(08-06-20) OUR BABIES ARRIVE ... a matched set at first look but it didn't take long for us to each choose one and make it our own (photo above) ... Twins, yes, well, no ... they are both 2020 Super Cubs from Honda, but they are powered by a, what else? A Four-Stroke Single Cylinder 125cc motor! A Pair of Thumpers..!
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Way to go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, you'll have to get
TWO SETS OF TRAINING WHEELS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To you all !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thump Thump! Three Fenders - Oklahoma, #0162
Thank You, Three Fenders! These are going to be big time fun for Carrie and I! - #000
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Or is it just an April Fool's prank delayed by 4 months due to COVID-19?!?!
Hey Jack & Carrie!
So---presuming that friends 77 and 62-years old are really having twin human babies in a few days---a huge "Congratulations!" is in order. Way to go, ya ol' stud horse, ya! Boys, girls or 1 of each? That info would be helpful re: naming the li'l critters. Boys? "Victor" (BSA 441cc Thumper) and "Killer" (spelled "KLR").
Girls? "Diana" (after one of Ducati's Thumpers) and "Pixie" (after the little Thumper from Ariel).
WOW, JOE ... awesome names! We went with numbers in lieu of names for now. Back in the early 2000s, we did the same on our matching red Piaggio 150 scooters and that experience went very well. It wasn't long before we had a little scooter "gang" with nine rides of various makes, most sporting racing numbers as well. It was great fun to blast about town with the group on a warm summer evening or, for that matter, I remember a cold winter night when we all gathered and rode about the city looking at Christmas lights, one just doesn't seem to do that kind of thing on more "serious" motorcycles.
AND, JOE - Carrie is going to be upset when she reads that you think she is 77! If your ears burn, you'll know why... I'm jes' sayin' - #000
But I'm thinking that what is really happening at The Robinson Estate is that youse 2 kids are buying another matched pair (a la' Piaggio "Fly"s and CBR250R Hondas)!
If so---"Congratulations" are also in order! Hoping for "The rest of the story!" on Thursday.
JOE ... you, my friend, are wise beyond your years! Ya' nailed it (almost)... same concept, different model of machines. - #000.
My guess is that you two are getting twins---a "His & Hers" set of Royal Enfield twin-cylinder 650's !!!
...Joe Gilmore #661-Maryland
JOE ... For $6000.00, who wouldn't consider those Royal Enfields? We wanted something to putt around on, a "knock-about" or whatever ... my first tank (.89 gallon capacity says a magazine article) after 100 miles figured 131mpg, my second tank went to 133mpg! My insurance guy quipped, "So are you going to ride these things across the United States?" ... and he was serious! I told him, "Hey, who knows? It could be done, for sure!" - #000.
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It was like a holiday in August!
"Thumper News - Issue #140" was in the mailbox today!
Thanks to all who contributed - great stuff to brighten the days!
Boy, Howdy! Stay safe - take care of yourself, and each other. Mike Budd - #3509 - Texas.
Hey, Mike - so thoughtful of you to send us this post ... Thank YOU! - #000.
And ... that reminds me of some "club business" that I need to attend to here on the ThumperGarage.
I would like to know when your copy of Thumper News #140 arrived or arrives ... I'd like to track the performance of the TN#140 First Class Mail-Out vs. our earlier Second Class - magazine,etc. bulk-mail of earlier issues.
When you get your issue, an easy way to do this is to simply text your name, your FSSNOC number & state, and the date TN#140 arrived at your mailbox to our club phone at: 620-663-1869
First Class mailing is more expensive by quite a margin but if it is better, then we can see about funding it.
Thank You in advance! - #000
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https://nationalmcmuseum.org/ This is from our friends at the National Motorcycle Museum ... a contributor gave them a Harley Davidson with one mile on the odometer - an SX175.
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FROM LAST WEEK, IF YOU MISSED THEM EARLIER, YOU MAY READ THE POSTS BELOW:
Hi FSSNOC club members... (07-30-20)
I got a little tired of sheltering at home during this pandemic so I decided to go out for a Thumper ride. Actually last week the temperatures had been in the upper 90's to 102 degrees. The last few days the temperatures started dropping so it was a go for a Thumper ride.
