First Annual Motorcycle Kickstart Classic on October 5th, 2011

You know for sure that the love affair with classic and vintage motorcycles is getting more intense when new rides are created to celebrate them. On October 5th, the First Annual Motorcycle Kickstart Classic will cover 293 miles, starting  from Wheels Through Time in Maggie Valley, NC to Panhead City in Rome, GA to Barber Motorsports and museum outside Birmingham, AL. It’s a free ride for all motorcyclists riding all makes, models, years and styles of bikes but of course your bike must be equipped with a functional kickstarter.

The ride leaves Wheels Through Time at 10 am on Thursday, October 6, 2011. Riders will overnight in Rome, GA and then ride to Barber at 9 am on Friday, October 7 in time to be part of the Barber Vintage Fesitval. Sponsored by BAKER Drivetrain, American Iron Magazine, RoadBike magazine, Motorcycle Bagger, Wheels Through Time, Panhead City and Barber Museum. The official merchandise supplier is Wrench, Ride, Repeat ™. By the way, I hear that Baker Drivetrain is doing right now a promotional campaign at discounted prices for its kickstart transmissions and components…

20 Responses to “First Annual Motorcycle Kickstart Classic on October 5th, 2011”


  1. 1 Kirk Perry Sep 17th, 2011 at 3:43 pm

    Gee, sounds like a lot of fun. Old iron makes people smile and come out of their houses. Like a locomotive would. Take a lot of gritty pics.

    My black ’57 USA/Taiwan, stock-muffler Panhead, besides literally blowing people’s minds when they see us potato-ing down the road, also has weird tick. Starts on the first primed-kick, but for some reason, will stop running a mile or two down the road, or out in the middle of a ride. The dash lights are on, but the motor stops. If I let it set for a minute or two, it will re-start and run perfectly. I’m thinking fuel restriction somewhere. I’ll find it.
    But, as I sat there under a tree-lined street waiting on the Pan this morning (no helmet) ,there were no less than (3) joggers and one lady pushing a baby stroller that offered to either let me use their phone, and one fellow offered to go home and get his car and drive me to wherever I lived. So, you know…… you don’t see that kind of reaction everyday. They look past me and at the motorcycle. I think many people have “mechanicals” in their DNA and California laws have about killed an outlet for us. Perhaps Special Construction will be allowed to stay on past 2012. Last month, Obama told the EPA to cool it for awhile. California might heed.

    “BAKER Modern 4-Speed Gearset is Made Out Of High Grade 8620 Gear Steel; Gears Ride on Needle Bearings Instead Of Brass Bushings.

    •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
    Nice.

    Now would somebody please make a Genuine Replica 1948-1964 OHV timer ? The V-Twin® timer they sent me as a replacement has the “slot” for the timer spark advance post in the wrong place. None but a relative few will attempt to make it right. I did, but when I got through with it, I had no respect for it. Bummer.
    Here’s the facts. If someone will make the timer right, people will buy them. People will buy them for $259.00 if they work right out of the box.

    Baker has a 4-speed transmission. Works right.
    Make a timer. Just the base, shaft, and housing. We can use off-the-shelf replacement parts to construct the rest of it. Get the slot in the right place.
    IF

  2. 2 Kirk Perry Sep 17th, 2011 at 4:28 pm

    If you run a belt primary on a Knuckle and Pan (to ’64) with the standard 31 tooth motor and 47 tooth clutch pulley set-up – a 50 tooth rear sprocket will open-up a new riding world. Every gear seems longer. 2nd and third are unbelievable compared to a chain. It feels like a rubber mounted FX. Spectacular with an FX shifter cam in a 4-speed jockey top.
    I think Bake makes the FX shifter cam.
    There’s an entire self-sustaining sport – along with video’s of burn-outs, show an axle-cam view of a Baker FX shifter cam 4-speed jockey shift on an uphill canyon of flat-asphalt. Talk about a rider and machine functioning as one unit, it’s like surfing without the crowds – or getting wet – “telling you what I know to be true. http://nosparts.com/ finally sold out of the OE ones. They were $160.00 and worth every cent.

