[Fernando Coelho]

It's Sunday morning and the weather man on television is calling for temperatures in the 80's with chances of scattered showers. As I roll the bike outside I look up at a blue sky. Well, the weather man has been wrong before so I ride down to meet up with Munenn. About five miles from his house I notice the sky ahead of me is dark grey. I start to get thumped in the chest by some rather large rain drops. The little voice in my head reminds me that the weather man has been known to be right, too. I get to Munenn's house and by the time I walk inside the clouds opened up. The rain came down for about ten minutes and then stopped. Taking this as an ideal opportunity to leave before the rain decided to start again, we headed down to Michael's Bar & Grill. About thirty minutes later we arrive at a cloudy but dry Chapel Hill. At Michael's the parking lot was starting to fill up with bikers from around the area. We parked our bikes and settled down for another Michael's breakfast. The rest of the morning bikers came in and out of the parking lot. While the turnout wasn't as large as in the past, there were still a decent amount of bikes worth showing:

Ducati 998 Monoposto:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/998.jpg[/IMG]
Ducati 999 Monoposto:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/999.jpg[/IMG]
Beautiful airbrushing on a Harley Davidson:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/AcesWild.jpg[/IMG]
Current production Triumph Bonneville painted and trimmed to look like an original from the late Sixties:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/Bonnie.jpg[/IMG]
A very clean example of an original British BSA:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/BSA.jpg[/IMG]

 

[Fernando Coelho]

The American approach to a sportbike, the Buell:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/Buell.jpg[/IMG]
An all original Moto Guzzi brought to Michael's by the original owner:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/CleanGuzzi.jpg[/IMG]
BMW's answer for a high-end multi-purpose motorcycle:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/Dakar.jpg[/IMG]
His and hers Harleys:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/DualBikes.jpg[/IMG]
Very well done Harley Davidson set up as a Cafe Racer:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/HD-Cafe.jpg[/IMG]

 

[Fernando Coelho]

Show quality Indian Chief:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/Indian1.jpg[/IMG]
Note the attention to detail, right down to the faux .44 Mag cartridges:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/Indian2.jpg[/IMG]
Custom chopper from Iron Horse:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/IronHorse.jpg[/IMG]
This Trike's air brushing got my attention:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/JesusTrike.jpg[/IMG]
Ducati 998 Matrix:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/Matrix.jpg[/IMG]

 

[Fernando Coelho]

A well appointed Ducati Multistrata:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/Multistrata.jpg[/IMG]
Munenn's Triumph Daytona:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/Munenn.jpg[/IMG]
Vintage Norton:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/Norton.jpg[/IMG]
A unique approach to customizing:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/Suicidemachine.jpg[/IMG]

 

[Fernando Coelho]

Triumph's approach to a multi-purpose bike, the Tiger:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/Tiger.jpg[/IMG]
Just one more wheel and you have a car:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/Trike.jpg[/IMG]
The Triumphs were out in force at Michael's:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/Triumph.jpg[/IMG]
Another example of the Triumph Bonneville:
[IMG=left]http://www.amback.com/images/uploaded/TriumphBonnie.jpg[/IMG]

 

[Charlie Petty]

Hey Fernando... how about some capitons so those ignorant clods amongst us will know why they are worth showing? I'd especially like to know about them cartridges.

 

[Munenn]

I guess Fernando got so overwhelmed by the bikes he forgot all about the usual captons.

The cartridges are a not uncommon decorative accessory for cruisers. They're quite fake (as in not real loaded rounds). Did you see the headstamp? Pretty funny, I thought.

As Fernando and I left cards around this time as we were shooting the bikes, the owners might well come online to tell us about their bikes themselves.

How 'bout it, guys?

 

[sensop]

Thanks again, Fernando. I love these photo journals of visits to Michael's.

 

[SpecialEd]

Yep! Every week seems to be a feast for the eyes. AND, it's not all the latest and greatest high-tech either, there's lots of nostalgia with those old Truimphs and Nortons too.

Ed

 

[Fernando Coelho]

I added some descriptions to the pictures. Next time I'll get more info from the owners.

 

[Charlie Petty]

Thanks Fernando, I learned something.

I seem to recall that Jesse James used cartridges but do others do it too? That's kinda like those super rare ".45 Long Colt" Black Talon rounds of Dean's.

 

[mikegunner]

CP ---

Don't I remember correctly that there was a ".45 Long Colt" attached to your plaque also????

Mike

 

[SpecialEd]

looks like that "Suicide Machine" was painted with a brush.

 

[Charlie Petty]

Not on the plaque... just a nice plush box.

 

[Fernando Coelho]

Charlie - I'm not sure if it was Jesse James that started the trend but a few custom bike makers latched on to the idea. Jesse even came out with a line of car rims called 44 Mag.

SpecialEd - I didn't get close enough to get a better look, but you may be right.

 

[ChopperCharles]

Suicide Machine

The Suicide Machine's tank and side panels were painted with black primer, and then with acrylic paints for the tank graphics. The front and rear fenders came painted gloss black already.

The Suicide Machine is a work in progress. You read up on the build process from day one here: http://www.cxboard.netfirms.com/cxChopper

The goal was to make an inexpensive, good looking chopper that's fun to ride and gets a lot of looks. And it excells at that. The paint is just a temporary measure while I'm debating how the finished product is going to turn out. I still have to install the 673cc engine , build custom exhaust, and fabricate forward controls and raked trees. When all the fabrication is completely, 100% finished, then and only then will I strip the bike down to nothing and send parts out to be painted, powdercoated, and chromed.

In the meantime, I have fun riding around a unique rat bike that really turns heads.

Charles.

 

[SpecialEd]

Welcome!

Thanks for the info Charles, hope we get some more owners filling us in on the history of their bikes.

Don't forget to send in more pics as the bike develops,

Ed

 

[Munenn]

I think the most impressive thing about your bike is all the fabbing you had to do to get all the disparate parts to work together. That's why your bike is much more impressive than alot of the fancy bikes made from bolt-together parts selected out of a catalog. And it's quite different than the usual Harley/clone thing, too.

I have to tell you that I'm almost sorry to hear you're going to do a ground-up refinish and paint job on it. I think the rust and all made it look kind of neat- the whole "ratbike ambiance" thing. I'm sure it'll be quite something when you're done, though. Best of luck with it, and keep bringing it by Micheals' as you progess. Can't wait to see it done.


It also sounds really good, by the way, like a Guzzi.

 

[SpecialEd]

It also sounds really good, by the way, like a Guzzi.

Great idea Munenn! Next week we'll all be expecting some sound files to go with the pictures! :lol:

Ed