My day trip was through Northern California's Delta. For those not familiar with our Delta, it has numerous waterways and islands all over the place. To get around by vehicle, you need to cross a lot of bridges or a few ferries.
Sadly, most, if not all businesses are closed so we brought our lunches to eat at a park.
See above photo of my KLR650 Kawasaki waiting for the next ferry to take me across to some great Thumper roads. - Alan Smith (5286) - California
Beautiful shot of the KLR, Alan! Not a ripple on that water! - Thank you! ... #000
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(07-30-20) Some days I do feel akin to Senor Don Quixote of La Mancha, Spain.
After I snapped this picture (not shown here), I turned on my video camera and recorded a wild ride up this "Enter at your own Risk" road. After I managed to get through that I found another one that was even in worse shape. I give full credit to the Royal Enfield Himalayan for getting me through as my skills for this type of riding are minimal. The road got so bad my camera mount broke and I wasn't able to record any more fun (read terror) and games (read Lions den).
I blame it all on you, of course, since you are always extolling the virtues of off-road bikes and the adventures you can have on them. I used to be an innocent "paved road only" rider. (and you are welcome, Sir Don Q.)
PS ... Introducing me to Ken Conrad didn't help, all the advice he gave me had me on mountain roads like this.
PPS ... Did you notice the size of those steers horns??? (Yep, big-uns!)
PPPS ... This is for your enjoyment. Don't listen to the sound as there night have been some offensive language used at points. (Yeah! And the girly screams at the water-crossing, too ... ?? - #000)
PPPPS ... With all this stay at home stuff and can't go anywhere, I've been busy constructing my very own Thumper garage and hideout. Anyway, if you have a slow week there sometime and no one sends PPP pictures, I thought maybe you could use one of these as inspiration for the club. (Wow! Nice job, Dude!)
Steve Oakman,
FSSNOC #1946, then #4402, and currently, #5266 - no longer living in Spain, residing now in Nebraska, USA
Of Note, Steve and Club members ... Don Quijote has been described as an "ingenious" Gentleman ... not as an "ingenuous" Gentleman" ... hmmmmmm? Anyone know the difference? What a difference a day can make and what a difference a letter can make, eh? Careful with that "Spell-Check"! ...
Of Note #2 ... Steve, we have an unsigned "Enter at your own risk" road here in ThumperVille, it's called the Woody Seat Freeway (no joke) Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! - oh, sorry ... - #000.
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(07-30-20) Changing gears here, to a more somber note, perhaps ... I'd like to bring our entire membership up to speed here: As Director and Chief-cook-and-bottle-washer of the Four-Stroke Singles National Owners Club, I am announcing that ... wife Carrie and I are expecting!
Yes, yes, I know ... even in our advanced years, well, more pertinently, in MY advanced age, as Carrie is much younger than I am. A local guy from Lucas, Kansas, a number of years ago, at the age of 92, with his 22 year old bride, faired likewise ... so not impossible, I guess ... anyway, of late, we've been making room, rearranging for the homecoming as the actual due date is sometime next week ... and here is the bomb: Twins! ... and that bears the question, can the Director of a "Singles" club have "Twins". I certainly hope so ... and now in the year of the Pandemic, the year "with nothing to do (grin)", we are going to have PLENTY to do ... (stay tuned)
In the meantime, send us your name suggestions, okay? We are struggling with that along with a myriad of other details right now though we've had a number of months to think about it...
--- traumatized in ThumperVille - #000 and Mrs. #000
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THUMPER NEWS #140 ... has returned from the printer. Good news, it is to mail FIRST CLASS so delivery to your mailbox should be much more timely. Invite your friends to visit our FSSNOC website each week, advise them that it is updated weekly and they need not use a password! More good news, it is FREE, a gift to the motorcycling world as a public service from our club... tell them to go to: www.FSSNOC.com so easy, a bear could do it...
