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Mid-South ride, eat, and meet

The ride over to the Olde Bike Club lunch get together,yesterdsay was a much needed ride. I was the last to arrive, and everyone was upbeat. Had a good visit with my buddy Leo. Leo is going to help me get my R90 back on the road, first a small amount of engine work. More on that later. After the lunch, I took some back roads around Shelby Co. then over to Old Millington Winery. Had a good visit with Perry the owner, purchased 2 bottles of wine and headed to Mugs Bar and Grill in Memphis to meet up with my friend Ron and his German Shepard, Link. Ron and I set out on the patio and enjoyed the wine. First the Blush then the Muscadine. Felt good to be out in the shade sippin that wine. Attitude adjustment time . Ron is in the process of getting his R90 running. Everything building a bike is step by step. After dicussing his progress, we both split for home.
 
Will be riding over to Bikes on Beale tonight, as it's bike nite. Will try to park in front of Superior BBQ and sit out front on the side walk. Not so easy with the current crowds showing up. I'll probably go down to Alfreds and listen to the Eic Hughes with the world famous Leo goff on bass. :groovy See y'all there. :wave
 
Had a good time on Beale last nite. Really liked it when my buds showed up. A couple of friends rode down on older brit bikes. Pat on his late 60's Triumph 500 and Peter on his pristeen perfect Vincent Black Shadow. That Vincent allways draws alot of attention. Felt good to go for a little ride and get out a see some bikes. I never got down to Alfreds to here Leo, maybe next week.
 
Been out haulin freight, work really gets in the way of my bike time. Made a few runs, going up to Chicago and Detroit. Coming home I had the oppurtunity to visit a new BMW dealership in Urbana, Il. . Sportland Motorsports. In the past I got to go to the old dealer Twin City BMW in Savoy. I really liked that dealership, people were very freindly to me. It had an old school feel to it, which I like. It was also a BMW only store. Sportland is the total opposite. A big multi brand dealership. Along with BMW, they had Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Polaris, Victory. So they also had 4 wheelers, watercraft, scooters. They are in a multitide of buildings. People were nice, but it just wasn't the same. Met John Ducey, one of the staff. Good guy. I did buy the latest issue of BMW Motorcycle Magazine, the summer issue. Hope the dealership works out for the BMW riders of central Illinois.
 
Mid South ride meet and eat

The Rams will do all that tomorrow. Will meet at 9:00 at Performance Plus BMW, 5312 Pleasant View, Memphis. Tony Siano, one of the owners just E-mailed that there will be sausage biscuits, donuts, coffee etc. for the club and the riders. Leave at 9:30. Destination The Holiday Lodge in Como, Ms. 218 County Rd. 517. Off Highway 310 near Sardis Lake. Lunch probably around noon and the meeting to follow. Someone just text me that the ride down was a real favorite. Looks like I gotta ride for tomorrow. :groovy
 
I got off to a late start so I couldn't do the group ride to the club meet eat and meet. Took off and rode direct down I 55 south toward Como. Stopped at the Ms. Welcome Center in Hernando, gotta a new Ms. map and since the restaurant was in Como, I also got a map of Panola County. Road to Como and clean thru Panola County and hadn't reached the The Holiday Lodge. Stopped at a country gas station and found out the place was in Layfayette County. Just another 10 miles down the road. Got to the restaurant and joined the activities. Chowed down then a short meeting. All good. Nice place for a club get togather, it's just dawned on me that we had a meeting here about 15 years ago. Everyone split for home after it was over. I rode with Marshall Robilio back north toward Memphis to about exit 289 and the traffic came to a stopped . I rode off the interstate, cut across the access road, back up an on ramp across a couple of short fields up a road under construction, crossed back over the median to the other side heading the other way. Marshall just followed competantly. Finally got to a stopping point. I told Marshall that I proud of him. All that goofy riding, was actually dirt bike riding on street bikes. Marshall is only 83 and was riding a '78 R100. Not bad for an old man on a old bike.
 
We rode back rodes north back into Memphis. We went by a machine shop, where worked back in the '80's. I got my first motorcycle when working there. In '85 I goota '71 R50/5 with only 724 miles on the odometer. Just like new. I was off an riding. I still have it and ride it some every year. Just a block down we pasted a building where I worked in the '90's taking care of a collection of rare exotic cars and motorcycles. We had any where from 15 to 30 cars and over a 100 motorcycles. It was also a vintage car team and we raced all over the country. That's another story.
 
