Happy New Year and for those north of the Border, Happy Hogmany

As 2010 slowly leaves, I wish a Happy New Year and Hogmany to one and all.

Hopefully the new year will be better than this one has been in all ways. Not that there was anything wrong with it, just saying.

A few of the highlights from the Bodger:

The good: A trip home to Ingiliterre with a vist to the NMM and a met up with Kawa, getting Vicky my Victor Special, good mates from a couple of forums'sss and of course Blogs

The bad: The loss of a couple of forum mates, Pooh, Classic McNut and Dig. No matter thier age, they've left us to early.

So lift a glass and toast in the New Year with a dram of your favorite brand.

Something for Kawa

As my mate Kawa has thrown in several BSA related items in recent blog postings, thought it only fair to return the favor.

In a fairly recent post, this past week I think, Kawa talked about the Indian Rally this past summer in Scotland where Indian enthusiasts (the motorcycles, not the people) from worldwide converged to ride, discuss, and do whatever else tht came to mind about Indian motorcycles from Sprinfield, Massachuesettes.

Digging into my vast (OK, OK I can but dream can't I?) archives, I brought up these three beauts that are in lovely nick.

   

These three fine looking machines are at present living at the Lone Star Motorcycle Museum (http://www.lonestarmotorcyclemuseum.com/) in Vanderpool, Texas. If the linky thing doesn't work, try the linky thing on the home page of this electronic fishwrap.

I've mentioned the museum, a collection really, in a past posting. It's not quite as good as the National Motorycle Museum that Kawa and myself visited back during my trip home, but it does have a nice little selection of motorcycles there.

Getting back to the Indian rally; though V-twins and American motorcycles really aren't my thing, it would've nice to attend that one just to see these old bikes actully being used as intended. Other than the three pictured, I've only seen four, yes, four in my lifetime.

Two were actual Indian Chiefs, another was a "retro" Chief made in Gilroy, California and the other was one that looked similar to a HD Dyna Super Glide or Low Rider.

Kawa, feel free to acquire these pics if you want as I took them so they're not copywrited. Personally I like the Indian Four as it looks nice as well as being made years before the "groundbreaking" Honda 750/4 of the late 60s.

The Big C strikes again

Just learned today that two old boys that I know from two different classic bike forums have passed away  the last two days due to cancer.

Classic  McNut from UK on Classic Bike Forum and Dig(less) from New Zealand on Classic Motorbike Forum both had different forms of cancer that didn't get them down even though they knew the odds.

Even though I never met either one, they both had a great sense of humor from what I do know and real gents.

It's always hard to lose a mate, even harder when it's through a diease such as cancer.

RIP McNut (Don) and Dig (Doug), you'll both be missed.

Bah Humbug time again

Well boys and girls, it's that time of year again...yes, yes, it's Bah Humbug time again, just like the title says :).

Once again it's time to spend loads of yer hard earned sheckles and ruppees on things for people, listen to Yuletide music 'til yer ears bleed, and for some an excuse to overeat and over indulge in wee drams, eggnog laced (hopefully) with rum and of course some ale, preferably Newcastle Brown Ale.

Lest you think me a Grinch, I'll partake in the seasons festivities by giving everyone a sneak peek of my list to give the jolly fat man who swans about with some reindeer and a sleigh.

My Bah Humbug list is as follows:

A wee Triumph Tiger Cub (longed for one when I was a younger sprog)
A Triumph X75 Hurricane (beautiful looking machine)
A BSA Rocket 3 (with bread bin tank and ray gun silencers)
A Harley Davidson XLCR Cafe Racer (loved the look, even if it wasn't the best there was)
A Triumph T100SS (a mate had one and a certain gorgeous girly tested one for a week)
A BSA B44 Shooting Star (to go with Amelia and Vicky)
A Greeves Scottish trials machine (just want one)
A Laverda 1000/3 (jsut oozes sex appeal))
A Royal Enfield Continental GT (first factory made cafe racer especially for the boy racers of the time)

Also a pair of Buffalo Action winter gloves, a pair of waxed cotton trews, a plane ticket to attend the Manx GP as well as the Haggis and lastly, a nice digital camera to taking some great biking piccies and of course a bigger shed to house them all in.

That should do it me thinks. Wonder if there's any chance of the fat man pulling that one off????? Is there anything I forgot??? Of course a good classic bike mag or book is always good too :)!

Buyer Beware...sorta!

I was looking at the messages on forum when I ran across one that was sorta bizarre.

Without naming names, Clubs, etc the gist of the posting was that this old boy was dying of cancer and decided to give away his considerable collection of motorcycles, which were all dismantled and in boxes.

He had everything lined up and before he could get it finalized he died. So, the people who were supposed to "inherite" these "gifts" did.

Now here it gets bizarre; two guys for whatever reason decided to call this all into question as being a little shady and made this known to all who would listen to include the authorities.

Anyway, this has caused a huge uproar with mudslinging going on back and forth with accusations being levelled at all involved from the looks of it.

So this got me wondering on this; if something were to happen to the owner of something of value whether it's motorcycles, buttons or a ball of string, prior to a will or other legal form of instruction in place, what should happen to the collection?

Should it be divided up according to the wishes at the time of the owner; let the legal beagles do their thing (and at considerable cost to the estate perhaps); everyone get their "gift" and all keep mum on the subject or do nothing as there is nothing that can be done without legal paperwork to give clear instructions?

Personally I would get with the owner of the Lone Star Motorcycle Museum not to far away and see if he would like to have Amelia and Vicky donated for permanent display as he doesn't have either of these. If so, I would have it done all legal like and made sure that everyone and his dog knew this so someone doesn't try and pull a fast one ala the many "authentic" copies of Howard Hughes' will.

If not I'd ask some of my mates from the 'net if they would and if so they'd get them. They're in the UK, so then the bikes get to go home where they were from originally. Only thing is they'd have to make arrangements for shipping. If in the US, they can come and collect them.

Hopefully none of this every has to happen within the next day or two, but it did get me to thinking about it. But I don't plan on leaving anytime soon so it's a long time off just yet!!!!