************************************************* KEEP ON THUMPIN' ...
NOTE: ALL CONTENT OF THIS WEBSITE IS PRESENTED FREE OF CHARGE TO THE VIEWER AND IS TO BE CONSIDERED SOLELY AS ENTERTAINMENT. - FSSNOC, INC.
CURRENT UPDATE: 05-14-26 NEXT EXPECTED UPDATE: 05-22-'26
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THERE ARE THREE LITTLE WORDS THAT PEOPLE ALL THE WORLD OVER LOVE TO HEAR ...
"MY NEW THUMPER"
Hello JR,
Last week I hinted of a new-to-me Thumper ... (in photo above)
So, here it is. At 84 years of age and having owned 112 motorcycles including 38 thumpers, I really thought my bike buying days were behind me. A year and a half ago I made what I thought would be my last bike purchase. Turns out, I just couldn't attach to that bike.
It was a Twin and while I loved the motor, the ergonomics just didn't work for me. At the time, I had a list of 5 bikes I was considering which included the Triumph Speed 400. This one pretty much fell into my lap.
As luck would have it, a close neighbor to me was going to trade this Triumph in on a new model. Rather than take the dealers trade-in value, I told him I would do better by a few dollars.
So now I'm the new owner. For the record, I'm very happy with the bike. Only issue was the short side stand which gave it lots of lean angle when parked. My stiff joints demand that I stand on the footpeg to swing my leg over. I added about 3/4" of old handlebar to the stand length and now much better. There is a good chance the Triumph will become my "go to" bike of the four bikes I have tags on.
Stay safe on the roads, Vic Force, #3701, NC
(REPLY TO VIC) CONGRATS, VIC! I'm gonna say that your new ride is a Triumph Speed 400. And as for that shorter sidestand, the first time I came across that particular design malady was on my own Kawasaki KLR650s ... that was back in 2023.
I've since maybe figured out what is going on with the short stands, as it seems like everyone (manufacturers) got the idea at the same time, that being to lean the bike over at an increased angle with perhaps the idea to aid the rider in mounting the machine ... but I've had to become more aware of soft surfaces!
I carry one of those plastic round discs that goes under my KLRs sidestand when I park on anything that doesn't afford a solid surface. The KLR does have a bigger "foot" on the sidestand than in the past, but I still have to be careful...
Just one of the features that I like on the 400 Triumphs? Tubeless Tires! Why in this day and age of modern this and that do I have to mess with innertubes?? The bag that carries all the stuff to MAYBE get the tire up and going again weighs a TON and it mounts atop my seat/luggage rack which isn't a good idea ... but choices are limited to ... NONE.
Your bike looks great, Vic! You are going to like this new-2-U Triumph!!
Keep Us Posted... #000.
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MAY 20, 2026 ... is our ThumperCafe #67 club lunch. That's a Wednesday. So Thursday being the normal "Update The Website" day, that may not happen until later that week so when you tune-in, if it hasn't been updated at that time, check back later ... #000
ALSO ... if you look down below all this, you'll see "Old Men - Old Tractors"
Last week I incorrectly connected AGCO with Deutz tractors of old, I've since been corrected that that is not the case ... Thank You, Stan, #4856 ... #000
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OLD MEN ... OLD TRACTORS,
TRIED AND TRUE ... IN THE RED, WHITE, AND BLUE
We hear from Vic Force, #3701, N.C. - What say you, Sir Vic?
OLD TRACTORS
Hello JR and all of the FSSNOC'ers out there.
Took the Kymco out looking for something to send to FSSNOC. Found this photo above. It's an old farm tractor graveyard. Only one I've ever seen. Interesting thing about this one, they only have Deutz tractors, a brand I've not heard of. Do they have them in Kansas? I was told there are somewhere near 1200 tractors on the grounds.
Also, news coming next week on my ... NEWEST THUMPER! Didn't really think it would happen but am very happy it did.
Stay tuned and ride safe, Vic Force, #3701, NC
WOW! VIC!! A NEW THUMPER? Good for you ... nothing like a new motorbike, especially a Four-Stroke Single!! Can't wait to see what it is? Maybe, you should give us some hints before the big reveal?