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MY FIRST THUMPER... (07-23-20)
#000 - It never looked this good ( the “skirt” was missing) but the name plates Identified it as a genuine Marshalltown Doodlebug. It was a neglected pile when I got it. I made a seat, painted it and disassembled partially to clean up clutch, carb and engine. Not street legal but neither was I, I would leave it behind a friends garage across from school. Since it was B&W, the finishing touch was a Skunk I painted on the front fender. I saw this Beauty at a show in Helena MT.
Here's a photo of another "Thumper" at Anamosa, Iowa (not featured here) back in 2007 before the new Museum. Some riders may go near Anamosa, Iowa and the National Motorcycle Museum when going to or from Goshen, Indiana for the upcoming ThumperCafe. (see relative comments below... -#000)
Kim #5422 - Montana
REPLY: Very cool, Kim! It's amazing just how much impact a motorized two-wheeler can have on a young person, or for that matter, any age person! Makes for a lifetime of thrills and usually a few spills to go along with it!
Check out my first ride, yes - a Thumper, on the History Page. - #000.
And, Ken Conrad, #4800, also from Montana, sent a representative shot his first Thumper as well, that one is on the Event Page.
REPLY: Thank You, Ken! Honda is bringing this baby back, at least that is rumored - in a 125cc motor size! No more details yet on this end, but I can tell you that this thing should be a popular camping and back-country/mountain mount! It started as a 55cc Trail, went to 90cc for years and years, then to a 110cc ... and now it's b-a-c-k, at least we hope so - #000.
Dwain Hiebert, #5174-Kansas passed along a shot of a Honda S65, his first Thumper, adding ..."I drilled holes in it to make it lighter as did #000, we had a great time on them running around and playing motorcycle-soccer!
REPLY: Hey Dwain ... I won't go into the details of what all we did on those S65 Hondas, it's probably best to not set a bad example - Ha! Ha! Your shot came through good but when I enlarged it, it got real grainy. Not sure why ... but, as they say, thanks for the memories! - #000.
Ro Long, #5357 - Kansas submitted a photo of a Yamaha 125 MX-style, "first motorcycle I ever owned, it was a cute lil Thumper! It taught me to ride up and down the dirt roads in the country before I got my motorcycle license!!"
REPLY: Yo Ro ... I can see you on those back roads, likely blasting by rural mailboxes, old barns, hay fields, lakes and ponds, a lone Yamaha leaving a wake of dust, the suns rays highlighting each particle of flying dirt! - #000.
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Hey Jack!
I hope that life is treating you & Carrie well---in spite of all of this COVID BS.
Carol and I plan to ride out to the August ThumperCafe in Goshen and then visit Janus Motorcycles with the club. We're going to ride up to Hickory Corners, MI and visit the Gilmore Car Museum (lots of bikes, also) the day before. www.gilmorecarmuseum.org
And we plan to stop by the Auburn-Cord-Deusenberg Museum in Auburn, IN the day after. Never been there (yet). FYI---the National Automotive and Truck Museum and also the Early Ford V-8 Museum are also located in the Auburn area.
We will probably be on our (2) Honda CBR250R's this trip. I recently sold our two Honda GB500's to a real optimist. He called me to tell me that he had placed the check in the mail---a $5,000 down payment on the pair. He then said "I'll bring the rest when I get the bikes---after I recuperate from my surgery." Turns-out he dropped the check in the mail and then was going in for open heart surgery later that same day! I told him "Thanks---but I think that if I was you, I would've waited until tomorrow to mail the check---just in case..."
Blaine Paulus says he plans on riding to Indiana, also. See you in a month! ...Joe Gilmore #661
REPLY TO JOE GILMORE, #661 - MARYLAND and NOTICE TO ALL FSSNOC MEMBERS:
Yes ... we, Carrie and I, are well and rocking and rolling, although in a somewhat altered fashion due to the directives abounding from the pandemic. I've been riding almost daily, which doesn't represent much of a change except that I no longer go to or seek out a particular urban eating destination as I found out that I used to do that, almost unconsciously, I guess ... funny how when a change occurs, it does give a different perspective.
