10 Gomer when running

1968 XLH

Motor under reconstruction 

1968 lower end: Sifton tappets, stronger than stock pushrods, extended kickstart lever. CycleElectric generator, cylindrical toolbox in place of starter, shifter knob is a grade 8 bolt covered in hose and secured by a lock nut, modified oil pump

1000 cc top end: 1974 cylinders, heads, and covers, Bendix carburetor with round filter and cover, Manley valves and springs

4" over stock Kayaba front forks

Flanders drag bar

Headlight bracket from Ford tractor mud flap bracket. I only had to drill 1 hole and bolt it into place.

Bates headlight

Paucho frame

Rear seat from foot rail off of a Freightliner tractor

1 " rebar highway bar

XLCH tank and battery tray 

2.9 gallon gas tank

Big Twin sissy bar

883 seat; fleece cover

Chain guard angle aluminum from a Freightliner tractor

Tail lamp from a water buffalo

Passenger pegs from Flathead Fern's shop

Stock front fender 

Rear fender generic metal to just below the top rail of the frame; tractor mud flap section down to bottom of frame

Lockhart oil cooler and thermostat 

Wheels 16 rear with mechanical drum brake 19 front with disk brake

Black Krylon paint

Backpack tank bag

9 Prolly a rider

I am prolly a rider.

When I have a motor, I ride 26-30 k miles/year. I have used my motors as work trucks and my only motorised transportation. I will load a weeks worth of groceries to take home. I have moved a few months worth of recyclables to redeem them.

I am often one of just a few riders when I go to abate meetings during bad weather.

I ride in snowstorms and heavy rain day or night. I hate riding in windy conditions and don't get the charm of being in the fucking wind. I hate when riders talk about being in the wind....I think they have not ridden in windy conditions....I have and don't get the fantasy of being in the wind....

When my motor needs repair and I have to choose between paying rent or other bills and riding a bicycle or taking a bus to get around, or repairing the motor, I pay the rent or other expense and work around the motor issues.

I do a lot of my own motor-related repair work. I have disassembled and re-assembled a motorcycle. See this at https://tinyurl.com/dpmd97c4

I tend to wear a lot of gear when I ride: suitable underclothing, long pants, long sleeved shirt, steel toed boots, shin and knee guards, yellow Joe Rocket ballistic coat, leather gloves, off-road style helmet, teeth guard (like US football players wear), and goggles. I wear rain pants and coat in wet weather. Sometimes I wear chaps during cold weather; during really cold weather, I will wear insulated clothing with hand warmers in pockets. The gear may not prevent injury; the gear does shorten recovery time.

I miss having a motor when I don't have one.

I prefer not to ride in groups of more than about six or so riders, and tend to ride sweep when I can. I don't do side-by-side formation riding. I do loosely staggered formation or free-style.

Regarding massive group riding, no respect from me just because they are riding to honor something or somebody, especially when the riders impede traffic.

I respect the individual base on actions, not on insignia, not on motive, not on life style.

For these reasons, I conclude that I am a motor rider, not a biker.

from a comment thread on BikerOrNot.com FaceBook page 2022.12.31