2010Newsletter of the Viking ChapterAntique Motorcycle Club of America Inc

Published QuarterlyMarch, June, September, December

http:www.vikingmc.orgvikingamca@yahoo.com

JUNE

DAVIDSON’S HARD TALES

1Schedule continued on next page

PRESIDENT: Paul Davidson952-941-4997/Davidsonp9@msn.com

VICE PRESIDENT: Ron Spargo952-443-2020/Ronspargo@mindspring.com

DIRECTORS:

Deb Riggs612-229-7244/RiggsDeb@comcast.net

Jim Geisler952-933-3942/Jeg1234@hotmail.com

Roger Rimnac (E-TALKER)612-825-2550/Motorog1@Yahoo.com

Paul St. John763-533-6260/Uralski@q.com

TREASURER: Dena Natins612-866-6069/BigXQ@comcast.net

SECRETARY: Tom Whittles651-636-5492/Threadmsters@msn.com

NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Ivar Natins612-866-6069/IDN@comcast.net

GRAPHICS & LAYOUT: Timothy O’Keeff e651-455-1893/okeeff edesign@yahoo.com

CLUB HISTORIAN: Tom Jones763-533-9163

DEPUTY JUDGE: Jerry Richards651-482-0096/Trudijr@visi.com

WEB MASTER: Sean O’Neil612-870-0766/Moneil2@comcast.net

Schedule of Events

by Paul DavidsonHello fellow Viking Chapter members,

Bikes, Bikes and more Bikes! That’s what we will be seeing at our National Meet in June. With this year’s Minnesota Manufacturers and Dealers theme there will be bikes that many of us have never seen before but often dreamed of owning. Minneapolis, Cyclone, Thiem, Wagner, Michaelson, Muller, Excelsior Henderson and Victory are just some of the milestone bikes that will be the main attraction and envy of all.

Be sure to bring your latest pride and joy for show or to be judged alongside the many beautiful and unique bikes that will be on display. Our goal this year is to surpass 200 antique bikes. The only criteria required is that the bike meets the AMCA rule of 35 years of age and older. That’s 1975 for those without a calculator. Remember that Thursday is the preferred delivery day or early Friday.

If you feel that you have a unique bike (Mfg, year, model, color etc) contact me and we can add it to the milestone bike list. Rattle can Vikings purple does not qualify for unique color.

If the rest of the summer is anything like April we will be blessed with a summer of great riding. We have planned a fun President’s ride this year. We will ride up Northeast Minnesota then cross over into Wisconsin and spend the night at Pattison Sate Park just south of Superior with the return ride on the scenic Wisconsin side. Remember, the club is picking up the camping tab so that’s one more reason to join us on an enjoyable ride and fun night of camping. Also, our events calendar is fi lled with area motorcycle events through the entire summer so be sure to check it out.

Now is a good time to think about scheduling your very own garage party. Just pick a date from our events calendar that does not confl ict with any other chapter events, throw in some edibles and refreshments and you can be the envy of all of your neighbors. This is a great opportunity to meet fellow Viking members and bikers that share the same passion in collecting and restoring antique motorcycles as well as sharing stories and ideas for your next project.

Speaking of projects, they never seem to move along as you originally planned. I am still moving ahead on my Yamaha RD project thanks to a little help from friends but have throttled back for the riding season. This project, like most others, has sure been an educational experience. Do you suppose that one could write off some of the cost as an educational expense?

I hope to see all of you at the National Meet so be sure to look me up to say hello and talk bikes. Be sure to make plans to join us on the Friday night ride to Porky’s for a burger and shake. Then Saturday night is the big cookout at the campgrounds for all members and vendors. We will pro-vide dogs, brats, buns and condiments. Bring sides to share.

Hope to see you down the road.

NOTE: Board of Directors (B.O.D.) meetings are open to all members. When held at a chapter members home, please notify the host ahead of time.

June 2 (Wed) – B.O.D. Meeting 7:00 pm Ivar & Dena Natins’ 7314 Chicago Ave. So. Richfi eld, MN 612-866-6069

June 11-12 (Fri-Sat) – VIKING CHAPTERNATIONAL MEET 8:00-6:00 pm Friday, 8:00-8:00 pm Saturday, 8:00-1:00 pm Sunday (judging only) Progress Bldg. and surround-ing area MN State Fairgrounds St Paul, MN

June 24 (Thur) – Garage Get-Together5:30 pm Paul Davidson’s 9330 Overlook Trail Eden Prairie, MN 952-941-4997

June 26 (Sat) - National Eagle Center Ride (leaves promptly at 9:30 am from Perkins in Hastings) Hwy 55 & 61 Hastings, MN(see article on page 11 for more info)

July 7 (Thur) – Garage Get-Together5:30 pm Gene & Marilyn Hotsteler’s6168 Sinclair Ct, Mound, MN 952-472-5063

July 10 (Sat-Sun) - Presidents Ride to Pattison State Park WI 9:00 am leaves promptly at 9:00 am from McDonalds 4950 Hwy 61 (North of White Bear Lake)

July 14 (Wed) – B.O.D. Meeting 7:00 pm Diamond’s Coff ee Shop 1618 Central Ave. No. Mpls. MN

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Editors NoteMan! Do we got a great riding season going so far this year, or

What! I think I rode more in March this year than ever before.