I now brew up some hot coffee, heavily laced with several spoons of French Vanilla, put it in my thermos, which incidentally was/is a much appreciated gift from Dwain (above) a few years back. Along with the brew, I add a bag of nuts, or some homemade snacks that Carrie makes ... kind of a saddlebag picnic, I guess. It must work, I've gained a new appreciation for home-cooked foods, in fact I'm up a few pounds to prove it! (grin)
I've been riding in search of old townsites from yesteryear, even found one called GEORGIA only six miles from where I went to grade school for eight years, and no one told me it was there!! Weird, huh?
You may recall I reported riding to the unvisited venue of 99 SPRINGS in a recent Thumper News. Kansas has a multitude of dirt back roads, perhaps the highest number of miles in the USA, I've heard ... anyway, lots of exploring, lots of old barns, old rusty collectible cars, and, yes ... even a motorbike or two. I just came home with a rusty relic of an INDIAN 80cc MX to add to our rockgarden, though not much more than the bare bones remain, I still love it!
And, that brings me to more pandemic related information. THUMPER NEWS #140 is at the printer as we speak today. On the back cover of TN#140 as promised, you'll read a printed version of what I am about to talk about here on our FSSNOC website...
HEADS-UP! ... this could be IMPORTANT to you! After talking with ThumperCafe-related sources in the Goshen, Indiana area and with our friends and fellow FSSNOC members at JANUS MOTORCYCLES, we are hereby serving notice that we are delaying our ThumperCafe event near Goshen, Indiana, previously scheduled for August 26, 2020 ... the much anticipated re-schedule date is unknown at this time, perhaps even as late as in 2021, time will tell, perhaps only the shadow knows?
Based on our recent phone call, JANUS MOTORCYCLES has cancelled their earlier invitation for a group Tour of the JANUS production shop, Q - A, test rides, and light refreshments that was to be held later in the day after our ThumperCafe event had concluded on August 26, 2020 ... again, it is now cancelled.
I learned from Richard at JANUS MOTORCYCLES, that they, due to the Covid-19, have limited their current in-house activities, for example, their annual JANUS get-together was held on the original date that it was scheduled, July 17-18, 2020 as I recall, but it was held ... "virtually".
Richard commented to me on the phone that they remain very open to individual visits by appointment: www.Janusmotorcycles.com for an email address or their business phone number is 574-538-1350. He further commented that their motorcycle production continues daily without any foreseeable issues and that they would welcome any individual inquiries, questions, and yes - even purchases from FSSNOC folk.
A fellow FSSNOC member who lives in the area commented that Elkhart county, the local county, was/is currently a "hot spot" for Covid-19. I know we all have differing views on almost any subject that one might mention and that remains true for the pandemic, no argument there. See Thumper News #140 for additional input... Thanks for listening!
Upon passing this information along to you all, I was reminded, in fact, I used a similar expression in the upcoming TN#140 , of when President John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas, and in my recall, Lyndon B. Johnson assumed the presidency with words somewhat like the following, "It is with a heavy heart..." and while some might say that the two issues are not comparable, no argument there, however, I can assure those reading this that "it is with a heavy heart" that I make the comments concerning our now-postponed ThumperCafe #51. - #000
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(Website Details and Instructions: )
Hello Thumper Enthusiasts...
I'm Jack Robinson (FSSNOC #000), your club Director. It is an honor to introduce you to THE THUMPER GARAGE. This mini-venue is in addition to our legendary hard copy THUMPER NEWS quarterly magazine. After enjoying this page, please visit our other pages on this site. Go to the masthead above to make it happen...
You are encouraged to thump by the THUMPER GARAGE weekly. This is a FREE site for you and your friends.
Members may contact us anytime 24/7 with comments, conversation, stories, or questions via a mailed letter, a phone call or an e-mail. When you E-mail, please give us your first name, your FSSNOC member number, and your state. You'll receive a courtesy confirmation E-mail back. Our actual response to your E-mail will generally be posted on the following Thursday's THUMPER GARAGE posting so be sure to tune back in then... (Address-phone number-email address is below... **)
We encourage you to join our club: Complete the application found elsewhere on this site (click on "more" above) and mail it to us with $40 dues for a 12 month membership or save a few bucks by sending $75 for a 24 month membership. Include your shirt size so we can gift you a FREE club t-shirt if this is your initial membership.
