Kawi2strokes.com Forum

Cheap trick; only for Saturday afternoon......

But anyway, my local Triples buddy Marc has a 1939 UL. Saturday, I rode my H1A and Marc rode his Harley to a small swap meet. Afterwards we traded bikes and I got to spin the time machine back 74 years.

The Harley sports a foot clutch and a hand shift, terrible brakes and you have to manually shut off throttle.

It was a lot like patting your head and rubbing your stomach at the same time.

It took a little while but soon I was pulling away from stops and gear changing adequately, I enjoyed the challenge and the old 74 cu.in. flathead had some punch on the bottom. It must have had because I never stalled it.

It was best in cruising gear and enjoying the wind in the hair. Very fun!

When I got back on the H1, I decided they were complete opposites, but both are fun to ride.
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Using a poorly conceived idea along with bad mechanical practice is not an upgrade but rather a recipe for disaster.

Good for you Joe.

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This is true. Where I grew up the hills were so steep and long, when your ball rolled down the hill you just said "screw it"...

I bet you had a blast. Dad had a '35 74 and confirmed the high-torque nature of the flathead engine. When I was about 18 or 20, there was a '35 for sale in the Washington Post classifieds and I thought about buying it. Now, of course I wish I had. At least the '39 had a recirculating oil system. Dad's '35 had a total-loss oiling system, metering it to the engine bearings, and then letting it run out to lubricate the primary chain, after which it was released to the road.

When I visit you out in Iowa, arrange for me to ride the UL, please.

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If it surges, that's normal, upshift.

Come on over, we can keep you entertained.

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Using a poorly conceived idea along with bad mechanical practice is not an upgrade but rather a recipe for disaster.

Now, on to the next challenge, old Indian, same as the Harley, but, throttle is on the LEFT handlebar.

I rode a couple of my father-in-law's Indians, the '47 had the original set-up with the throttle on the left and the spark advance on the right. Boy was that tough to ride, the only thing I could do was put my right hand in my pocket, then I would leave the spark advance alone and use the throttle. I realize these old things are in varying states of repair but the Harley is a much better ride than I remember the old Indians. But again could be the state of the mechanicals. Al least the Harley has some syncros.

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Using a poorly conceived idea along with bad mechanical practice is not an upgrade but rather a recipe for disaster.