Now, check out the calendar of events in this issue. Lots of op-portunities to Get Out and Ride. So fi re that old scoot of yours up and have a great summer on 2 wheels...

Garage-Get-Together Season

OpenerJason Johnson and Mellisa Hansen hosted the season opener for

the Viking Chapter this past February. If you missed this gathering, you missed hanging out at one of the coolest “Man-Caves” ever. The big screen video, fi replace, and leather sofa makes it work for me. You know, just in case you need to take a break from wrench-ing, or want a comfy place to review the Service Manual before you start... Sweet!

Schedule of Events (continued)

July 22 (Thur) - General Meeting & Ice Cream Social 7:00 pm Veterans Home 5101 Minnehaha Ave. So. Mpls, MN

August 7 (Sat) - Club Ride to Sturgis 8:00 am leaves from the Hiltop Resturant 727 Water St. (Hwy. 7) Excelsior, MN

August 18 (Wed) – B.O.D. Meeting 7:00 pm Taste of Scandinavia (Festival Foods) 401 West 98th St.Bloomington, MN

August 29 (Sun) - BBQ & August General Meeting12 Noon Firemans Park 100 West 6th St. Chaska, MN

Sept 1-5 (Wed-Sun) - Ride to Davenport #1 8:00 am Little Oscar’s Restaurant 23470 Emery Ave. Hampton, MN (come earlier for break-fast)

Sept 3-5 (Fri-Sun) - Ride to Davenport #2 6:00 am Downtown Gas Station Prescott, WI (contact Tom Jones)

Sept 8 (Wed) – B.O.D. Meeting 7:00 pm Tom & Judy Jones’ 6516 Ronald Place Brooklyn Center, MN 763-533-9163

March General Meeting at Jack

Crane MuseumAnother full house at one of the nicest locations with one of

the nicest collections of great old motorcycles in the Twin Cities. Thanks again Jack of hosting this event each Spring.

April General Meeting at Blue CatEvidently we didn’t get too out-of-control last year because the

fellas at Blue Cat hosted April’s General Meeting again this year. Great gathering for a chilly April evening. Thanks a bunch!

Don’t forget to join them Saturday June 5th for their 2nd Annual Mods and Rockers gathering from Noon to 5:00pm.

Kennedy High Chopper Class

Open HouseThanks to the efforts of Kevin Bass and the big hearts of Don-

nie Smith, Drag Specialities, Harley-Davidson Corporate, and lots of other great folks and organizations, this event and these kids Rock! Just to be a part of this landmark educational program (Viking Chapter $1000 Scholarship recipient) makes it worth our annual dues. I can only imagine what it would have been like if this program was available to me (like 32 yrs ago). I so want to try and survive High School again...

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Thanks to everyone that brought a bike or volunteered at the Don-nie Smith show in March. Once again, our chapter had a completely amazing display of antique bikes. Our collection has become very popular at the show as vintage looks have taken over the custom bike crowd and it seems that everyone is restoring the old stuff. Two special bikes drew a lot of attention, Tim Miller’s 1941 Indian 841 and John Arth’s 1922 Harley-Davidson JD. Here’s the story behind those two unique machines.

For anyone who’s fantasized about fi nding a priceless antique mo-torcycle in some old barn, here’s the story to top them all. Viking Chapter member Tim Miller, told the story of how he got his ex-ceedingly rare 1941 Indian while displaying the bike at the Donnie Smith show in St Paul. How rare is his bike? Try “Serial Number Two” out of approximately 800 ever made. It’s crazy to fi nd such a rare bike, but can you believe that this bike had sat in a barn not two miles from Tim’s house for 20 years? Tim’s story starts one day when someone noticed his baseball cap with the Indian motor-cycle logo on it and said, “You into old Indians? My neighbor has one in his barn and wants to get rid of it. It’s a weird lookin bike, with the cylinders sticking out of the sides”. Well, Tim knew from the description that it was probably an 841 military model made at the start of WWII. Indian only made about 800 of them because they ended up not being popular with the Army. They were strange beasts – looking more like a Moto-Guizi with a transverse V-Twin fed by dual carbs running to a shaft drive. Tim knew that 841’s are rare and are often worth a decent pile of cash. But when he saw the bike, barely visible under piles of crap in the dark corner of the barn, his heart sunk. An exposed corner fl ashed chrome which told him that some yahoo had probably bobbed, chopped and probably wrecked the thing. Thinking that if he could get it for cheap and fl ip it for at least a few hundred bucks more to some other guy, he settled on a rather low price with the owner. But as the owner wheeled the bike into the daylight, Tim realized that he had found something special. One look at the serial number said it all: “HDA 2”. In Indian talk, that means it’s a prototype bike, the second one made. After nearly 30 years, Brownie Betar’s bike had been found. Brownie was a famous racer and tuner of Indians back before the war. When Indian wanted to sell the US Army their new military bike, they handed one over to Brownie to give it a performance tune and then demo for the army brass. After fl ogging the bike at the military proving grounds, they told Brownie he could keep the bike. After war-time restrictions on metal were lifted, Brownie had almost the whole thing covered in chrome. His pimped-out ride was a fi xture at hill climbs and races on the east coast from the late ‘40s until he sold it in the ‘70s to a serviceman bound for Hawaii. At that point, the bike disappeared from the public’s eye until Tim found it only a few miles from his home. The best part of the whole story? Two hours after buying the bike, Tim had it sorted out and riding!

