The Shovel Lives!

The shovel came off the lift Sunday as was fired up for a lot ride. The 98" motor runs STRONG. Compression is ridiculous. The stock starter only occasionally rolls the motor and kick starting is a major chore.

Sure sounds nice, though...

Read a passage today that I think I have written in my own mind or maybe told this story after a few beers to people that probably didn't want to hear it. It's amazing how insightful we think people are when they think like us...

"Every machine has its own, unique personality which probably could be defined as the intuitive sum total of everything you know and feel about it. This personality constantly changes, usually for the worse, but sometimes surprisingly for the better, and it is this personality that is the real object of motorcycle maintenance. The new ones start out as good-looking strangers and, depending on how they are treated, degenerate rapidly into bad-acting grouches or even cripples, or else turn into good-natured, long-lasting friends."

~Robert Pirsig

Looking More Like a Motorcycle

Made some more progress adding things that casual observers more commonly associate with motorbikes. Tanks on, seat on (although not feeling the buddy seat love just yet)...

Finally found some pipes that fit

Messed around trying to find some cheap drag pipes for the shovel. They wouldn't have been my first choice but I wanted to get something on quick to run. Well, the cheap pipes I thought would fill the bill came and didn't fit. Toledo Craigslist to the rescue. I found some new tru-dual headpipes and if you know me, you know there's always a few fishtail straights in a pile in the corner...