North Alabama Vintage Riders Digest for January 19, 2019

[renchinrider]

 Hi, Everyone!

First off, a big, HOORAY!  Direct-mail readership of the NA Vintage Riders Digest has gone above 160 subscribers!  Additionally, this publication is posted onto the MotorcycleAlabama.com forum, where another ~60 participants view it each week...   Thank you all for your loyalty and support!

There are no new events this week (just one event re-scheduled, as shown below), so I've pasted last week's events calendar onto the end of this email.  In the meanwhile, however, here are a full week's worth of other bits and pieces of motorcycling news to help get us through the winter doldrums.

For starters this week, here's a little video clip showing different braking methods used by the Moto GP racers.  How many fingers do you use?  (as for me, the Road King brakes so easily that I can use two or three fingers with no problem.  The Shovel, on the other hand, requires all 5, and a little adrenaline never hurts!)

Here's the direct web link:  https://twitter.com/MotoGP/status/1077821478337421312?s=01

While we're on the subject of racing:  Cycle World announced the new helmet safety standards being introduced into Moto GP, and eventually into helmets sold through retail outlets.  Click the link below the photo for the full story.

https://www.cycleworld.com/new-fim-motorcycle-helmet-safety-standard-is-not-just-for-motogp-racers?con=TrueAnthem&dom=tw&src=SOC&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+New+Content+(Feed)&utm_content=5c20e5c70c044300010047e7&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

I've been meaning to send this out, but I keep getting distracted chasing all the "squirrels" around twitter.  Great article here about Travis Pastrana, AMA's2018 Motorcyclist of the Year:

https://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/12/24/motorcycle-news/travis-pastrana-named-ama-2018-motorcyclist-of-the-year/


Now, let's wind back the clock to reflect on one of the Greatest Riders of the Century!

Adventure Riders:  Here's how it was done "back in the day!"
https://twitter.com/ijustwant2ride/status/1077946025648816128?s=01

Robert Edison Fulton solo'd around the world in 1932, when he was just 23 years old!  Fulton left us 15 years ago, at the age of 95!  Read more about this incredible motorcyclist at:  https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/solo-around-the-world-in-1932-the-robert-edison-fulton-jr-story

Thanks to the Harley-Davidson Museum for sharing this photo of one of their display motorcycles.  H-D Museum asks, "do you know what kind of motorcycle this is?"  I know the model, but not the year.  Do you?  (Dale Proctor and Mike Ashbaugh--you're not allowed to answer!  :D)

https://twitter.com/hdmuseum/status/1077972393115688962?s=01

https://twitter.com/ijustwant2ride/status/1078382026993086472?s=01

Here's a pic for Alan, John and Jason:
https://twitter.com/MikeKaras2/status/1077852841123946496?s=01

Here are three features from the National Motorcycle Museum.  Click the links to view the amazing photo albums, and detailed stories about the motorcycles.

First up:  This 1952 Triumph Thunderbird:

https://www.nationalmcmuseum.org/2018/12/21/1952-triumph-thunderbird/

...And next, this 1912 Indian Single with a belt final drive...
https://www.nationalmcmuseum.org/2018/12/28/1912-indian-belt-drive-single/

Finally, here's a 1948 Harley UL, restored to incorporate its "barn find" patina...

https://www.nationalmcmuseum.org/2019/01/04/1948-harley-ul/

And, here are our local and directly applicable NAVMC activities:

Jan 19--RESCHEDULED to Feb 2nd:  Blue Knights of Alabama XVI Polar Bear Ride, Guntersville, AL.  $20 per rider, $5 per passenger.  All proceeds go to The Alabama Concerns of Police Survivors.  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/44089

Jan 24:  Veterans of America RC Bike Night, at Shagnasty's Grubbery & Pour House, 1117 Jordan Ln NW A right here in Huntsville!  Doors are open from 6 pm to 11 pm.  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/49943

Jan 26:  Dania Beach, FL 13th Annual Vintage Bike Show.  I and Raymond Cox are traveling to Florida to join NAVMC member and South Florida resident Bob Brandner for this exciting show.    This show is a real treat--all the more so considering the fantastic South Florida weather!  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/48514

Jan 30 - Feb 3:  2019 Custom Paint Workshop, hosted by Letterfly Pinstriping, Plant City, FL.  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/49545

Feb 3:  Santa Fe Trail Antique Motorcycle Club of America's 10th Annual Vintage Motorcycle Show and Swap Meet, Lawrence, KS.  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/50067

Feb 5:  Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association Bike Night at the Cafe Del Rio, Spanish Fort, AL.  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/49449

Feb 7 - 10:  Full Throttle Motorcycle Expo and Bike Builder Invitational, Clearwater, FL.  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/48727

Feb 9:  South Florida's 2nd Annual 2-Stroke Only Vintage Motorcycle Show, Fort Myers, FL.  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/50042

Feb 9:  Mark your calendars:  NAVMC member and professional photographer Larry Mayo will be conducting a workshop entitled, "The Art of Photographing Motorcycles."  This workshop will coincide with our Saturday morning breakfast at the Blue Plate Cafe II, and will be held in the banquet room.  I'm accepting nominations for the "model bike" to be brought into the banquet room to "pose" for photos.  Submit your thumbnails or photos, and we'll do a poll the first week of Feb to select the "model" bike!  The reward is having it professionally photographed by Larry!

Feb 9:  Veterans of America Riders Club 7th Annual Polar Bear Run.  All proceeds to benefit Floyd E. "TuT" Fann state veterans home!  Diamonds Sports Bar, 11208 Memorial PKWY SW, Huntsville, AL.  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/49939

Feb 15 - 17:  Mama Tried Motorcycle Show, Milwaukee, WI.  http://mamatriedshow.com/

Feb 15 - 17:  2019 Thunder By The Bay Music and Motorcycle Festival, Sarasota, FL.  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/47178

Feb 22-23:  40th Annual Lincoln Highway AMCA National Antique Bike Show and Swap Meet, at Christiansen Field, Fremont, NE.  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/49605

March 1 - 2:  Indoor Flat Track Racing in Lynchburg, TN (??? That's what it says, "365 Main St, Lynchburg!"???)  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/49633

March 8 - 9:  8th Annual International Vintage Motorcycle Swap Meet and Show, Lake County Fairgrounds, Eustis, FL.  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/47180

March 8 - 9:  2019 AMCA Sunshine Chapter National Swap Meet, Silver Sands Bridle Club Inc, New Smyrna Beach, FL.  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/49606

March 8 - 17:  Daytona Bike Week.  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/3284

March 28 - 31:  March Moto Madness - Mother Rally, 801 Steer Creek Rd, Tellico Plains, TN.  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/43666  IMPORTANT NOTE:  Al Goodwin and several others are going.   Al has a discussion/coordination forum going on MotorcycleAlabama for anyone interested in joining him and his group.  They'll be staying at the Cherohala Mountain Trails Campground.  https://www.motorcyclealabama.com/rides/index.php?topic=3243.msg29446#msg29446

April 25-28:  10th Annual Spring Shovelhead Retreat, at the Kickstand Lodge, Stecoah, NC.  These are the same folks I met at Shovelfest in Tellico a few months ago, and they're a great group of riders who love vintage Harleys.  Unless anything gets in my way, I'll be riding my Shovel up to Stecoah to participate.  If any of you want to join me, and want a cabin, let me know.  If you plan to do primitive camping (as I plan to), there is no concern, as primitive camping spaces are almost unlimited.

Please let me know what I've missed.

Let's ride! 8)