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Mid-South ride, eat, and meet

Battle of Parker's Crossroads

This battle was fought in late Dec. 1862 as part of General Forrest west Tennessee raid. This raid,along with Van Dorn's on Holly Springs, effectively stopped General Grant's overland campaign to capture the capital of Ms., Jackson and Vicksburg to open the Mississippi River and split the Confederacy. These raids delayed this from happening for 6 months. These raids along with two Union calvery raids were a large part of the Vickburg campaign. They took place a long distance from central Ms. and the Miss. River; so most people generally don't grasp the significance related to them. The movie 'The Horse Soldiers' starring John Wayne and William Holden was a fanciful version of one of those union calvary raids. The battlefield park hq is across the interstate and the ladies can help with more info on the battle.
 
Naturally Beemer fall campout

Just got my Sept/Oct The Beemer Bulletin. The Naturally Beemers fall campout will be Oct. 25-27 at Tyler Bend State park on the Buffalo River. Off Hwy 65, north of Marshall at Silver Hill. Group site #5. if your looking to ride some of the best roads of the Ozarks and camp out with some of the nicest BMW riders on the planet or any other planet for that matter, this is it. Push Mnt. Road, 341 is nearby. If you live in Ar. or love riding their roads time to join the Naturally Beemers and become a member.
 
The Beemer Bulletin had another interesting article. For some time the Arkansas Dept. Of Tourism has had a series of broucheres promoting motorcycle riding in Arkansas and the many great roads Ar. has. Most of those had pictures with Harley's, black leather, beards, toy helmets, etc. . Anyway , Rod Kilduff of the Naturally Beemers was contacted by Chuck Haralson of the ADT to put together a brouchere with pictures of a more attgatt style of riders. Rod agreed and a group of 5 Nat. Beemers were recruited/volunteers for moving photographs for the latest broucheres. Supposeedly these broucheres will be out and on the shelves of the welcome centers in March/April of '14. Good job guys.
 
Ride Eat Meet Memphis Thursday

Yep, The 1st Thursday 0f the month is allways the date for the monthly The Old Bike Club meeting. Bubba's Alehouse and Grill. 7041 Hwy64 Memphis Thursday, Aug 3 6:30pm. All bikes welcome and most riders. :laugh
 
Bikes on Beale extended

Was on the Beale Street Merchants Association web site and Bikes on Beale on Wendesday nite has been extended for the whole month of October. Fixxen to head over to Beale and meet the boys, see some cool bikes an listen to some blues and rockabilly. :clap:brow:groovy
 
Memphis Mummies- Run to the Sun 2013

The Mummies are on the prowl again. Time for the 4th annual 'Run to the Sun'. Friday and Saturday Oct. 25 & 26. Mummies are along with the Memphis Kings scooter club are the local Mods & Rockers. They have quite a few events scheduled for those 2 days. These guys and galls look and ride the part. Lots of British cafe racers, bobbers, scamblers, rat bikes, critter bikes show up. Go to the Mummies web site for more info. www.memphismummies.com A lot of the BMWRAMS and members of the Old Bike Club show up for this event. Fun event. :groovy
 
It was hanger time last Friday. My project was was removing a 15 year old RB2 tire off my /6 spoke wheel, gonna clean the wheel up and rebuild the bearing internals. Piece a cake, not so much. That old tire carcass fought us tooth and nail,it whipped us good. We retreated to work on a Triumph Adventure and lick our wounds. Flyboy #1 has the solution at home, which is a large sheet of steel to mount the No-Mar machine on. That tire's defiant days are numbered.
 
MSF class discount Ultimate Bike Bonding and Advanced Rider courses

I just posted a discount offering to any BMWMOA member or Airheads member for classes at MSF Campus in Alpharetta, GA.

Go to Member Opportunities to see the thread; MSF class discount information; for the contact details if interested in taking advantage to save $25.00 on the UBB or ARC classes till the end of 2013.

John Ringhoffer
 
No Ethanol Fuel Station West Memphis Ark.

Rick Coffman brought to my attention about the gas station convenience store on N. 7th Street having no ethanol added to the gas blend. Called Seven gas station or Mystic food mart. 850 N. 7th Street, West Memphis, Ar. at the Barton intersection. Tel. phone# 870 735 3211 This is about 2 blocks south off I55/40. Exit 278 I-40 :clap
 
Rams Rally great success

Rick and Susan Coffman invited me to share a drive over to the 1st RAMS Rally in Parkers's Crossroads, Tn. After our disasterous experience with the recalcitrant tire at the hanger, I didn't have the energy to ride over. Had a great time, Best Rally by a Dam Interstate. I can't give enough accolades to Bobby Bowden and all the RAMS members who helped organize and put the rally on. My mailbox is full of text's about what a great rally it was and how impressed everyone was with the new rally and site. It was no small feat for a club to move from one site of over 30 years to another and have this much success. Great job, Guys All thumbs up. :clap:clap:clap
 
Tire Changer Upgrade

Over at the Coffman home, Rick showed me the solution to the tirechanger fiasco. A large metal sheet of no tread plate to mount the changer on. Yes. Perfect. Excellent. Can't happen soon enough.
 
