First Thursday, October `06
Weather: Perfect Autumn Evening
Vincent HRD: Nothing less than The Holy Grail for some enthusiasts.
This is likely to be the last well-attended First Thursday of the year. I can’t remember a late-autumn gathering here at Dulono’s that was so large and full of energy. Every segment of street-legal motorbike was represented. It was truly amazing…
My good friend and lawyer, known here as “Buster Brown”, was holding court inside the restaurant. Sporting an authentic vintage Italian Fedora, he sat at a table with his back to the wall, looking for all the world like The Godfather of some obscure Motorcycle Mafia. He does own a Moto Guzzi or two, come to think of it. My eyes strayed to his fingers, wondering if I was going to have to kiss his ring in order to be granted an audience.
The funny thing is, he arrived in his mini-van (aka “Soccer Bitch”). Live that one down, Buster Brown!
This little Yamaha is one of my favorite Urban Guerrillas.
They call this style of bike a “Street-Tracker“, and I have most of the makings for one in my garage. I love the minimalist philosophy behind taking the flat-track racer to the streets. Some Winter I am going to fire up the furnace out in the shop and build my own. Until then, it’s nice to see such wonderful examples growling around the streets of the Twin Cities.
Cafe Tracker? Another interesting Yamaha.
I’m thinking the bike shown above started life as an SR500 thumper. These were wonderful little bikes in their own right, but like so many Japanese singles, were unappreciated by the American market at the time.
Stylistically, this one looks like a hybrid of Cafe Racer and Street Tracker. I’ll bet it is an effective tool for getting through city traffic. I rather like the color scheme.
What the…?
Micro-Bobber? Mini-Chopper? There are no pedals, so I know we can’t call it a Moped. But I’m intrigued by that little tiny engine. What the heck is that?
Whatever it was, it caught my eye, and my camera lens. It would have been cool to see it run.
Laverda! That’s something you don’t see everyday.
I love the whole idea of Laverdas, with the two and three-cylinder engines in sporting chassis, but I have never ridden one. The triples sound magnificent, kind of like little Ferarris. But they are kind of pricey, and I hear that parts are hard to come by. If I’m going to ride Italian, I think I will stick with Ducati.
Speaking of which…
No, it’s not red, but it is pretty rad.
This Monster showed up right after I had parked Scarlet in a space close by. It has a rather subdued paint scheme, by Ducati standards, but it still managed to exude that exotic cachet unique to the Bologna brand.
Ducati will always own a piece of my heart, even though they hire lunatics for designers. I’m sorry, but the latest generation of 999 Superbike and the Multi-Strada are absolute aesthetic blasphemy, as far as I’m concerned. The remake of the SS didn’t do anything for me either. Oh, but that new/old 1000 Sport? And the Paul Smart Replica? Please tell me this wasn’t the same guy.
The British Brigade showed up in force, as always.
There’s a Norton Commando hiding behind that red Triumph, but you can only see the front wheel. The crowd was so dense that my photographic perspectives were severely limited.
I have seen these bikes at many a First Thursday, and other events around the `Cities. I continue to admire their classic lines and wonderful sounds. But having ridden a few, and wrenched on a few more, I can definitely say that I’m glad they belong to other people.
Keeping one alive is a labor of love, and takes up much more time than I have to give. My hat’s off to those who can make the necessary sacrifice.
So, that wraps up the First Thursday in October, for 2006. I showed you the bikes which caught my eye, before the daylight faded and the crowds closed in. The Baron posse showed up, but my camera suffered a mishap before I could take any photos. Tony rode his V5, and made quite an impression. Ramblin’ Dan Jones rode his silver PM250, named “Hiyo”. And of course, Scarlet was there, rearing back on her center stand.
We had an interesting ride home. Lake Street was full of construction zones, and moronic drivers. Since it was after dark when we left, all construction personnel had left the area. We took advantage of this to get around the worst of the stoppages.
At one point, accelerating around a delivery truck, we got completely sideways in some concrete dust on the wrong side of the cones. Winter riding reflexes took over, and I planted the left boot on the ground to stabilize what turned into a stylish slide. We fishtailed straight and proceeded to the head of the line, waiting for the traffic signal. From there it was child’s play to get out ahead of the rabble.
It will be interesting to see who shows up, and what kind of weather we have, for the First Thursday in November. Scarlet and I will be there, you can count on that.
October 8th, 2006 at 7:10 pm
Gary,
I have got to get to Minneapolis for a first Thursday next year. Hope to see you there.
October 8th, 2006 at 7:38 pm
Nice one Gary. That engine is from a Yamaha step through I think. If I rock into the “other” bike shop this evening I’ll grab a picture.