Jealous yet? Well, John Arth’s original paint, 1922 Harley-Da-vidson JD will turn you as green as the paint on his old Milwaukee

iron. How rare is an unmolested, original paint bike from the ‘20s? About as rare as an honest politician. The older a bike is, the more likely that someone has restored it at some point in its life. Al-though many of us love to restore bikes to their factory-like condi-tion, others really love the look of an unmolested machine because of the feelings that they invoke when you lay eyes on their “rusty but trusty” bits. Sometimes, even a tastefully done restoration just leaves you with the feeling that you’ve walked into a showroom fl oor back in 1922 – something that none of us can relate to. But with John’s bike, you fi nd yourself dreaming of walking into your neighbor’s garage and laying eyes on a bike that hasn’t seen the road in over 50 years. John’s story starts a few years ago as he’s stand-ing in his friend’s driveway, shooting the breeze with a guy that just walked up. Their conversation turns to motorcycles and the stranger mentions he needs to fi nd a set of white tires for a bike he’s trying to restore. This gets John’s attention as it means that the bike was from the era before black, vulcanized rubber replaced the origi-nal white rubber you get from a tree. Dreaming about a bike from the early teens or twenties must have distracted John, because down the road, no one could remember who the guy was or how they knew him. It took three years to track him back down as they fi -nally fi gured out he was the son-in-law of the brother-in-law’s boss. Turns out that the guy had fortunately lost interest in the project and boxed up the bike and saved damn near every nut and bolt. The current owner could trace the bike back through his family all the way to its original owner – the employer of his grandfather-in-law. Fed up with the bike, he sold it to John who then began the labori-ous process of resurrecting the machine back to running condition. John assembled the bike from pictures and common sense as well as enlisting the help of a motorcycle mechanic/preservationist, Steve LaChance, from Anoka MN, to rebuild the engine, carb, tranny and generator. In doing so, John maintained everything he could about the bike including all its exceptionally rare accessories. John calls the JD the “Road King” of its day, complete with optional passen-ger seat, foot pegs, speedometer with electric light, and amp meter. John can be seen at bike rallies around Minneapolis, riding his ’22 like it was meant to be.

Donnie Smith Show & Swapby Sean O’Neal

4

Hey Vikings

This year’s National Meet at the Minnesota State Fair-grounds is going to be one event you don’t want to miss. Our theme really hits home and gets to the heart of what our club is all about – the history of motorcycling in Minnesota. If you own any antique bikes made in Minnesota (or even parts of bikes) bring them to the meet! There’s going to be a home-coming of bikes that hasn’t been seen in 80 years. Cyclone, Thiem, Wagner, Michaelson and Minneapolis Motorcycles together again at spot where they used to race shoulder to shoulder - the Minnesota State Fairgrounds! Although our theme focuses on Minnesota, everyone is encouraged to bring your bikes no matter what they are. Our display is famous for its diversity and our visitors have come to expect a little bit of everything. This is your chance to show off your stuff and educate the public about old bikes. We need to continue to re-cruit a new generation of vintage bike enthusiast and we need your bike at the show to make that happen. If you need any help getting your bike to the show, contact Jim Giesler who is coordinating trailer rides for the transportationally impaired.

To add depth and perspective to the show, we’re printing off posters that show motorcycling events throughout the 20th century in Minnesota. We’ve got pictures from old races at the fairgrounds, mounted cops in front of Minneapolis land-marks, photos of the early days of dealerships like Egeberg’s, WIW and Leo’s. We got piles of stuff but still want more! If you have old photos, get a hold of Sean O’Neil (612-870-0766) or Dave Moot (952-703-0373) right away. There’s still time to print off more posters. Or, if you have memorabilia that you want to display or can make your own display of your super rare stuff, bring it to the meet!

There are so many ways to enjoy the meet. Many of us like to camp out and I strongly suggest giving it a whirl. There are plenty of shady trees and the grass is rather soft that time of the year. The fi rst time I camped, I was surprised at how quiet it was for a campground right off of Snelling Avenue. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the bucolic North Woods, but just right for a motorcycle rally. Even if you’re not camping, come on out to the campground at 6:00 on Saturday evening for the cookout. This year the club is springing for brats and hotdogs and inviting AMCA members to all chow down together.

CALLINGALL

MEMBERS!

Bring your own beverages, chairs, and a dish to share. What a fun way to unwind after the meet!

Friday evening will be the traditional ride to Porky’s drive-in. Last year we almost fi lled the parking lot and this year we want to completely take over the place. A couple large groups ride together, which lends an air of hooliganism to the blue clouds of smoke swirling down University Avenue. Other routes to Porky’s run through the fairgrounds which make for more of a mello ride if you’re not into showing off for St Paul public.

