Bama Rides

Archive for the ‘customize motorcycle’ Category

We finally got “The Beast” running this weekend, after we cut into the bad electrical, we started rewiring to get a bit of fire where it was needed.  Opened up the airbox, sprayed some ether, jumped the ignition at the solenoid, and boom, she fired.  It took a bit more rigging to get fuel going to it as we did not have a key to the gas tank.  We did also manage to get most of the non-essential gear stripped from the bike also, and it is starting to look like something we might enjoy riding.  Keep in mind, this is a bike that was donated by one of ours members, so we have less than $100 invested in this bike so far, and I am projecting less than $200 more to make it roadworthy (it might take a bit more to make it safe).

Brett Cole is an amazing young man from Trussville Alabama who has not let the loss of his arm slow him down.   Just the opposite, he is one of the fastest racers in the southeast, racing against guys with all their limbs, and destroying them on the track.  I had heard about this kid who races with one arm, and he is really good, with several wins under his belt in his second year racing.   I had a chance to meet him at Talladega GP Saturday, and he explained how the custom controls work, and how he actually used them on the track.  I am still not sure how he does it, but if you watch the video maybe you can learn how to ride a bike with one hand……maybe he will let you ride his?

Brett Cole – one-armed motorcycle racer from Alabama from dredman on Vimeo.

But why install an air horn? My bike already has a “horn”? For some reason, bike makers believe that the size of your horn should be proportionate to the size of the vehicle. Trains and semi-s have huge air-horns, and the smaller you go, the smaller the horn. Maybe scooters should have those old school thumb-triggered bells like the old bikes had?

Wrong!

The most vulnerable people on the road should have the biggest horn. I got tired of riding and not being heard when someone thought about doing something stupid, like sharing my lane with me.

The video DOES NOT do the horn justice, it sounds like a high-pitched train. Works at 70 MPH, and so far I have only used it inappropriately.

I will post the notes/pics if anyone is interested, but it comes with good instructions, and it is maybe an hour project, easy as cake, and I love my new toy!!

Also, a nice review of the horn is here