As for DEUTZ tractors? Are they In KANSAS? There are tractors in Kansas. Oh yeah, in fact, just a mere 30 miles away from ThumperVille is an AGCO facility. I always ride by the plant on my ride over to Dan's Cycle, matter of fact, I was over there just yesterday ... at 49 degrees, a chili day and a nippy ride! I picked up a long awaited set of 5-inch foam grip covers by Grab-On, a couple of bungie cords. and a replacement innertube for the KLR after the flat-tire that I shared with you all a couple of weeks ago, see below, scroll down ... I use the IRC brand, a #62.
I have a piano-players (potentially) size hand (long skinny fingers) so the narrow grips that come standard equipment of most modern motorcycles are a tick to small around for me, hence, the Grab-On grip covers to make them a bigger diameter. I have them on the KLR and the Royal Enfield, both of which have damaged (and now taped) covers after about 35,000 miles each. The left one goes bad, the right one is good ... on both bikes! Hmmmm?
When I ride by the AGCO plant, I always ride slow to check out the view across the street where they park on display the current crop of awesome looking completed farm machinery!! I tell you what! It ain't the Clampetts, anymore ... Farming is now-days VERY sophisticated and crazy expensive, some machinery/tractor examples are over half a million dollars! And the crop rows are arrow-straight now courtesy of the GPS guided self-steering ... and the farmers can wear white shirts ... and they stay white inside the air-conditioned, stereo-equipped cab.
Grump! Grump! In the olden days of on the farm, my John Deere "D" twin-popper powered tractor didn't even have an umbrella or an electric starter!!!
Anyhow, back to the Deutz tractor.
The first internal combustion spark ignited Four-Stroke motor was reportedly invented/built by a guy named OTTO ... and I've yet to read it but my subjective mind asks the question ... could our AUTO-mobile of today be an echo to the OTTO who built that motor? (OTTO-mobile) Makes sense, eh? He may have been German (or perhaps French, not sure which, I read both) ... anyhow, that is a great find, Vic! Wow!
And ... btw, a great shot of your Kymco, Vic! Nice...
Thanks for sharing your find with us!! Keep On Thumpin' - #000
Below is stuff from earlier updates ... read'em for the first time, or read'em again ... then come on over to the HISTORY PAGE.
Remember, when we stop making HISTORY, we STOP! (See the masthead for navigational aids to get there if you are a newbee, otherwise, see ya there---------------------------> (#000)
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MY NEW FRIEND ...
Seems we are having a rash of flats lately. Today while out enjoying a leisurely putt on back country roads, I began to notice a familiar unsteadiness in my Kymco. Stopped to check, sure enough nail in my rear tire. Called my wife to come rescue me and bring the inflator off my work bench. Once in hand I aired up the pitiful looking rear tire and hastily turned for home. Only 10 miles and I still had maybe 10 pounds in the tire when I made it.
Here is the culprit. The chances of the front tire kicking up a nail like that and having it land exactly right to go into the rear must be very small. I'm guessing we ride over a lot more nails and screws that we never know about that don't end up it a tire.
Ride often and stay safe. Vic Force, #3701, NC
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HELLO FSSNOC MEMBERS AND GUESTS ...
Do you remember the poem , Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear? That comes to mind when I view the above photo of what is most likely a really nice looking BMW Four-Stroke Single judging from the photo on my phone ... and I imagine you can see why I'd say that Fuzzy Wuzzy comment, eh?
It's for sale by Cody, FSSNOC #5485 in Salem, KY:
You may call or text Cody at 1-270-704-3001. Comments from Cody include: Needs nothing, Fresh oil change and air filter, Fresh shock oil and seals. Clear title. 2007 BMW F650GS. 36K.
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NOON ...
Headed out on a ghost Town hunt. Yeah, it was Murdock, Ks, the site of my old Alma Mater Grade School! Been on this road a thousand times, no ... a million times. Now marked HWY14, it used to be HWY17 ... nice road, straight as a provebial string! Rollin, Rollin, Rollin ... Carrie and I were making some early day miles, uhhh ... early day for us, anyway.