Saturday is packed with fun stuff to do. Judging Appren-tice workshops at 11:00 and a Judges session at 12:00 will be hosted by the new AMCA Chief Judge, Steve Dawdy. If you’ve ever been interested in judging bikes, this is your chance to get involved. The fi eld games at 1:00 are always a hoot to watch and to ride in. No special entrance require-ments, you just need an antique bike and nerves of steel. If John Eiden can ride in the fi eld games at like 80 years old, you can too! At 3:00, we’ll have our club ride through the river roads of St Paul. What a great feeling, cruising through the twisty and tree-lined parkways of our beautiful city in a pack of old bikes! Heads will turn!

The best way to enjoy the meet is to volunteer. You’ll get to know other club members and hang out with like minded gearheads. If you work the gates or the registration desk, you’ll be shooting the breeze with some pretty interesting folks. It’s fun to watch all the great parts and bikes going in and out of the gates to the swap meet. To volunteer at the gate, hook up with Stan Mewhorter (763-561-3922). To fi nd an open slot at the registration table, get a hold of Deb Riggs (612-229-7244). There’s a ton of work needed to set up those great decorations in the building and lay out the swap meet on Wednesday and Thursday. If creativity is your strong suit, this is the job for you. Or heck, if you can follow instructions and have most of your digits, that’s all the quali-fi cations you need to hang out with the rowdy decoration bunch. Call up Dave Moot or just show up at the building Wednesday or Thursday.

This show is really going to be a once-in-a-lifetime event so make sure you get your butt to the fairgrounds and let all of your friends know that they need to check out our meet. If you know anyone that’s into history, they won’t be disap-pointed. Everyone’s schedule fi lls up pretty quick in the summer, so make sure you tell your friends NOW that they have got to see our meet!

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National Meet Events ScheduleThursday, June 1012:00 Noon Gates open to pre-registered vendors for set-up only.

Friday, June 118:00 a.m. - Gates and Building Open Registration/Information Table Open Vendors can sell On-site Judging Registration Open

6:00 p.m. - Registration/Information Table Closes

Saturday, June 128:00 a.m. - Gates and Building Open Registration/Information Table Open Vendors can sell On-site Judging Registration Open

11:00 a.m. - Judging Apprentice Workshop, Steve Dawdy, Chief Judge & Jerry Richards, Deputy Judge

12:00 Noon - Judges Session – Steve Dawdy, Chief Judge and Jerry Richards, Deputy Judge

1:00 p.m. - Bike Games

3:00 p.m. - Old Bike Ride

4:00 p.m. - Registration for Judging Closes

6:00 p.m. - AMCA Barbeque

Sunday, June 138:00 a.m. - AMCA Judge’s Breakfast and Orientation

9:00 a.m. - Motorcycle Judging

12:00 Noon - Presentation of Judging Awards

Stan’s DadI Interviewed My Dad “Richard Mewhorter” about the

Minneapolis Motorcycle Club. The Minneapolis Motorcycle Club would put on fl at track races at the Anoka County Fairgrounds. A lot of the club members would race. My dad remembers the racers would put steel plates on their left boots “Hot Shoes”.

Before WWII he belonged to the Minneapolis Motorcycle Club. The members wore red shirts with black trim. They meet at Karl Heikrick’s motorcycle shop on 4th and Franklin Karl sold Harley’s. My dad bought a 1937 Highway Patrol Bike from Karl for $150.

Dad remembers Roy Egbert’s motorcycle shop sold Indians and would sponsor hill climbs along the river, but not in Red Wing. They would put old motorcycle drive chains on the back tire because it would have better traction than a regular tire chains.

Dad’s fi rst motorcycle was a 1929 Excelsior Super X that sold for $25, his second motorcycle was a 1935 Harley 74 with sidecar, and his third motorcycle was a 1937 Harley Highway Patrol Bike.

14th Annual Richards Sturgis

Get-Together and Chili FeedFrom the Hostess Trudi Richards

We’ll be having our annual Sturgis Get-Together again this year at the cabin. This is always a big turnout for Viking Chapter and other AMCA members that are in the area for the Black Hills Motor Classic. Nearly 60 people attended last year’s event. It’s quite a crowd and a good time is guaranteed. This year’s date is Monday, August 9th from 12:00 noon until 6:00 p.m. Chili and beverages provided as usual. So motor over to 21432 U.S. Highway 85 South near Lead, SD (605) 584-9082. The cabin is 9.10 of a mile South of Cheyenne Crossing Restaurant (intersection of Highway 85 South and Spearfi sh Canyon Road).

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As part of a long awaited trip to New Zealand last year my wife Sue and I made a point of stopping in Invercargill, the home of Burt Munro and got to see his bikes. Burt is world famous for making a 1920 Indian motorcycle go over 200 miles an hour on the Bonneville Salt Flats. That was 1962 and he was in his late 60’s. His story is told in the movie “World’s Fastest Indian”.

Invercargill is on the very southern tip of New Zealand. We stopped for the night in Curio Bay on our way to Invercargill. It was about 100 miles away. By coinci-dence our host that night (Gay) works at the Hays Hardware store where Burt’s bikes are displayed. That was our destination. By the time we got to the store the next morning, Gay had told the owner, Neville Hays that we would be stopping by. They were expecting us! Neville is Nor-man Hays son. Norman sponsored Burt’s trips to race in the states.