A subscription to THUMPER NEWS magazine, mailed to your mailbox, is included in your membership as well.
Our U.S. POSTAL address is: FSSNOC P.O. Box 1809, Hutchinson, Ks 67504-1809.
To call our club, phone 620-663-1869 or you may send an E-mail: FSSNOCTHUMPERS@yahoo.com
NOTICE: Please understand that your E-mail will likely be reproduced on this site. Any/all subject matter and information submitted may be used in-part or edited and will become the property of the Four-Stroke Singles National Owners Club and FSSNOC,INC. All included content in Thumper News or The Thumper Garage is solely for entertainment, not advise....
THE CLUB STORE ... CLICK ON IT WHEN YOU ARE DONE HERE?
The Autumn season means awesome riding for many areas ... time to get some new club gear, eh? Order yourself a bright new yellow and black club cap, a couple cotton t-shirts, and at least one sweatshirt to wear under your riding gear. Remember, every day is FSSNOC gear day. Tell the world about our club ... Thanks!
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YOU'VE JUST VISITED THE THUMPER GARAGE. PLEASE CLICK ON THE "MORE" ON THE MASTHEAD ABOVE ... AND CHECK OUT ALL THE OTHER PAGES OF THIS SITE. PLEASE CONSIDER BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE FOUR-STROKE SINGLES NATIONAL OWNERS CLUB (FSSNOC) TODAY ...Thank You! - Jack, FSSNOC #000/Director
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Way to go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, you'll have to get
TWO SETS OF TRAINING WHEELS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To you all !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thump Thump! Three Fenders - Oklahoma, #0162
Thank You, Three Fenders! These are going to be big time fun for Carrie and I! - #000
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Or is it just an April Fool's prank delayed by 4 months due to COVID-19?!?!
Hey Jack & Carrie!
So---presuming that friends 77 and 62-years old are really having twin human babies in a few days---a huge "Congratulations!" is in order. Way to go, ya ol' stud horse, ya! Boys, girls or 1 of each? That info would be helpful re: naming the li'l critters. Boys? "Victor" (BSA 441cc Thumper) and "Killer" (spelled "KLR").
Girls? "Diana" (after one of Ducati's Thumpers) and "Pixie" (after the little Thumper from Ariel).
WOW, JOE ... awesome names! We went with numbers in lieu of names for now. Back in the early 2000s, we did the same on our matching red Piaggio 150 scooters and that experience went very well. It wasn't long before we had a little scooter "gang" with nine rides of various makes, most sporting racing numbers as well. It was great fun to blast about town with the group on a warm summer evening or, for that matter, I remember a cold winter night when we all gathered and rode about the city looking at Christmas lights, one just doesn't seem to do that kind of thing on more "serious" motorcycles.
AND, JOE - Carrie is going to be upset when she reads that you think she is 77! If your ears burn, you'll know why... I'm jes' sayin' - #000
But I'm thinking that what is really happening at The Robinson Estate is that youse 2 kids are buying another matched pair (a la' Piaggio "Fly"s and CBR250R Hondas)!
If so---"Congratulations" are also in order! Hoping for "The rest of the story!" on Thursday.
JOE ... you, my friend, are wise beyond your years! Ya' nailed it (almost)... same concept, different model of machines. - #000.
My guess is that you two are getting twins---a "His & Hers" set of Royal Enfield twin-cylinder 650's !!!
...Joe Gilmore #661-Maryland
JOE ... For $6000.00, who wouldn't consider those Royal Enfields? We wanted something to putt around on, a "knock-about" or whatever ... my first tank (.89 gallon capacity says a magazine article) after 100 miles figured 131mpg, my second tank went to 133mpg! My insurance guy quipped, "So are you going to ride these things across the United States?" ... and he was serious! I told him, "Hey, who knows? It could be done, for sure!" - #000.
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It was like a holiday in August!
"Thumper News - Issue #140" was in the mailbox today!
Thanks to all who contributed - great stuff to brighten the days!
Boy, Howdy! Stay safe - take care of yourself, and each other. Mike Budd - #3509 - Texas.
Hey, Mike - so thoughtful of you to send us this post ... Thank YOU! - #000.
