Can you buy heritage or credibility?

I was reading the article by Mark Zimmerman in latest issue of CBG about Polaris buying the "Indian" name in order to have some "heritage" for the company.

Normally I read his articles but don't really agree with what he says....just me being contrary to most I guess making me who I am.

Anyway, it seems that Polaris, makers of snowmobiles, ATVs and V twin motorcycles, thinks that with the name "Indian" as part of the group, people will assume they have an aura of respectability, lineage and become a household name much in the same way Harley Davidson or H*nda does.

But that doesn't really mean squat in my opinion. It's how well your product is made, how well your product is known, the way customers are treated or dealt with, etc.

If "Thrash 'em Motorcycles" (me basically and is totally unknown in the motorcycle world apart from my ramblings here) was to buy the name "Greeves" which has an illustrious past,  that wouldn't make me any more famous, respectable or even imply I have a long motorcycling heritage. It just means I've got the scratch to buy something (wish I did) and can now flaunt the name.

So Polaris I think isn't really doing anything special other than acquiring a famous name and cashing in on it.

What are your thoughts oh blog readers???? Answers on a bit of paper sent to: The guy in charge of opinions, Old house down the lane, Hinton-in-the Hedges, Northants, UK or just leave a comment here as always.

The all elusive tank

As some may know, finding a fuel tank is hard as all get out......it's easier to find a chicken with lips than it is an unmolested or undamaged tank for a 441.

If you do, the prices asked for them are out of this world. They're so high up there, the Space Shuttle couldn't get to those heights.

OK, OK, exaggerated I know, but said to prove a point which is that to find a good 'un, you're going to pay for the privilege of owning it.

Which brings Bodger to the point of this post.....I got myself one off eBay and though it's a wee bit more than I wanted to pay, I decided Sod it!!!! I 'm 'aving it.

Now this isn't exactly a beauty judging by the piccies, but with the right attention, it will fit the bill.

So without further adieu (that's French by the way), here's some pics of this beastie:

As can be seen, there have been some dents added as per usual by some hamfisted twit and those, according to the sales write-up, were given the time honored bondo treatment and then several coats of paint.

From what the seller said, he stripped it all down to what is now seen, base metal and bondo. He says that he checked into having it plated but it would've been to costly.

So what is to be done to cover the bondo repairs and make this look like a tank and not something that got by-passed at the body shop?

I'm thinking a good primer coating following by some sort of silver/aluminum paint top coat and then the front part of the tank done in the yellow associated with 441VS tanks. May just do the job I'm thinking. Won't pass scrutiny of rivet counters, but then again, they have no lives and are to be pitied.

So, that will be another thing that Bodger gets to experiment on in order to learn the fine art of painting with a spray gun and compressor. Damn and botheration, now a compressor needs to be purchased.

The cost for this was less than $200 with shipping....a little more than I wanted, but less than some I've seen on eBay.

Happy Birthday.....

......to us!!!!!!

Today is July 4th and it's the 235th anniversary of independence from Great Britain....or....our birthday.

Today people will be having BBQs, drinking beer, having games, etc to celebrate this once a year event. And at night, the places that allow such festivities will be having fireworks displays such as these:

But not in the area where Bodger lives. Seems that this area gets extremely dry due to the heat and lack of rain. So no fireworks displays at all this year. At all not even in the city or on the military bases
where things can be controlled.

So, if you want to see fireworks, and not the type that occur when you come stumbling in from the boozer hours after it's closed, the pics above will have to do ya.

In a few hours Bodger is going to go get a can or two of what is referred to here as beer and have a quiet day enjoying the day off, rearranging the garage and relaxing before heading back to the postal salt mines the morrow.

So.......................HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here they is

The they being piccies of the newish home of Thrash 'em Motorcycles.

As you can see, there are some features that the old digs lacked such as the cupboards for stashing parts in, the hangy peg things to hang stuff from as well as the shelf that's useful to put things such as a knackered old seat on.

If you clicky on the pics, they should inbiggerate to a bigger size.

Things still need to be put in their proper place so that needs to get done. But by and large the new place ain't half bad, though it could do with some decent lighting.

If you'll notice, there's a cabinet above the bench....that opens up for some good tool storage...I'm thinking for over-sized things such as valve spring or piston ring compressors...things like that.

For the eagle-eyed, an item of great importance is amongst the clutter..... 

But as always, the shed is always in need of tidying up and it will be got to.....when it cools down enough.

Until the next....whenever that might be....tonight?....tomorrow?....who knows?....certainly not me!