We had a great visit at the Hays Hardware store. Neville and his uncle Keith Boyd showed us around the store. Burt’s bikes

included his Indian, his 1936 Velocette and a streamlined Indian they used in the movie that was powered by a Ducati motor. They also have on display more than a dozen antique motorcycles (mostly Indians). They even started up a hand-made motor that Norman Hays had built from junk. Then, they took us to Neville’s house to see his shop, cars, bikes and some of Burt Munro’s motorcycle parts that were displayed in the movie. http://www.ehayes.co.nz/burtmunro/

Afterwards, we had coffee, bought some t-shirts and hats and were on our way to visit the Oreti beach where Burt had raced. There were gale force winds blowing in from the Arctic. You could hardly stand on the beach. They have a Burt Munro Challenge there every year in November. The event keeps getting bigger. http://www.burtmunrochallenge.com/

When we left Invercargill we drove a few hours north to the town of TeAnau near Milford Sound. While checking in at the information center, the woman helping us was going to see Neville Hays the next day – they’re old friends. We kept bumping into people that knew Neville. It’s a small world!

Everywhere we went the people were friendly, the country was beautiful and they shared what they knew about motor-cycles. Everyone seemed to know about Burt Munro. Locals suggested we also check out John Britten.

We visited the John Britten museum in Christchurch. In his garage, he custom built an entire racing motorcycle. He beat the best in the business. He raced in the 1980’s and 90’s before he died of cancer at 49. http://www.britten.co.nz

I recommend New Zealand for your next trip!

New Zealand and Burt Munroby Sue & Kerry Rassmusen

Mystery Biker

Recognize this club member hangin with his Pop in 1959?

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Vintage Motorcycle Tech - Loctite Products 101by Ray Duguay

Loctite Products For Vintage Motorcycle Applications

Today let’s review those famous Loctite products and their ap-plications. These products are world renowned and were made famous by the riders and mechanics of Harley and other Ameri-can motorcycle. I think most of you know that the early Harleys were prone to vibrate a bit and sometimes bolts shook loose and fall off your bike. The remedy was to put some Loctite on the thread, inside the bearing or on every piece that needed to be fi xed for good.

OK, so when it comes to products like Loctite, how many of us know what to use and how to use it properly? Normally most of us clean the parts with either a contact or brake cleaner. Well, that is a good starting point, but how many use the primer that goes with it? And do you even bother to check the expiration date on those products? Probably not too many.

The primer is there to activate and make sure the products will cure better and faster.

Here are the basics on how to use the primer or when you don’t need it. Now remember the main goal is to hold two parts together and make sure nothing comes loose from all the vibra-tion.WHEN TO USE PRIMERS

Primers are used when the surfaces to be thread locked and sealed do not encourage proper curing to take place, or when the cure needs to be accelerated. The table below shows com-mon materials and when to use primer.

ACTIVE SURFACE (PRIMER NOT REQUIRED but still recommended)

Brass, Copper, Bronze, IronINACTIVE SURFACE (PRIMER REQUIRED)

Stainless Steel, Anodised, Magnesium, Passivated Surfaces, Zinc, Titanium, Nickel, Aluminum, Black Oxide

Those products are classifi ed basically in 3 different classes when talking Harley or other brand of motorcycles. The fi rst

group uses the blue Loctite for medium thread locking force. For those times we need a good combination of locking parts together but still be able to take them apart without much force.

The second one is the red Loctite, made to hold parts together without worrying that becoming loose in the future. I suggest adding some heat if you want to take them apart.

The third one is the green Loctite, good to lock bearings and bushings or seals in their housing. It also works well for smaller gaps.

There are many choices of products from Loctite with lots of applications. Let’s discuss the three main uses on American mo-torcycle including the primer to be used with all of those three.

The primer is used to speed the curing time and to make sure all parts bond together properly.

As discussed before, the main goal is to make sure that the products works every time. So be sure to use these products prior to the expiration date. After that date these products will not work as well as designed. The farther they are out of date, the better chance it will fail to do its job.Check Those Expiration Dates!

While you can still use these products past the expiration dates, be aware you might end up with a less bonding force than expects.

Most of you who are using those products sparingly should buy them in smaller sizes and well before the marked expiration dates.

While on the subject of Loctite products used by Harley riders and mechanics, there is another Loctite product to be consid-ered when trying to bond together 2 plastic parts. Loctite sells a product called plastic adhesive promoter that serves as (primer) to make sure all types of plastic material bond together. And that includes those with high petroleum contents. These also have an expiration date marked on them.

8

Yep, I thought I was a goner this time! How simple it was to get in trouble. After seeing and reading so many warning la-bels, we tend to no longer pay them any heed. We buy chemi-cals and sprays at a local parts house and think “How can this be so bad, health-wise, if I’m buying it over the counter?” Here’s how a small whiff of smoke almost dropped me where I stood.

I had a rush job to do welding four diesel tanks. I had to patch where they were pitted by road salt corrosion. Normally, I spray a little carb cleaner on the spot I’m going to weld, wipe it off, and then preheat the area with an acetylene torch to get rid of any solvents. Where I normally get carb cleaner was sold out, so I got a can of brake cleaner and went through my regu-lar routine. To be on the safe side, I even had the shop door open and the exhaust fan on.