And ... that reminds me of some "club business" that I need to attend to here on the ThumperGarage.
I would like to know when your copy of Thumper News #140 arrived or arrives ... I'd like to track the performance of the TN#140 First Class Mail-Out vs. our earlier Second Class - magazine,etc. bulk-mail of earlier issues.
When you get your issue, an easy way to do this is to simply text your name, your FSSNOC number & state, and the date TN#140 arrived at your mailbox to our club phone at: 620-663-1869
First Class mailing is more expensive by quite a margin but if it is better, then we can see about funding it.
Thank You in advance! - #000
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https://nationalmcmuseum.org/ This is from our friends at the National Motorcycle Museum ... a contributor gave them a Harley Davidson with one mile on the odometer - an SX175.
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FROM LAST WEEK, IF YOU MISSED THEM EARLIER, YOU MAY READ THE POSTS BELOW:
Hi FSSNOC club members... (07-30-20)
I got a little tired of sheltering at home during this pandemic so I decided to go out for a Thumper ride. Actually last week the temperatures had been in the upper 90's to 102 degrees. The last few days the temperatures started dropping so it was a go for a Thumper ride.
My day trip was through Northern California's Delta. For those not familiar with our Delta, it has numerous waterways and islands all over the place. To get around by vehicle, you need to cross a lot of bridges or a few ferries.
Sadly, most, if not all businesses are closed so we brought our lunches to eat at a park.
See above photo of my KLR650 Kawasaki waiting for the next ferry to take me across to some great Thumper roads. - Alan Smith (5286) - California
Beautiful shot of the KLR, Alan! Not a ripple on that water! - Thank you! ... #000
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(07-30-20) Some days I do feel akin to Senor Don Quixote of La Mancha, Spain.
After I snapped this picture (not shown here), I turned on my video camera and recorded a wild ride up this "Enter at your own Risk" road. After I managed to get through that I found another one that was even in worse shape. I give full credit to the Royal Enfield Himalayan for getting me through as my skills for this type of riding are minimal. The road got so bad my camera mount broke and I wasn't able to record any more fun (read terror) and games (read Lions den).
I blame it all on you, of course, since you are always extolling the virtues of off-road bikes and the adventures you can have on them. I used to be an innocent "paved road only" rider. (and you are welcome, Sir Don Q.)
PS ... Introducing me to Ken Conrad didn't help, all the advice he gave me had me on mountain roads like this.
PPS ... Did you notice the size of those steers horns??? (Yep, big-uns!)
PPPS ... This is for your enjoyment. Don't listen to the sound as there night have been some offensive language used at points. (Yeah! And the girly screams at the water-crossing, too ... ?? - #000)
PPPPS ... With all this stay at home stuff and can't go anywhere, I've been busy constructing my very own Thumper garage and hideout. Anyway, if you have a slow week there sometime and no one sends PPP pictures, I thought maybe you could use one of these as inspiration for the club. (Wow! Nice job, Dude!)
Steve Oakman,
FSSNOC #1946, then #4402, and currently, #5266 - no longer living in Spain, residing now in Nebraska, USA
Of Note, Steve and Club members ... Don Quijote has been described as an "ingenious" Gentleman ... not as an "ingenuous" Gentleman" ... hmmmmmm? Anyone know the difference? What a difference a day can make and what a difference a letter can make, eh? Careful with that "Spell-Check"! ...
Of Note #2 ... Steve, we have an unsigned "Enter at your own risk" road here in ThumperVille, it's called the Woody Seat Freeway (no joke) Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! - oh, sorry ... - #000.
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(07-30-20) Changing gears here, to a more somber note, perhaps ... I'd like to bring our entire membership up to speed here: As Director and Chief-cook-and-bottle-washer of the Four-Stroke Singles National Owners Club, I am announcing that ... wife Carrie and I are expecting!
