One needs to try to put themselves back in time to the mindset of those riding motorcycles. The Interstate System was begat by IKE and years away when this fellow was riding. The total miles of paved highways in those days was probably something like 25% of what it is today. The expectations of riders was that on a good day they might travel 30-40 miles of decent twolane highway but that a large portion of their riding was done on dirt roads, logging roads and sometimes mere paths from one place to another. Perhaps because I grew up in Maine in the 60's and we were so far behind the times, these pictures elicit a smile from me more than a question of how the hell ? Been there, done that, bought more than one t-shirt. Oh sure most of it with a semi dirt bike, but even when I bought my 1st Electra-Glide, a lot of places I went involved riding like the fellow in the picture. When was the last time you heard of a skid plate under the motor and trans of a new H-D ? They were as essential as having oil in the crankcase back in the day. It was what you skidded over rocks etc on without totally wrecking your engine/trans case(s) And if you look at most run of the mill antique H-D's, you'll notice the bottoms of the fenders are bent and banged up, the underside of the frames are scraped and gouged. We didn't know what we didn't know - - -ie : nobody told us you weren't supposed to ride that way. And those older guys, the ones I was trying to emulate ? They acted like a ride down a deer path through the Maine woods was a perfectly normal way to get to where you were going. We're spoiled now and we spoil our vehicles. They cost so damn much we're afraid to use them beyond the little old lady from Pasadena scenario. Look at the arguments there are on this website over fricken wax and polishes as an example of that. ( no offense intended - - but ) Once upon a time somebody invented a motorized two wheel conveyance. It became popular because it cost far less than a four wheeled one and people rode them everywhere in all types of weather. Now they cost more than 1/2 the automobiles in the marketplace and we act as though they are museum pieces. God forbid you try to trade in a Harley you've used for transportation and not a rolling piece of artwork. This is my 2nd rant of the day, I'll stop now.
B B
Clearly some first hand experience driving those thoughts. Looking at the early riding experience from today’s perspective, it seems like nonsense. Whenever I have an opportunity to ride the early machinery, soon after pulling away from the curb I begin wondering just what the heck the folks were thinking back then. In their day people riding those machines thought very highly of them, as we did of our early machinery at the time, and do of our modern machines today.
The attached photo was taken in the early spring around 1955. Pictured are a string of machines backed into a curb filled with snow and ice. The machine on the left is running a winter windshield. I picked up a ’71 Electra Glide in ’75 that came equipped with a winter windshield. As you might imagine, aesthetically this machine was beyond the customary Gunk job followed by a wash and wax. Check out the serious pair of gauntlets on the second rider from the left. Lap aprons were popular in those days; don’t see any here. The second and fourth machines from the left are running lowers on the crash bar (appropriately called crash and spill bars back then).
Running in the winter meant that you had to deal with condensation and ice forming in the oil lines and fuel filter. This wasn’t the case on a spring ride like this; so much as it was when the mercury reached temps well below freezing. Starting a machine on a cold morning in an unheated space required some planning. You first had to thaw the ice that formed in the fuel filter trap, just below the float bowl. If you ever wanted the oil light to go out, you had to melt the ice that formed below the bend of the feed line just below the oil tank.
Considering the technology available to the average person using a motorcycle for transportation in these times, it was likely that you would use an open flame to deal with these circumstances. Anyone remember the old blowtorches that were pressurized with a hand pump on top of a brass tank? Those worked pretty well for the ice in the oil line. A little more finesse was recommended on the fuel filter hanging below the brass Linkert, or you might be faced with overcoming other unexpected obstacles.
Another thing that you sometimes saw up north was rust forming and poking through the fenders, usually at the mounting points and seams. You’re right Brian, times have certainly changed.
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Topic: Nostalgia Bike Pictures (Read 8114 times)