I started TIG-welding on Thursday afternoon and had no problem at fi rst. But when I started welding across a really pit-ted area, I found a couple of drops of cleaner that were lurking in a deep dimple. As I came close to the cleaner, a small puff of white smoke popped up, and I almost passed out. I made it outside and sat for awhile in the fresh air. After about 10 minutes, I went to the offi ce and sat at the computer to check the warnings on the brake cleaner can I used. That’s when my whole left side started shaking for about 10 to 15 minutes. (I found out later I was having a seizure.)

When I was able to control myself again, I read the can’s warning: “Vapors may decompose to harmful or fatal corro-sive gases such as hydrogen chloride and possibly phosgene.” After reading about hydrogen chloride, I started researching phosgene. The active chemical in the brake cleaner is tetra-chloroethylene. When this chemical is exposed to excessive heat and the gas argon, which is used in MIG and TIG weld-ing, it produces phosgene. Phosgene gas can be fatal with a dose as little as four parts per million: basically a single small puff of smoke. Symptoms can be delayed from six to 48 hours after exposure. There is no antidote for phosgene poisoning. If you do survive, the long-term effects can be chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

My breathing still was hard a few hours later, but I felt a little better, so I didn’t go to a hospital. The chlorine taste and smell in my nose and mouth were still strong. About midnight, I started coughing and my chest started hurting, but I thought that this would pass after a night’s sleep. The next day (Fri-day), the symptoms got worse and my kidneys started hurting, so I drank a bunch of liquids and cranberry juice. For the next four days, I was constipated and only urinated a lot of clear fl uid with no smell. Though sometimes I felt okay, I was really in a lot of pain on and off for the next several days, as well as weak and tired. Then my urine became very dark and smelt terrible.

By the next Monday, nine days after the poisoning, I lost all balance. I was confused and could hardly talk, so I fi nally went to the emergency room. My symptoms were low O2 level, sugar levels out of control, vertigo, and I was hurting badly in my entire chest. I was admitted and put into ICU. My kidneys had probably shut down for those fi rst four days. My lungs were damaged, so I had to be on O2. I had to be on insulin to keep my sugar in check. Since there is no antidote for phos-gene, all I could do was try to rest and hope I got better. After CT, MRI, EKG, and EEG tests, as well as several blood tests it looked like, at least for now, there is no permanent damage. However, the MRI showed fl uid in my sinuses and a buildup of fl uids near my brain. The phosgene scarred my sinuses, which then became infected. The three doctors I saw said I was really lucky to make it.

After four weeks, it appears that I may have emphysema and chronic bronchitis. I’m on nasal medicine and an inhaler. My sinuses are severely scarred, and my smell nerves are dam-aged. I still have that awful chlorine taste and smell. I may also have pancreas damage. The insulin that I was taking had little effect on my sugar levels, so I’m now on some stronger medicines.

So why am I telling you all this? I hope to save someone from an easily avoidable severe illness or even death. The cleaning sprays commonly found in thousands of bike shops across the country can be just as dangerous if improperly used. Read the labels and warnings! Look up the chemicals you use. Just because you got away with it before, doesn’t mean you won’t get in trouble the next time.

Note: Here are a couple of web sites and phone numbers you should have posted in your shop:

www.AAPCC.org (800/222-1222) www. CDC. gov. Your local hospital is another good one.

You can contact Brew Dude at BREW Bikes LLC,336/385-BREW, www. Brew RacingFrames. com.

Common Cleaners can turn into Poison Gasby Brew Dude (reprinted with permission)

9

Motorcycle Book Reviews

SUPERBIKES OF THE SEVENTIES By Roland Brown

279 color photographs. 192 pages. David Bull Publishing. $39.95.

From 1969 to 1979 motorcycle enthusiasts witnessed a per-formance revolution. The exciting new breed of 2-, 3-, 4- and even 6-cylinder machines from Japan, Britain, Italy and Ger-many signifi cantly raised the levels of acceleration, handling, braking and top speeds available to Joe and Jane Rider.

The motorcycle magazines nicknamed them “superbikes,” and those like Honda’s pioneering CB750, Kawasaki’s wicked-quick 750-cc H2 and 900-cc Z1, Laverda’s howling Jota 1000 and Ducati’s thundering 900 Super Sport are prized today.

For this beautiful coffee-table book, Roland Brown, a veteran motor journalist, picked 34 of the fastest, sexiest and most famous examples — many of them restored to like-new condi-tion — and rode them as their makers intended. Mr. Brown’s engaging and authoritative text, surrounded by striking color photography and original advertising art, puts each legendary machine into both period and contemporary perspective.

One might quibble with a few of the author’s choices. Moto Morini’s little 3 1/2 Sport, a 350-cc V-twin packing all of 39 horsepower and capable of just 100 miles an hour with a tailwind, is the most glaringly miscast entry. Suzuki’s 3-cyl-inder GT550 is another interloper here, and the Kawasaki Triples Owners Club may argue that the brutally fast 500-cc H1 deserves its own chapter, rather than being packaged with its H2 big brother.

But this book will appeal to any motorcyclist who can’t forget that fi rst ride on a Suzuki GS1000, who lusted after a Bimota SB2 or who regrets selling a Norton Commando S. And that would be a broad audience indeed.

SHOOTING STAR The Rise and Fall of the British Motorcycle Industry

By Abe Aamidor 64 photographs. 176 pages. ECW Press. $29.95.