I'll continue this tale later ... I better talk about that bright red and black Royal Enfield in the above photo...
(photo above - words below) - #000
Oh wait ... that red bike is on the History Page ... I'm confused, probably because this update was supposed to be done yesterday, but the stars did not align, as some say ... SO ... back to the story above which is about a tire with a 3" deck screw sticking out of it. The bottom of the tire is flat ... yes, FLAT as Kansas, again as some would say.
The speed limit on HWY14 is 65mph. The south wind was 20mph with gusts reported to be up to 34mph ... I had the KLR in top cog, that would be 5th gear ... I know, go ahead and say it out loud, all of YOUR bikes have 6 speeds, right? Well, not the KLR. And, in its defense, it doesn't need another gear, it just feels like it SHOULD HAVE another gear. The Gen III version is so strong in high gear, one would wonder why not a 6th choice? A cruising gear, if you will?
Anyway, rear pegs are down, I've scooted back on the Sargent's "Flat design" saddle a bit, my feet are on the rear footrests, my upper torso now slanted aerodynamically into the wind, elbows slanted in, head down a bit. My cruise speed is 55-58mph. Add that 58mph wind blast to the additional 20mph speed/force of the wind = Literally, I am riding into a 78mph gale force wind!
"Not bad", I mumble with an unseen grin. "My friend, the Wind!..."
I have noticed many times that the moment I take this stance over the conventional more upright, feet on the rider pegs, the motor's rpm immediately goes up ... like the KLR is saying, "Ahhhh - thank You!"
A car is in my mirror and gaining. I note a bit, oh so minor, a wiggle in the handlebars, there it is again ... I've felt it before, on goes my turn-indicator ... blink, blink, blink.
It was the perfect spot. A country intersection with a parking area, I wobbled in and stopped. Looking down, yep ... a flat. My first one on this KLR and it was just a few miles short of 36,000 miles. Carrie pulls in behind me. The car zooms on by...
I've got all the pieces I need to do a quick innertube change-out or a patch. I have the skill. We have the time. Why am I bummed? All that stuff is in a bag a home in the shed...
I call a friend that I usually text ... that should have given him a clue, right?
" HELLO " ... I decided to be jovial, maybe he would stay on the line. "Hey, Watcha doin? Takin' a nap?", I said briskly.
He replied, "Well, I was thinking about it..."
Short story even shorter, about 20 minutes later, he pulls up with trailer in tow ... our hero, right, Carrie?? Was our day ruined? No, but it certainly was changed!! Carrie got in 50 some miles, I got a lesser 27.4miles ... so we both qualified as having ridden that day (our local club has a contest that includes such foolishness as "If you ride five days in a row, you get one point per day" in the clubs annual activity contest headed-up by the current President).
I'm running Bridgerock Battlax radials on the KLR, kinda like a farmer wearing overalls with Brooks tennis shoes ... but they absolutely feel great, the bike handles great, and the rear tire with the screw in it has almost to the mile 7000 miles on it, still lots to go ... minus the screw, of course.
In goes a new innertube from my inventory, a Parts Unlimited "house" brand ... not my favorite, but it looks do-able. I mount the tire with a level of struggle that I kinda just choose to ignore right now. Modern day tires are changing, you may have noticed, particularly if you do your own tire work. The fit to the wheel is much, much tighter than in yesteryear, even 5 years ago. More iron or fiberglass, or whatever in the bead, much harder to mount, even at home with near ideal conditions. Not alongside a stream somewhere with an approaching rain storm and the sun going down ... maybe I'm (choke) getting lazy ... but this was WORK.
As I recall the above, I also recall a flat in old Mexico one time, out in nowhere-land in a light rain, on the front of my Honda XL600R ... new tube put in and aired-up with a hand-pump from Wal-Mart. So, to keep things in perspective, Tuesday wasn't a bad day... My electric power air-compressor aired this now back-on-the-bike and chain-adjusted rear tire up to 39psi ... and it stayed there ... overnight and beyond!
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NOW ... I'm gonna slide over to the History Page ... huh?
Oh, THE HISTORY PAGE ====> COME ALONG WITH ME.... THUMP-THUMP! - #000