October 9th, 2006 at 10:59 am
That motorized bike with the white walls was just too cool.
It looked home made?
I saw one at a parade a few years ago, a local junk yard owner had put it together for his teenage son. Chain saw motor and a slip clutch contraption, if I had one of those when I was a kid… Maybe I would have made something of myself, or not.
Great pictures.
I recall your First Thursday report for last winter. February?
Let’s hope November fairs a bit better than that.
Rubber Down.
October 10th, 2006 at 3:13 am
Gary, I guess you left too early, or surely you would have remarked the Jawa/Velorex combination in metalflake green. I thought I had the only Jawa/Jawa rig in town. I didn’t have a pen, but the guy lives in Northfield and goes to Czecho regularly.
It was dark by the time I got outside, but I had bidness to conduct indoors. Wanted to bring Carp up to date on the fine ride he missed up at the Akeley dual sport ride a couple of weekends ago. Dick is sixty-three years old, and may be the fastest, smoothest guy on a trail that I have ever seen, but he broke four ribs at a hare scramble, and his season is over a couple of months early. Had to talk to Marty and Lissa at the Mutz table, too. There will be another Copper Canyon trip in February. I am signed on, and it is not too early to talk about stuff like bike prep and transport to Texas.
I make no apologies for appearing in the Soccer Bitch. On Wednesday I rode the KTM up to Duluth via a 5 1/2 hour route that took me through St. Croix Falls, the Grantsburg pine barrens, Crex Meadows and fifteen miles of Burnett Co. 2-track before crossing back into MN at Danbury to pick up MN 23 by Kerrick. The trip could have gone quicker, but I kept having to wait for my buddy on the 1150 GS. He only dropped it in one mud hole, but those things are really too heavy for the trails, and his streety tires kept his speeds down on the made roads of Pine County. I figure that ride gave me enough street cred to suffer a day or two in the minivan.
Anyway, First Thursday has always been more about the people than the bikes. The noise/signal ratio in the parking lot has gotten so high that the relatively few bikes worth seeing tend to get lost in the static of Harleys and Hayabusas (although I see that you managed to bag a few good ones). I figure my time is better spent talking to people that I like but don’t get to see that often. It’ll be okay if I miss out on the arrival of the Boss Hoss phalanx or the latest iteration of Ky Michaelson’s rocket-powered stainless toilet. When November comes, most of the punters will stay home, about four guys will ride bikes and the old Norton Club guys will be much easier to find inside.
October 10th, 2006 at 6:34 am
Dick: Yes, you do. I’ll be there…
Snark: Okay, I’ll let you be my detective then. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it… “Should you be killed or captured, the Agency will disavow any knowledge of your actions.”
SGP: I’m pretty sure that was homemade, but don’t know for certain. Don’t worry, Snark is on the case.
Buster: I KNEW you would take the bait! Heh heh… Don’t worry, your street cred is well established. If there is such a thing as “dirt cred”, you got that too.
That sounds like a wonderful trip up to Duluth, and one that I’m pretty sure Frogwing and I could handle. We’ll have to do that sometime.
I know what you mean about the S-to-N ratio out in the parking lot. It really gets crowded out there. I can only stand it for so long, and then I have to leave. November should be a much more civilized event.
Ride well,
=gc=
October 10th, 2006 at 9:30 am
Are you planning to ride to work over the winter this year and do the blog? If so what will your vehicle be this time? Sorry if this has been covered I’ve been away for awhile.
October 10th, 2006 at 10:03 pm
Nice bikes. I covet the red Triumph and swear if I ever add a motorcycle to provide company to the Vespa it will be a Triumph. I was discussing price on the 900 Scrambler yesterday. I imagined riding it today. It just seems so “non-utilitarian” to me though, the damn scooter is so easy, so efficient, easy to carry stuff and fun like no motorcycle I’ve ridden.
Glad we don’t have a lot of bike events around here. It just would wind me up.
steve
October 11th, 2006 at 11:50 am
Keith: Read the next post. It looks like the honor falls to Scarlet O’Baron this year.
Steve: I know what you mean. It takes great self discipline to restrain myself from lusting after all manner of fine machinery that shows up, month after month, at First Thursday.
Of course, the fact that I live in abject poverty kind of helps…
Ride well,
=gc=
October 15th, 2006 at 8:58 pm
Gary,
I was at BIG BIKE WEEKEND in Redding, Ca. this weekend. There in the bike show I saw what looked like a Triumph Bonnieville but had a Kawasaki badge on the side of the tank. Did they actually do a copy of this great bike??
October 25th, 2006 at 9:42 am
That Yam street tracker is beautiful!