    The 50-tooth (vs. stock 51) rear sprocket is made in the USA (aluminum). Mine has 586 miles and shows no tooth-slant wear. They last about 5,000 miles, give or take.
    Order a V-Twin® drum and rivets. Remove the sprocket. The 50-T is available from John Pierce about $100. http://freewebs.com/colorwrite/main.html

  3. 3 Kirk Perry Sep 18th, 2011 at 1:08 pm

    “Baker N1 shift drums:

    The N1 Shift Drums have a 0-down all-up shifting pattern, and eliminates any possibility of catching neutral on aggressive 1-2 shifts. Neutral is below 1st. The N1 drum is also popular with handshifting bikes where finding neutral without doubt or error is critical to safety or riding/looking smooth.” – BT
    •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
    I’m presuming this a similar cam to the obsolete FX shifter cam. With an FX shifter cam, 1st gear is forward, then back for neutral, and the rest are back-shifted.
    “O-down and all back means neutral is defaulting to the forward most position. Back for 1st and all the rest is hopefully the N1 shifting pattern – which sets the stage for wearing filthy clothes on a spotless bike, entering a freeway on-ramp, shifting back, from 3rd to 4th at 48 mph with a mouth full of liquid licorice, grinning with black teeth. Yea, they like it. 🙂

  4. 4 Kirk Perry Sep 18th, 2011 at 4:14 pm

    About the 1st Annual K/S Classic (*race) October 5th deserves some discussion. Most people will depart with left handlebar clutch levers. That’s one “hand pull” per gear, up or downshifting.

    An FX shifter ratchet top requires a depressed foot pedal, the deft move of your hand, and a 3-finger drop-hook on the Saturn ball ring, then quick-hand release, once one of those two spring prawls leaps-out and completes the shift for you. **Not much effort there.
    Locate an FX shifter rider and compare his left-side trauma to a ***hand lever riders.

    Use the width advantage of 5:10 X 16 tires to balance at stop signs w/o putting taking your feet off the foot boards. Slick, with an FX jockey. You pause, your balanced, you depress the foot clutch, you potato-off. Stealth or what?
    •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

    * “It’s a free for-all-ride, for all motorcyclists on all makes, models, years and styles of bikes, but of course your bike must be equipped with a functional kickstarter”. Fuzzbuster® optional.

    ** The pendulum Cro-Magnon swing of a human’s left arm is in every rider’s DNA. Every rider wants to reach below his seat…. possibly have his knuckle drag the ground if he could.
    I’ve seen CHP cops in front of me reach under their seat on their Kawasaki’s. It’s in the blood.

    *** If you can surf waves, or carve at least a 270-degree turn on a skateboard, or can master any task that requires you balancing on top of a ball, then you’re a candidate for a jockey shift configuration.

  5. 5 Kirk Perry Sep 18th, 2011 at 6:30 pm

    And anytime you get antique British bikes involved, those guys always take-off ahead of everybody else – immediately.

  6. 6 Randy Sep 19th, 2011 at 9:22 am

    Bert Baker is so talented….I want to nominate him for the presidency of the United States!
    He is my hero.

  7. 7 Kirk Perry Sep 20th, 2011 at 10:08 pm

    I know everyone’s been worried sick over whether I found the reason my motor would stop on it’s on free-will.
    I traced it back to a faulty (*n.o.s.a Japanese) 5-position ignition switch. The selector would vibrate off it’s contact and slip between “ignition & headlights” on the dash.
    There’s a used OEM one on the knuckle-glide. Was. It’s getting borrowed.

  8. 8 Kirk Perry Sep 21st, 2011 at 10:16 am

    N.O.S.A. is new old stock aftermarket. Antique re-pop (i.e; rigid frame chain guards made by Paughco • Los Angeles, California is an example of antique re-pop). Antique re-pop is worth more than OEM to the sub-culture of junk.