I got off to a late start so I couldn't do the group ride to the club meet eat and meet. Took off and rode direct down I 55 south toward Como. Stopped at the Ms. Welcome Center in Hernando, gotta a new Ms. map and since the restaurant was in Como, I also got a map of Panola County. Road to Como and clean thru Panola County and hadn't reached the The Holiday Lodge. Stopped at a country gas station and found out the place was in Layfayette County. Just another 10 miles down the road. Got to the restaurant and joined the activities. Chowed down then a short meeting. All good. Nice place for a club get togather, it's just dawned on me that we had a meeting here about 15 years ago. Everyone split for home after it was over. I rode with Marshall Robilio back north toward Memphis to about exit 289 and the traffic came to a stopped . I rode off the interstate, cut across the access road, back up an on ramp across a couple of short fields up a road under construction, crossed back over the median to the other side heading the other way. Marshall just followed competantly. Finally got to a stopping point. I told Marshall that I proud of him. All that goofy riding, was actually dirt bike riding on street bikes. Marshall is only 83 and was riding a '78 R100. Not bad for an old man on a old bike.

Ran into Marshall at the Chicken Rally...

IMG3850-M.jpg
 
Marshall and I split up, he headed home and I rode over to see another buddy of mine, Ron. I had some books and mags to deliver on BMW motorcycles. Ron is getting a '75 R90 running over at Marshal's garage. Got those delivered and stayed long enough to drink a glass of wine. Ron and I both worked togather at that machine shop. He was ridin a Norton Commando, so we obviously rode around quite about back then. Ron was/is probably the greatest machinist I ever worked with. Job shop, tool and die. jigs and fixtures, automotive, head and cylinders, medical implants and tools, cnc. Ron did it all and was good at it. I got the oppurtunity to work with Ron in several different shops, and I hope to again.
 
Thx for the pic Deacon. Marshall is one of the most truely unique persons I have ever met. Marshall has a long history of building custom cars, drag race and road race cars and hot rods. All the way back to the early fifties. He's allways been into motorcycles as well. Ron, who I had previously mentioned is in his early 60's and he can remember watching Marshall race as a kid.
 
I wasn't thru with my ride, so leaving Ron's, I rode over to Mug's Bar, not to drink, but to sit on the patio and puff a cigar. Pulled up and parked where I allways do. Went to the patio set down relaxed and ejoyed the cigar. The parking lot was packed, as they were having a battle of the bands. 8 in all. I knew my old ears couldn't hack that, but I couldn't leave as all those bands were backin in unloading gear. I was trapped. Then It clouded up, wind started blowing, thunder lighting, got dark. Sh@#$T! Saw an onening, jumped on my bike hauled butt down the road to Raleigh Tire and Battery. Got under their big overhanging awning and rode out the storm for an hour. The bottom fell out, as the thunder rolled and the lighting striked. Pulled out a cigar set back and enjoyed Mother Nature at her finist. After that mess blew on over, I had a leisurely ride home. 179 miles of riding ecstacy and hell all rolled up in one. Can't wait for the ride today.
 
Just got the report, Ron and Marshall got Ron's R90 running. Fired up pretty quick and ran at a good cadence at 1000 rpm's. Smoked some, then cleared up. Ron's got some more work to do on it , but looks like the bike going to be a runner pretty soon. :thumb Ron and Marshall have been working on it off and on for about a month. I think getting the brakes working is next.
 
Did a little road trip yesterday, parts hunting. Had a little success. Looking for a headlite bucket assembly for a K100 and a rear hub for a R90/6. No luck on the hub. Gotta a partial assembly of a head lite bucket for the K100. I'm going to convert a K100RT to a plain K100. I wanted the assembly of a late model K75. Looks more like a standard headlite bucket. The earlier models had more plastic. anyway, I did get a headlite bucket and the assembly that holds it. Also got the black plastic turn signal housings but not the lens. Now I gotta find the head lite lens, reflecter, bulb holder etc. and hardware. hate stripping a RT down, but I like the bike, but I'm tired of the fairing. Traps all the heat, knees hit the fairing, tired of removing plastic and hardware to service the bike. Plus maybe it's just time for a change. I also gotta find a radiator shroud assembly. The hunt is on.
 