Business schools, all of them, should include this case his-tory in their collections of cautionary tales. “Shooting Star” chronicles an industrial disaster: England once held a com-manding share of the global motorcycle market, but over the years that business withered, and by 1983 it was dead. Revered English brands like BSA and Matchless live on only as collec-tors’ items.

Much of the problem can be traced to the industry’s insuffi -cient spending on developing new products and on its anti-quated production machinery. “The typical British worker had to stop after any one procedure,” says Mr. Aamidor, a former newspaper reporter, “then either send the part on to another station for further work or assembly, or do some manual adjustments to the machine tool himself.” Maintaining toler-ances in the engine and transmission was all but impossible — a perfect recipe for building undependable motorcycles.

“Shooting Star” is an apt title for this deeply researched and engaging account of the industry’s trajectory. Just after World War II, motorcycles were Britain’s third most important ex-port, after cars and Scotch.

By the 1960s, the cycle industry was rapidly ceding the fi eld to companies like Honda and Kawasaki. Soichiro Honda, that company’s founder, was mocked when he brought competition bikes to the all-important Isle of Man Tourist Trophy race in 1959. But by 1961, Honda’s bikes were winning TT races and fl ying out of dealerships.

If there is any consolation for bike buffs in Mr. Aamidor’s account, it’s this: a reborn Triumph began producing truly modern motorcycles in 1991.

10

1st Annual Fury Motorcycles

Antique Motorcycle ShowThese guys really know how to throw party! A perfect summer

day with a reasonable number of bikes, lots of food and drink, and motorcycle gab-gab-gab... What more would you want for a fi rst time event?

Chef Joe treated early arrivals with griddle cakes, sausages, and hot coffee. Just about the time the maple syrup left your tastebubs, the smell of burgers and dogs wafted from the Fury grill across the parking lot and through the display tent. The awards ceremony was at 2:30 and the Fury Guys forked out for some really nice trophies to commemorate the event.

Plan on attending the event next year and lets bring out more competition to give this years attendees a run for the money...

Henry Hack 1938 Cushman 1947 Doodlebug 1948 Whizzer 1959 Mustang 1961 MustangRon Bohm 1940 BSA WDM-20Mike Crane 1940 Rudge 1954 Sears 175Paul St.John 1942 Harley 45John Eiden 1942 Harley 45Stan Mewhorter 1944 BSA WDM-20Ivar Natins 1946 IndianPaul Davidson 1948 Harley Pan HeadDave Flory 1952 Triumph ThunderbirdJoe Anania 1953 BSA 1972 Honda 750Roy Willaims 1966 Honda 450Craig Kotval 1967 Triumph T100CSteve Hall Triumph TR6CDave Moot 1967 Royal Enfi eldSean O’Neil 1967 SportsterDena Natins 1975 Honda CB400F

National Meet Judging Changesby Steve Dawdy Chief Judge AMCA

Here are some answers to questions about the judging changes implemented beginning at the Sunshine Meet (Janu-ary 2010). The new information is as follows:

Competition modifi ed (nonfactory, period) race motor-cycles will be judged in a separate class with rules and awards unique to the class. The protocol for judging these important motorcycles is under development. Competition motorcycles restored to factory specifi cations will continue to be judged within their regular class as defi ned by year of manufacture.

The previously established requirement that all judged mo-torcycles must have original motors was more clearly defi ned. Specifi cally, all judged motorcycles must have original engine cases. An initiative to more carefully verify originality of engine cases was implemented. Two new accompanying rules were introduced. First, if it can be clearly established that the cylinders and/or heads are reproduction a 6- point deduc-tion is applied. Second, if it can be clearly established that the frame is reproduction, a 6-point deduction is applied.

The changes represent a long held opinion within the AMCA judging program that the heart of the motorcycle is the engine and frame, and for a motorcycle to be considered a true antique and accurately judged, the engine and frame should be correct for the year and appear original. The 6-point deduction for reproduction engine top end and frame serve to avoid disqualifi cation while prohibiting such examples from achieving senior/winner’s circle status, which, as you know, requires 95 points or better.

Finally, the long ago established rule that all judged motor-cycles must demonstrate their operational capacity by briefl y running was enforced. A few motorcycles that had been asleep for years sputtered to life, much to the enjoyment of all involved.

I look forward to seeing you on the judging fi eld.

11

My Friend Dick Wingerby Ivar D. Natins

Richard “Dick” Winger died of cancer Monday May 17th 2010 at 1:00 a.m. Dick had been at the Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and started radiation treatments. He came back to Sweetser, Indiana, on May 3. Condolences may be sent to Wanda Winger, P. O. Box 333, Sweetser, IN 46987. Memorial contributions may be made to The Antique Motorcycle Foun-dation in care of: Raven-Choate Funeral Home, 1202 Kem Road, Marion, IN 46952.

Dick Winger was a long time dedicated AMCA member. He was the AMCA Membership Director and served for 24 years. Dick was an AMCA Honorary Member. He was the president of the Maumee Valley Chapter. Dick will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with Wanda and Family.

Richard was born on June 5, 1935, in Grant County, Pleas-ant Township, the son of the late Bechtel and Esther (Butler) Winger. On October 5, 1974, he married Wanda Cavins. She survives.

