Originally written by emnerrn on 12/23/2007 8:59 AM
Gaylord,
Thank you for the info on Dot. I very much enjoy tradition and being part of a family who definately thinks outside of the box. 1940 hd comfort? probably not as compared to the seats of today..she also had to jump start, today we are spoilt...what a woman! i'll be sharing her bio with my daughter..Happy healthy many carefree rides New Year!.L
Another famous lady in motorcycling was a good friend of mine and all of her other customers when I was a kid in Chicago with a 350cc BSA single. Her name was Teresa Wallach and she was a wonderful person in addition to being a very knowledgable motorcycle mechanic. She sold BSA, Norton, Triumph, Ariel, James and Vellocette as well as parts and did repair work on British bikes. I worked for her from time to time uncrating British bikes that came in new from England. She was really something. Before she had her own shop, she also worked at another bike shop that had sold Indians before they went out of business in 1954.
She was a great lady and I am pleased to have known her. She is also in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of fame. Here is a link. Her 1935 motorcycle trip across Africa is an inspiration to everyone, male or female! She was a true pioneer and yes, she had a sidecar rig in her shop that she let all of us ride. Ha.
http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/hofbiopage.asp?id=309
gnm109
Thank again Gaylord, was on that site
filled with lots of past time memories of the greats!
Now if we can live up to them...
Originally written by emnerrn on 12/28/2007 12:10 AM
Thank again Gaylord, was on that site
filled with lots of past time memories of the greats!
Now if we can live up to them...
I hope we can.
I do recall that Ms. Wallach was always ready to help the young kids that came to her for bike parts and encouragement. She once re-did all of the cables on my 1948 B31 (350cc) and showed me how to solder them so they wouldn't come loose. In payment, I worked for her for a week, unloading bikes and uncrating them.
Her own personal bike was a 1948 Norton Single Overhead Cam International. She would let me ride it to pick up parts from the local wholesalers. I once had it going 90 mph down the Outer Drive in Chicago. Heh heh.
People like her have always inspired me.
GNM
Yes me too! thankyou!
L
Well after a 20 min break to read all of the feed back from the first question i have come to realize a few important thing we could all pretty much agree on. We all have taken a little (or a lot) of ribbing for our rides. We all would like to think our ride or tug is the best...but its a matter of personal likes and dislikes(HELL i think vespas with a hack are cute....but at 6'5" tall and 280 lbs its kinda out of my range). But most importantly we drive hacks cause we want either a extra loved one with us...weather it be a dog or 2, room for grandma to go with, or do like i do- take 3 kids to the local Dairy Queen all at the same time.Or We just like to be differnt and just don't want to look like everyother biker or rider on the road. We will allways turn more heads because our rigs stand out and some my be a little jelous. so sandflea ride with your head high and as a Harly owner i would be glad to ride with a ural owner anyday..Ed
the object of my affliction.
Ed
Very nicely put. Myself really don't care what the ride is only that it is safe.
Forget about it being a HD, I think you got to the point, the green eyed devil..Hey we (hackers) ride all seasons and have versitility.
BTW if I was such a snob about my Harley would not have a sidecar on her..
the sidecar is what I find allows me to enjoy riding her that much more and more often!
Just back from my last 2007 ride..supposed to blizzard here...but will have a blast New Years Day when the roads are cleared!
Enjoyed sharing with all of you.
Happy Healthy Many Carefree Safe Rides New Year!
Liz
ED: PS beautiful Bike and car.Liz
People are individuals but if there's enough of a cross section offered then often those with certain attitudes get clumped together. In the case of motorcycles then the "clumping" attribute is usually the brand or type of bike ridden. This is unfair but it happens often.
On this forum the factor is that it's a sidecar forum. Everybody here either owns or wants a sidecar rig. As such the brand of bike is of less import. Sidecars are a curiosity. They're neither bird nor frog and thus attract attention.
Brand name forums are less forgiving. The sidecar driver is marked by his choice of bike. The owner becomes either "One of US" or "one of THEM". Sometimes rivalry is in a friendly manner and other times it gets out of hand real fast. I've now been designated a "TROLL" on one board (on which I'm no longer active) because I bought the bike and car that was best for me instead of the recognized brand. So it goes.
People who have issues with other people's rides need to address their own issues before they criticize others.
I say ride your own ride and don't take other people's issues away with you when you drive off. If a scooter is what you have and you like it that's fine. If your bike is a Harley that's also fine. When I ride off I'll still be on my own Yamaha V-star and that's fine too.
Making disparaging remarks about others isn't a bike issue. It's an etiquette issue. In short: it's rude and unnecessary on or off the bike.
Recognize the issue rather than the subject and if it's the other person's problem then leave and let them deal with it. Don't take it with you as baggage to spoil your ride.
I've never understood the bikers who make the us vs. them distinction based on bike brand or type. The real us vs. them issue is bikers vs. the inattentive car drivers who are always trying to ram into us. We're all out there trying to survive the roads together.
I don't care if you're riding an American chopper, a japanese sportbike, or an Italian scooter. You and I have something in common. A love for 2 (or three) wheeled transportation and a sense of adventure. We're more alike than different.
you said it!L