My brakes are actin up on my R1100RS, I really havn't the time to give it proper attention. Pulled the reservoir cap off, fluid is not as clear as I like. Will do a fluid flush and replacement later. Got the KRT out and fired it up. Went to the insurance agent got insurance, then to DMV and got tags. Ready for bike nite.
 
Been sittin around the house waitin to get a load, nothin. Bored. Think I'll ride over to Bikes on Beale St.. It's Bike Nite. Time to ride, here some Blues and down a brew. :groovy Might get lucky. :kiss
 
Just got back. nice little ride. K bike ran good. Beale street was packed. Talked to some bikers, that usually go to Joe's Crab Shack. They said the place was dead. Everyone's going to Beale. It's hard to compete with Beale St.
 
I'm getting a little momentum going on getting my '74 R90. I'm going to build a new set of wheels for it. I found a good front hub for it in my pile of stuff, but I still needed a rear hub. Called a fellow club member from the RAMS, Spencer Bennett. Known for having old parts. Told me he might have one over at the hanger in West Memphis, Ar. at the airport. Went over last Friday, and hooked up with Spencer and Rick Coffman. They had access to a hanger and in it was a plane and several bikes, a lift, tools, etc.. They were servicing a R75/5. Over in the corner was the derelick doner bike. I recognized the bike, it was Mike Pandolf's old bike. The cast Krauser bag mounts had come off my R90 years ago. I guess what go's around comes around. Anyway, We drug it out and I snatched the wheel off. I was only after the hub, after a little discussion; I asked if they had a whiz wheel, air powered hand grinder. They did and I proceeded to cut the spokes out. In about 10 minutes, I had my final drive. We dragged the heep back to it's position. I then pulled up a chair and watched them service the /5. It's fun to watch two old pro's go about their bidness. They shortly had the bike serviced in good fashion. We had a coffee break at the airport machine shop, then they followed me back to my place to see my man cave/shop. After they left, I started looking for my stainless steel spoke sets and and getting a catalog to see about ordering my rims.
 
There's a ride, eat, meet going on tomorrow, Saturday July 9th. The Rams are having their lunch and meeting in Mckenzie, Tn. Higg's Restaurant 25185 Highway 22. Lunch at 12:00 meeting 1:30. Bowbby Bowden is the host and is preparing for those who want to camp at his place Saturday night. If I get a chance I hope to ride over tomorrow for the lunch and club meeting. Depends on whether I get a load offer and run. Sad to say, I may have to work. Need the dough.
 
Oh no, got a load offer. Picks up in Memphis going to Larado, Tx.. Out of the frying pan and into fire. I gotta do it, still have a lot of parts to buy for the R90 resto. Well it's for a worthy cause. Guess I'm off and running, just not on my bike. I think I'll make enough to buy a digital camera. Need one to document the R90's comeback. I even have a title for it. Classic Bavarian Bagger.
 
Just got back from the run to Larado, Tx.. Also went back to Ft. Worth, then over to Houston.HOT. Pretty much described this run. Saw hundreds of bikes on the road, Can't even remember seeing one BMW on the road. Stopped in at Perry's in Fort Worth. Saw some nice bikes. Perry builds some cool customs. Really liked his '84 R100 "Belgium Police Bike". I've got a '84 R100 escort model. Both have a lot of the same features. Twin disc front brakes, rear drum. Kick start trans. Solo seat, radio box, European police fender. His had the S fairing, mine was a RT, but well get the BMW windshield set. His is low milage and in good overall condition. Mine's kinda rough. One day it'll be as nice. Hated to leave Perry's, but I wanted to stop in at Eurosport Cycle. It's just down from Perry's. They had a nice '77 R100S in there on consignment. Listed at $4,999. Wished I could have seen if $4,000 would take it. Low on funds as usual. Drove on over to BMW of Fort Worth. Looked around, had some nice bikes as usual. Got a load offer and took it on over to Humble, Tx.. Had a nuff of the heat and came home.
 
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