He was a member of the Indiana Army National Guard. He was a telephone engineer, and was Owner and President of Sweetser Telephone Co. until his retirement in 1998.

I meet Dick in 1998 while working for the Excelsion-Hen-derson Motorcycle Company. Dick had already been involved with the Hanlon’s as a historical advisor for the brand. His sto-ries, wisdom and wit were wonderful and I truly enjoyed his company on many occasions, even if I was an “Indian guy”.

Richard was known worldwide as an expert in antique motorcycles and was Curator of Yesterdays Wheels, a trans-portation museum in Sweetser. He was an honorary member of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America; and was a board member of the A.M.C.A. and the Antique Motorcycle Founda-tion. He was also a member of the Indian 4 Cylinder Motorcy-cle Club; President of the Maumee Valley Chapter A.M.C.A., a member of the Ohio Valley Chapter A.M.C.A.; Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War; the Pierce Arrow Society and the Antique Automobile Club of America. He was also a member of the Converse F&AM Lodge #601; the Ft. Wayne Valley of Scottish Rite; the Mizpah Shrine and the O.E.S. of Okemos, Michigan.

Survivors include, wife, Wanda Winger of Sweetser, Indiana; son, Scott Winger (Vicki) of Sweetser, Indiana; step-son, Steve Sovey (Kelly) of Newport, Michigan; step-daughter, Lisa Sovey of Newport, Michigan; sister, Pamela Sims of Peru, Indiana; 8 grand-children & 5 great-grandchildren.

National Eagle Center RideMeet at Perkins Restaurant in Hastings (Hwy 55 and Hwy

61) for breakfast at 8:30 am. Saturday June 26th. Depart at 9:30 a.m. It is 55 miles to Wabasha and the National Eagle Center.

Thousands of Bald Eagles live, winter or travel through the area. Eagle sightings are a daily experience, and seeing hundreds in a single drive is commonplace during the migra-tion seasons.

Eagle Watch, Inc., was a wholly grassroots organization formed in 1989. The organization’s mission was to welcome to Wabasha people who shared a passion for the Bald Eagle, and provide them with even more than a “good view.” Spearhead-ed by Wabasha resident Mary Rivers, the organization grew to 74 volunteers in only one year. The group’s original goal was to create an observation deck staffed with knowledgeable peo-ple. In 1990, the Eagle Watch Observation Deck and Outdoor Information Center were open and the Mississippi River front-age was bustling with activity. Volunteers staffi ng the deck were given Bald Eagle identifi cation training by the University of Minnesota’s Raptor Center and other experts in the fi eld. This small group generated much energy and the news spread quickly. The Wabasha deck and group of volunteers drew at least 5,000 guests annually from around the world.

The Outdoor Information Center became a small store-front, and soon two rescued eagles were full-time residents. The staff and volunteer base continued attracting new people with diverse talents. Soon daily education presentations were offered, outreach programs were being requested for school visits, Native American ceremonies and military events. Eagle Watch transformed into the National Eagle Center. Bubbling with enthusiasm, the people and mission of this organization could no longer be contained and a new goal was set. A state-of-the-art facility was to be built; a model constructed and accented with sustainable products to refl ect the philosophy of the organization and its mission. The National Eagle Center joined forces with the City of Wabasha and together the center was built.

In May of 2007, the National Eagle Center opened its doors - the new facility drew over 100,000 guests in its fi rst year There are currently a total of fi ve eagles living at the Center.

The price is $6.00 a person Program lengths are generally 45 minutes to an hour depending upon number of questions and presenter. There is an opportunity for photos with an eagle in the fi rst fl oor of the rotunda area. No charge with camera, but donations are welcome. $5 per print without camera.

Photos will be taken after the Educational Program with the one or two eagles in the parked motorcycles in a specifi c area overlooking the Mississippi River.

Chris GlodowskiSales

Roger L. GlodowskiProprietor

James SolbergMotorhead

Replacement CRANKCASE For INDIAN CHIEF MOTORS

Roger: (262) 331-4300 James: (513) 420-8817Chris: (262) 894-8711 Email: chiefcrankcase@yahoo.com

Viking Chapter AMCA, Inc.

Antique Motorcycle Club of America, Inc

7314 Chicago Avenue South, Richfi eld, MN 55423

RealClassic MagazineImported from England and all about buying, selling, running and riding Real Classic motorcycles

$58 /yr (12 issues)

Available exclusively from

MOTORSPORT PUBLICATIONS7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921

www.ClassicBikeBooks.com

715-572-4595 chris@classicbikebooks.com

Subscribe to...

Or test drive a copy for $7 (postage included)

www.billbune.com

763-427-6738763-576-9924

2016 7th Ave.Anoka, MN 55303

4571 Valley Industrial Blvd. So.Suite 300Shakopee, MN 55379

952-233-3233

Motorcycling Magazines & BooksClassic Reading for all Tastes

Wanted:Indian Side Car Frame or Parts to fi t post WWII Chief. Kerry 651-492-0735

For Sale:1957 Indian Trailblazer Recently gone through, good runner. $5,750 David Grams 507-354-5139

1963 Royal Enfi eld Interceptor S Older restoration, runs good. $5,750 David Grams 507-354-5139

JUNE 2010

mystery biker = Craig Kotval