathability. Full-grain leather from 1 – 1.3 mm makes good riding gear.

Naked Leather is only the finest handpicked hides. With naked leather only the hair is removed and there is no sanding to remove imperfections. The epidermis remains. Dye is the only thing added to naked leather. With thickness over 1.3 mils it makes the ultimate riding grade leathers.

Corrected-grain leather is top-grain leather with its imperfections removed. These are removed by sanding, buffing or snuffing the surface to remove imperfects like healed scars, insect bites, or brands. All corrected-grain leather is made of top-grain leather, but once it is corrected it can no longer be called top-grain. Many pigmented leather is corrected-leather because the pigments help hide the corrections. Corrected-grain leather is usually too thin to make good riding gear.

Split leather created from the part of the hide that is left after the top-grain has been separated from the hide. This is a fibrous part of the hide. This operation called splitting separates the hide. In very thick hides you can have several splits. Split leather has an artificial layer applied and is embossed with a leather grain or is used to create suede. Suede is fuzzy on both sides. Split leather is not durable enough to make good riding gear.

Motorcycle leathers should be considered protective gear. When going out for a ride you should leave the fashion statement at home and choose the leather that is going to help protect you. When something unexpected happens you want the right gear protecting you.

You need a leather that will stay between you and the road. These leathers are usually a little stiffer and heavier than some of the fashion leathers, and will take some time to break in. Generally cow and buffalo hide are considered to be the toughest and most abrasion resistant types of leather. Naked leather will give you the best riding gear and be the most expensive. The top-grain leather over 1 mm will give you adequate riding gear for most situations. The corrected-grain or split leathers are not your best choice of leathers for motorcycle leathers.

Ride safe and always wear your safety gear. You never know when it may save you.

Just missed a sweet deal on Craigslist by about 15min., and I know better. If you snooze you loose! I stumbled on the listing as soon as it was posted.
1975 Suzuki Rotory – $600
The ad came with very little info and no pictures, I hate when there is no pictures. So I gave the guy a call to inquire about the bike and ask for a pic or two. He said it has been parked for about ten years, hasn’t ran since. He had it re-painted in brown, and put on a windjammer over twelve years ago. The original color was blue, this motorcycle was only manufactured from 1974-1976 and almost put an end to Suzuki. It is also the only motorcycle to be mass manufactured with a Wankel rotary engine. The guy emailed some pictures my way this morning saying he was in no hurry to sell. I don’t think he new he was setting on a collector motorcycle worth well above what he was asking. I gave him a call as soon as I could today and his wife said he was outside loading it up and it was sold. I had to inquire if he did get the asking price of $600, his wife said “oh yea”. Its not that I needed another Craigslist motorcycle project, but the fact that this motorcycle was worth at least $1000 just the way it set in his back yard. I guess it wasn’t meant to be.

It had been covered with a tarp and was just hosed off water.

Ride Safe