After pouring the walls of the new dog house I needed to let them cure for a few days before working on them. I wasn’t really planning on doing it but what the hell, it is just a short ride on down to Sturgis and the weather was good predicted to be hot. The black hills are high and the temperature is nice up in the hills.  I packed up the yellow dog and headed south in the morning.

The lightning had started a few fires that were along the road.

I took the scenic route going south by heading south out of Broadus and going to Biddle. From Biddle I took the gravel road across to Alzada. This is really a nice road and there was only one pickup for traffic and one grain truck severing a combine working out in one of the grain fields.

This Harley stopped at the bar in Alzada pretty much says the attitude of the riders.

From Alzada I headed down to the little town of Hulett, WY and found it was a little busy.

There were line ups at the gas stations. Long hairs and no hairs seems to get along well if they ride Harleys.

When I got down to Sturgis I headed for the backcountry where it is really nice and quiet. The Harleys stay on the pavement so the back roads (500+ miles in the Black Hills) are nice to ride.

I got lost and found myself on a new logging road up to the top of the hill.

It was pretty steep in spots but not too bad for a bike.

thinned forest.

cute little cabins.

My camp just at the end of a little forest road that has no traffic.

The yellow dog makes it to town and the ZOO is in full swing.

Another Montana bike. There were little skulls everywhere on this bike.

 
I found Bruce Hellands turbo V Rod on main but couldn't find Bruce anywhere around. 

Must be a musician rides this one. Notice the drum lights, key board and guitar sissy bar.

This guy pulled in two spaces down from me and I had a chance to talk with him. I asked if building bikes was his business. He said that he built bikes but even selling bikes like this one for $75,000 he couldn’t make any money at it. It amazes me that anyone would plunk down that much money for a motorcycle that has to be as uncomfortable to ride as this one is.

A almost totally chrome V rod.

A nice older knuckle head custom.

An old Indian all painted up for advertising.

just gotta be a chicks bike?

This servicar was on main street advertising an action that was going to happen. This trike was going to be auctioned off.

An old one duct taped together made it.

The Hells Angles have a store front on main street. 

Here is a very unusual chopper.

Drag bike.

A nice R100S packing a hack. I had never seen the fairing additions that this guy had installed or the European leading link front end fitted for side car use.

What is with these Montana bikers?

A classy little Cushman.

An Allstate motorcycle on display at the Allstate insurance stand.

This was a rather unusual event. It is something you don’t see every day that is for sure. This gal is depositing whipped cream between the breasts of the girl laying down. she also put a test tube of hard liquor between legs just under her short skirt. The guy sitting down (cant see him) then leans over and uses his lips to take the test tube and down the drink. Then he goes to lick the whipped cream off her breasts. These bartender gals like to show off for the crowd.

I came back from a walk down the street taking photos of interesting bikes to find a note in my tank bag from Trish. She said that she had walked out of the One Eyed Jack bar and thought that must be my bike. I have known Trish for over twenty years, maybe 25 years. We met in Nevada when she was at Kens place on a field trip with her Geology class. She is a nurse that has specialized in administration possibilities. She has set up nursing programs at colleges and is now developing an internet nursing teaching program. Trish is always on the leading, bleeding edge and insurmountable problems are something she looks forward to solving. A pretty woman too…… I was luckey to find her in that crowd. Well, actually she found me.

Joe says that she covered up the best part.

The BMW store had a company test ride team there. When I came out of the mountains early in the morning I stopped in to take a look. They had one of the HP 2 bikes over in the display area. I asked if it was possible to give it a test ride. They guy said ‘Sure, go sign up and we will get you out on it.”  This bike has an air shock and they pumped it up for my weight and off I went with a group of five riders. We all had different BMW bikes and the route was freeway and back roads that were somewhat rough with a few twisty turns. It would have been nice to take it out on a gravel road or dirt trail but the group ride was all that was allowed. Well, what a bike it is compared to the old yellow dog of mine. It is as if I threw off 120 pounds and bolted on another 40 horse power. The first thing I noticed was the vibration it had. Evidently they took a vibration damper out which gives it more horses and less weight. I took the rear position where I could play around with the bike a little more and not have to worry about someone hitting me from behind. I found when I opened it up in first gear it would lift the front wheel off the ground! Yikes!!! Gotta be more careful as the guy said he didn’t want any one doing wheelies. There was no tach on it but they guy said not to worry about the revs as it has a rev limiter on it. Well I wound it out in third gear a little just to see what that would feel like. I have no idea as I finally shut it down at 80 mph and it was still pulling hard. There is a big power surge at high revs (maybe over 6,000?). This bike has 6 speeds so I don’t know how fast it would do in sixth, 80 was enough for me in third gear. I talked with the kid that ran the test ride and he rides airhead too. He also owns a R80GS and we both agreed that it was the best bike BMW ever made.