    Re-pop: Derogatory slang for reproduction parts. Derived from the original 1964 surfboard industry phrase “pop out”, which described the cheap fiberglass & foam all-in-one manufacturing process, where fiberglass mat (not cloth) was lain in opposing halves of concrete clam-shell molds. An expanding polyurethane foam solution was poured the length of the (approximate) 10′ long mold and the concrete lid lowered and secured. The foam would expand and impregnate the fiberglass. Glass mat and foam bonded as one unit.
    A frickin’ pop-out. A kook ride. A hodad’s roof rack car ornament – the foam and fiberglass would separate and bubble, if left out in the hot sun on your roof rack, or lying on the sand all day. The describing phrase you would hear at the beach would be, “Popped-out piece of sh-t”. It had to be said exactly like that.
    30 yrs. later, poorly made Taiwan Harley replacement parts finally got a modern name. I first heard the word from Hamster’s logo artist Jim Waggaman (Air Stream Studio), after he’d been hanging around with the mob that continually surrounded Arlen Ness anywhere he went in public.
    A. Ness was from the San Fernando Valley area. The “Valley” runs South to North, from the Mexican border to San Francisco. “Valley Consciousness” pertains to the “speed world” of gasoline powered vehicles, and pop-out surfboards.
    So, when Jim Waggeman uttered the word “re-pop” he was watching me, knowing that as soon as I heard the phrase, I would claim it as mine and I did. 🙂
    And that’s the story of “re-pop”.

  9. 9 nicker Sep 21st, 2011 at 11:24 pm

    RE:
    “…all makes, models, years and styles of bikes but of course your bike must be equipped with a functional kickstarter….”

    Better yet…. “and must have any electric starter disabled”….. 🙂

    -nicker-

  10. 10 Kirk Perry Sep 22nd, 2011 at 3:40 pm

    Sad news to report that Antique Cycle motorcycle parts has closed it’s doors.
    They had parts the other supplier’s didn’t and it leaves everybody with less choice and is a non-win for anyone situation. Good bye to an era.

  11. 11 Kirk Perry Sep 23rd, 2011 at 1:07 am

    Still under the umbrella of the Baker transmission & Kick-Start Annual:
    There’s still one missing piece from a 1955-57 Panhead rolling chassis. It is a key component, made of aluminum and can be turned on a lathe – and the kit-build market is going no further without this (OEM 48311-48) 1949-1959 steering head cup. The cups without the races retail for about $30.00 a set.
    If someone could make them, you can sell them for what ever the market will bear. We’ll pay any price you ask.
    The diameter of the cup’s stem is approx. 1.320″ O.D. The I.D. of the frame neck is approx. 1.310″.
    The races used are #07196. The bearings are #07100.
    ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
    The only fork cups available for the last 35 years are the 1960-1984 fork cups which are 1/16″ taller than the 1949-59 cups. Adding 1/16″ top and bottom (2-cups) equals 1/8″ of extra height. The extra height causes the mount tabs on the s/s fork panels to no longer line up with the now-extended fork trees, which in turn creates an air-gap between the top of the front panel and top tree.
    V-Twin® won’t make the cups. Ever, imo. All they sell, and will sell, are the 1960-1984 cups.
    ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
    If you need a 1949-1959 cup to reverse-engineer I can search for one. All we need is a cup for the standard races and bearings listed above and available in any bearing shop worldwide. Cheap.
    Of Note: There is only one person in the world who makes the 1949-1959 cups BUT, he has turned-over his round stock of aluminum to another machinist who actually turns them, and is reticent to ask the master-machinist to turn a run of cups, because the same machinist does precision machine work for the cup owner that’s more important to the cup owner than the 1949-1959 cups.
    So, this is the how the 1949-1959 market is mired today – basically stalled waiting on a cup owner to grow a set.
    Somebody could help help us out here. Somebody that owns a machine shop, that has one employee too many, and this project could help keep him or her their job. Turn a few hundred sets. I’ll buy some dealer price. Kick-Start M/C Parts will buy some stock, AAOK would want some. Come awn! Have some fun. Whatcahgot into it? Aluminum and lathe labor?

  12. 12 Kirk Perry Sep 23rd, 2011 at 4:53 pm

    All right then! 🙂
    In the spirit of the 1st Annual Kick-Start Classic, I scrambled to complete the “missing parts” list for the Iron Maiden Knuckle-Glide and a new (iron) ignition switch.
    So, there’s a few people wrenching away on our scoots – that are our ticket out of town! And I’m gettin’ the frick outta town brother!
    •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
    Drop in on the construction over the fall months. The parts get here Thursday and I’m frozen-solid on the bike until they do.
    Have a GREAT Ride through the colors.

