There was a Time...

Haha, I'm depressed as fuck. I'm also in a Lot of pain, to the point where I had to bail out of TC because I just couldn't hide it and people were starting to look concerned - despite having seen me like this before. I also thought I might pass out. I'm almost out of energy, if another one hits, I'm fucked.

So there are these pictures. One of Dad in his mid 20s with his Norton Atlas, and one of me in my early 20s with the same motorcycle - two of my favorite pictures. The one of me was taken on one of those perfect days. I'd cleaned the garage, and dad was out grilling, and my brother was there, and we were all talking about motorcycles, and I was on the Atlas and Al snapped the picture. Its hands down the best picture ever taken of me - as an adult.

So here is pop, and here am I:



I have been thinking about many things. There is a sidecar I want to build, Jon is figuring out plans, and Craig Vetter unwittingly is helping, though he offered me his designs with this picture 3 years ago:


See I don't want your conventional sidecar with the big chair on the side. This isn't for a person, this is so I can ride year round. This is stability and such. So that open design is perfect, and inexpensive.

You see the classic sidecar frame, and I could get one of these minus the fender for $500 from this guy in Conn looks like this:



But Vetter's design, which I have the full Patent info on, as well as his permission (from 3 years ago) to build one looks like this:



^^^^ That is something that is totally doable and matches my needs. It is something you could do anything with, he even designed a fuel tank that fits into it. I mean its just a wicked idea. The perfect 3rd Wheel.


I also have the final plan for the XS400 figured out, and since I can't rebuild Dad's Atlas I am going to go one way different.


Remember I'd talked about turning her into a Cafe racer? Well I am going to build a replica of this bike that Dad used to race, I'll even paint up the fairing the same. The sidecar looks enough like a vintage race-sidecar platform that it won't be totally out of place. This is a cafe Racer I can build for about $1200, and the tank, seat, and fairing would be able to be put on what ever bike I get next, as well as the headlight (off Dad's Atlas), the handlebars, the mirrors, what ever tail light I install.

See? Thats the thing, these cosmetics are universal to old Jap and English bikes. So yes I plan to over time put $1200 into a free motorcycle, but when/if it wears out I'll be able to put all of it plus the sidecar onto the next free bike.

Anyways, thats the dream and the goal.

This is what keeps me sane. OH! and the new bridge for the Violin I don't have yet came today. Its made in france and has adjustable feet so it will fit any violin. I read up on the violin I bought and they said the bridge was shit and broke easily, so I got a good one instantly. Here, let me show you:


Hahaha I say sane, and then I post a picture of me looking like that. Thats what my hair looks like when its not slicked back. I need a shave. But I really dig the new bridge. You can just make out the circles in the wood where the feet are - so they conform to the shape of the violin.

The great humor is I paid $50 (including S&H) for a Violin, Bow, & case. Then I paid $12 for a how to play book, $12 for a new bridge, and $20 for a shoulder rest. There is a method to the madness - you just have to find it.