This guy was demonstrating the ABS brakes. He would come screaming down across a field to this gravel and hit the brakes full on. He just came to a slow stop with out the wheels sliding in the gravel and it seemed like complete control.

Classic styling on this one.

This was sure a clean looking little bike. Not that comfy though.

This could be trouble IF they ever get that drive line hooked up…….

Lots of stuff bolted on this old 45.

This is unusual in that I think it was one of the only ones that had one sided rear swing arm.

It is nice when the weather is warm here in Sturgis.

A nice old one is good to find.

This was absolutely amazing!! The battery was located on that rear frame and just an inch or two off the road. At first I thought it was just sitting there to start the bike but the bracket was welded on and those leather straps held the battery in. the battery was off the ground less than a ¼ inch here and the bike is on a side stand support. This bike is made for straight smooth roads……

A cute little 45 inch oil leaker or is that just cleaner that dripped off? I didn’t look at the front brake at the time but it looks like some sort of mechanical device that clamps the disc.

Interesting springer front forks some one made for this bike.

Arlen Ness had a few bikes for sale at his stand. These are some of the cheaper ones.

These rear tires are getting a little wide eh?

All this guy needs is a gooseneck hitch and he could tow a pretty good size stock trailer with the horses in this V8.

Here are a couple of $59,999 ones for sale.

They had to stop traffic to get this guy out on the highway. It takes him half the road just to make a turn and sure didn’t look that easy to ride.

Fat bags are really getting huge.

This was the most amazing porta potty I have ever had the unfortunate opportunity to look in. I am not sure how this was done, but it sure was a mess that someone is going to hate to have to clean up.

Lots of parts suppliers all over.

Here is one of the bikes that those guys from down south brought up this year. They have written on the side of their trailer, “we don’t give a damn how they do it in California.”

Faired and fat bagged.

My mechanic Bob had a chance to ride a restored Vincent this summer. I am sure it was nothing like this one to ride.

The license plate identifies this as a 51 Vincent Black Shadow. Or at least that is what the engine started out in……..

NO quick stops on this bike please.

This guy is an engraver and he had this bike to show off as well as a few parts that he has worked on. These knuckle engines are sure beautiful and it sure doesn’t hurt it to be engraved.

If you have your own motor you can just buy a rolling frame and pop it in and get out on the road. As you can see with this one there isn’t much clearance. it looks like just a little more than a two by four. What, maybe 2 inches and that is without an engine loading it down.

I talked with the guy that built this bike. It has a 23 inch spool hub front wheel. About 90% of your braking power on a motorcycle is on the front wheel so this bike probably needs a half mile or so to stop since it has no front brake. It sure did look good though. I asked how much one like it would cost to build. He said that with that ‘new’ old style knuckle head engine they would run about $40,000. He made several bikes around there and one of the things he likes to do is build a bike and take it over to Europe and ride over there. He was headed over this fall to ride France. I hope he builds one that might ride a little softer than this ridged frame, flat seat one.

I stopped in at the Broken Spoke bar where this band was playing. The Spoke it right on Main Street and is usually jamb packed.

There are lots of bikes all over the place inside. I liked this one too.

All around the main room are bikes up on a high shelf. That is a nice BMW R69S.

A Royal Enfield and one of those ‘rare’ Harley Davidson Café racer Sportsters like the one here in town (Miles City).

Sonny Barger is/was the head of the Hells Angles.

How would you like to make a quick stop with this one? It might hurt a little.

this had an interesting frame set up. Not good for quick stops either.

This was in interesting arrangement with total gear drive from engine to tranny with those big roller gears. Ya wouldn’t want your pants let to get down in there.

It sure doesn’t look that comfortable does it?

Here is a nice simple little kick start one with narrow rear tire and interesting front springer forks.

On the way home I came to Hulett and the bikes and a few cars were parked for over a half mile all along side the road. The people would park out there and walk into town. It was bumper to bumper (or front tire to back tire) for over a mile coming into town.

In the distance what almost looks like part of this complex is the Devils Tower. It is nice to see the huge log piles, which I remember when I was young in northern California and Oregon. Most of the sawmills are gone now as well as most of the trees.

It is always good to be back to camp. I got the place cleaned up and have started on getting the floor joists installed. I will deck then on Monday or Tuesday. I will be heading over to the Beartooth Rendezvous which starts Thursday outside of Red Lodge, MT. It will be really nice to get up there again. I missed it last year as I went over to the Nez Perce and Stanley Stomp in Idaho.