  13. 13 Kirk Perry Sep 27th, 2011 at 6:38 pm

    Mark Blankenship (the cup builder) called to say the 1949-59 Fork Cups should be done in a couple of weeks, then they need to be cad plated and they should be finished in 3 weeks, give or take. That’s good news.

    The customer can press their own 07196 races and use the (16 rollers) bearing 07100.

    Note: If your cups use (19) rollers, they’re 1960-1984 and wrong for OEM style tin.

  14. 14 Kirk Perry Sep 27th, 2011 at 10:05 pm

    If you love old Panhead crankcases and heads (or animals) more than you like most people … please log on to this site and tell Joe, that if he rides that Panhead head to work he will damage the motor and possibly crack the cases.
    Joe, you just shelled out big money for Vol. 2.
    You needed Vol. 1.
    Who built your bottom-end? You?
    Did you free-spin the crankcase for egg-shaped c.b./idler gears?
    Or free- spin the oil pump? That knocking is death-rattle.
    Listen up everybody. You should NEVER have to ride your Knuckle or Pan and need to “listen” for noises. We told you in Vol. 1. Wear foam earplugs when you ride. It’s pleasant.
    When you remove the ear plugs with the warm motor idling, you should hear the generator whirling and the solid lifters clicking the finger-spun push rods (hydraulic lifters, your on your own), but NO Knocking, not with the throttle loading the pistons or ever. EVER!
    Call Stett or Accurate or suffer greatly and for a long time my friends.
    These are Industrial Swiss Clock motors. You’ll never throw enough money and time at them yourself and get it right. Send it out, and if you have any money left…. go buy a block of ice and sit on it. 🙂
    You’ll never worry about your motor knocking again and brother…. that IS a relief.

  15. 15 Kirk Perry Sep 27th, 2011 at 10:39 pm

    Help…… Joe.
    If not for Joe…. then for his 1956 crankcase. 🙂

    http://www.caimag.com/forum/showthread.php?10467-1956-Panhead-Ride-Report/page2

  16. 16 Buzz Kanter Sep 28th, 2011 at 3:35 pm

    I plan on riding my 1936 Harley EL. Kicker only, no electric start. And I think American Iron Magazine editor Chris Maida will be riding his Knuck bobber all the way from Connecticut. Should be a lot of fun.

  17. 17 Kirk Perry Sep 29th, 2011 at 1:30 pm

    Cool!
    And don’t worry about that oil light staying ON after 10 miles of riding.
    Many of us old iron pump and old S&S porous pump holders have the same issue. It’s not a problem, we’re still getting 1 or 2 lb.s of continual oil flow, which is sufficient for our High Volume – Low Pressure (HVLP) oil systems.
    Rave on. Twist it for some throttle therapy. 🙂
    Here’s the NEW 3.5 gallon tanks from V-Twin® no in stock, but on their way. It appears from the page as rounded tank sides and not the flat-side tanks I was sent in March of 2010.
    I’m focused on the 1951-1954 Script & Strip of which there is no picture, but I may be getting a set direct from Taiwan/UPS before long.
    Check the welded tank emblem mounts. 1947-1965 foot and tank shift models:
    http://vintagetwin.com/topic.php?id=117

  18. 18 Kirk Perry Sep 29th, 2011 at 2:21 pm

    And here’s a statement to ponder. The statement is true, and if a Pan owner falls out of this narrow category then he/she needs to look inward and ask themselves,
    “WHY am I so stubborn?”.
    •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
    A 61 or 74 cu. in., Linkert fed 1949-1964 Panhead (prime-kicked with the key OFF), MUST start on the first (or second) ignition ON kick, or there is something wrong with the motorcycle.

    And the best place to start looking for that fix is on page 1C-1 of the 1959-1969 H-D® Service Manual (99482-69).

    The myth that you have to kick a Panhead multiple times to get it to start is based on ignorance.

    Find a hard starting Panhead and you’ll find a magneto-fed Pan or a non-Linkert carburetor motor, or a Pan that’s been hopped-up past stock cam lift, or greater than 0.070″ over-bore.
    True or False?

  19. 19 nicker Oct 2nd, 2011 at 10:09 pm

    True.

    Have started “Millie” on several occasions when simply turning the crank looking for TDC for a second kick.
    (then i put on a stock air cleaner and damned near kicked myself into a heart attack)…. 🙁

    -nicker-

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