The Friday hanger tech day was a beehive of activity. I was kinda surprised, I thought everyone would be at Barber's in Leeds, Al.. Beau had a pressurized fuel line blow off his K1100, Mike had lost ground on the switch of his /5, and I was there to dismount the tire off the rim. Rick was surpervising all of us. It was determined that a to large odeker clamp was the cuprit of the fuel line uncoupling. A smaller one was being sourced. Mike disassembled his switch and cleaned al the contacts, and was still going upstream under the tank looking for a bad connection. I took the wheel off the Nomar and with a little help from the gang and tire irons seperated the tire carcuss from the rim. I set up shop on the trash can and began removing old wheel weights. One was the kind that was hammered on over the spoke nipple. Rick,with the help of a 5 lb hammer and chisel seperated it off the rim. I took a small file and started filing off all the nicks and dengs around the rim of the wheel. I had brought over my 4- pin wrench and removed the 2 large chrome nuts off the hubb. Rick then put his Snap On puller set to use and all the bearings and races and internals were removed from the center of the hub. Clean up of the wheel is next, then polishing out the rim. Finally a little progress on my /6.:thumb
 
Looks like Marion has just doubled it's number of BMW motorcycle owners. Riding thru Marion the other day I saw a new BMW R1200GS vasserboxer parked at the corner of Block St. and Judge Smith Dr.. Usually I see a newer Kawasaki Concours and KLR 650 parked there. Guess the guy sold or traded up to a new Beemer. Marion's lookin better all the time. :thumb Stopped and left my card on his bike.
 
Road over to Beale St for bike nite. Only 4 bikes for awhile, guess bike nite is starting to wind down. I parked next to a new Indian Chieftan, cool bike. My ridin buddy, Steve and I had a late dinner at Rum Boogie Cafe. A few more bikes showed up, but we took off for home.
 
Had a Ride Eat Meet scheduled yesterday with the Old Bike Club. The group was to meet in east Memphis and ride to Mr. BBQ in Covington, Tn. My plan was to ride from home and meet them there. The weather was a little rough in the mourning, but was clearing. Before I left I checked my email and no cancelations. Took off on the trip about 50 miles in length. It was cool, the 2 long sleeved T's, insulated leather vest under the Stich was just enough. The little R50 is without windshield. Found Mr. BBQ gotta table ordered the special of the day, catfish. Told the waitress about the coming bikeclub ride. She informed me they had called and cancelled. WUSSES! Had a nice lunch,alone. Rode out of town to the country and found a friends place, no one home. Left my card. Rode south to Millington and stopped in the Yamaha dealer, really liked the look of the Super Tenere, my kind of bike. Off to the winery, for some refreshment. Then home. Well over 100 miles of a great ride. The R50/5 is a great riding partner.
 
Gotta freight load up to Mankato, Mn., then 2nd load to Victor, Iowa. Took the weekend off and went to 2 BMW dealers Sat.. Went over to Van-Wall in Indianola, Iowa; multibrand dealer. Nice folks. What stood out to me were a couple Honda's. A 76 CB 750 and newer CB 1100. Naked bikes, Neat and clean. Took off to Gina's in Iowa City. More my style, BMW only. Had a friendly visit. I gotta cap and pin. They gave me acouple mags, thx. The 2 mags were Utimate Motorcycling. The July/Aug. 2013 had a interesting article, The Thinking Man's Machine comparing a 72 CB 750 and a 2013 CB1100. I kinda find it amussing.
 
I've run 4 tanks of no alcohol gas through the 50/5, seems that the bike is running good. Will continue running the same fuel till further notice. Had a nice 100 mile ride yesterday down to Miss. A neat side effect of riding this bike is the amount of attention it draws. At bars&grills with bikers, I find it surrounded and then the questions start about the engine, size, kickstart, year, etc. Drivers at the stop light roll their windows down and ask what it is and what year is it. It always draw smiles. The bike makes me a cool old dude. :groovy
 
Ride Eat Meet

The Olde Bike Club has their monthly meeting tomorrow Nov. 7 6:00pm. Bubba's Ale House 7041 Highway 64 Memphis 901 937 1911 All riders welcome.
 
Yesterday, I went over to the hanger with nothin particular to do. The guys mounted the tire change machine down to the heavy sheet steel plate. Better, but not quite there yet. Anyway Brad Smith was going to mount and balance a Bridgestone on a newer RT. Though job, I found out that particular tire is a tough dismount and mount. Brad got it done. Then proceeded to balance it useing a Mark Pharnes jig/fixture. Brad balanced the wheel first with out the tire, then went thru a procedure of balanceing the wheel and tire together. Nice efficient/ effective procedure, well thought out and calculated. Good job, new valve stem added during the process. I learned a few tricks to help me on my next tire change and balance. :thumb
 
Classic Bavarian Bagger

Been working on my front wheel of my '74 R90, clean, spit polish, shine. You know the routine, elbow grease, work your fingers to the bone, anyway been making slow but steady progress. I realized I was getting close to finishing this job. I needed a tire. I had a new set of Continental's 3.25x19 RB2 and 4.00x18 K112 ready to go. Seems they were being ripped pretty bad on another thread. Ancient, out of date, substandard for modern riding. OK, I get it. Went out to the shed and looked thru my stash of tires and found a new Metzler Perfect ME99A 4.00x18. Pretty good. Now I needed a new matching front tire for that front wheel I'm working on and it had to be a Metzler. The Lazertec 3.25x19 fit the bill. Called Don, my biker confidant in North Little Rock last Monday and put him in charge of procurring said tire. Don rolled thru here today and delivered the tire. :dance :thumb Making some headway.
 
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