Yes, yes, I know ... even in our advanced years, well, more pertinently, in MY advanced age, as Carrie is much younger than I am. A local guy from Lucas, Kansas, a number of years ago, at the age of 92, with his 22 year old bride, faired likewise ... so not impossible, I guess ... anyway, of late, we've been making room, rearranging for the homecoming as the actual due date is sometime next week ... and here is the bomb: Twins! ... and that bears the question, can the Director of a "Singles" club have "Twins". I certainly hope so ... and now in the year of the Pandemic, the year "with nothing to do (grin)", we are going to have PLENTY to do ... (stay tuned)
In the meantime, send us your name suggestions, okay? We are struggling with that along with a myriad of other details right now though we've had a number of months to think about it...
--- traumatized in ThumperVille - #000 and Mrs. #000
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THUMPER NEWS #140 ... has returned from the printer. Good news, it is to mail FIRST CLASS so delivery to your mailbox should be much more timely. Invite your friends to visit our FSSNOC website each week, advise them that it is updated weekly and they need not use a password! More good news, it is FREE, a gift to the motorcycling world as a public service from our club... tell them to go to: www.FSSNOC.com so easy, a bear could do it...
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MY FIRST THUMPER... (07-23-20)
#000 - It never looked this good ( the “skirt” was missing) but the name plates Identified it as a genuine Marshalltown Doodlebug. It was a neglected pile when I got it. I made a seat, painted it and disassembled partially to clean up clutch, carb and engine. Not street legal but neither was I, I would leave it behind a friends garage across from school. Since it was B&W, the finishing touch was a Skunk I painted on the front fender. I saw this Beauty at a show in Helena MT.
Here's a photo of another "Thumper" at Anamosa, Iowa (not featured here) back in 2007 before the new Museum. Some riders may go near Anamosa, Iowa and the National Motorcycle Museum when going to or from Goshen, Indiana for the upcoming ThumperCafe. (see relative comments below... -#000)
Kim #5422 - Montana
REPLY: Very cool, Kim! It's amazing just how much impact a motorized two-wheeler can have on a young person, or for that matter, any age person! Makes for a lifetime of thrills and usually a few spills to go along with it!
Check out my first ride, yes - a Thumper, on the History Page. - #000.
And, Ken Conrad, #4800, also from Montana, sent a representative shot his first Thumper as well, that one is on the Event Page.
REPLY: Thank You, Ken! Honda is bringing this baby back, at least that is rumored - in a 125cc motor size! No more details yet on this end, but I can tell you that this thing should be a popular camping and back-country/mountain mount! It started as a 55cc Trail, went to 90cc for years and years, then to a 110cc ... and now it's b-a-c-k, at least we hope so - #000.
Dwain Hiebert, #5174-Kansas passed along a shot of a Honda S65, his first Thumper, adding ..."I drilled holes in it to make it lighter as did #000, we had a great time on them running around and playing motorcycle-soccer!
REPLY: Hey Dwain ... I won't go into the details of what all we did on those S65 Hondas, it's probably best to not set a bad example - Ha! Ha! Your shot came through good but when I enlarged it, it got real grainy. Not sure why ... but, as they say, thanks for the memories! - #000.
Ro Long, #5357 - Kansas submitted a photo of a Yamaha 125 MX-style, "first motorcycle I ever owned, it was a cute lil Thumper! It taught me to ride up and down the dirt roads in the country before I got my motorcycle license!!"
REPLY: Yo Ro ... I can see you on those back roads, likely blasting by rural mailboxes, old barns, hay fields, lakes and ponds, a lone Yamaha leaving a wake of dust, the suns rays highlighting each particle of flying dirt! - #000.
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Hey Jack!
I hope that life is treating you & Carrie well---in spite of all of this COVID BS.
Carol and I plan to ride out to the August ThumperCafe in Goshen and then visit Janus Motorcycles with the club. We're going to ride up to Hickory Corners, MI and visit the Gilmore Car Museum (lots of bikes, also) the day before. www.gilmorecarmuseum.org
And we plan to stop by the Auburn-Cord-Deusenberg Museum in Auburn, IN the day after. Never been there (yet). FYI---the National Automotive and Truck Museum and also the Early Ford V-8 Museum are also located in the Auburn area.
We will probably be on our (2) Honda CBR250R's this trip. I recently sold our two Honda GB500's to a real optimist. He called me to tell me that he had placed the check in the mail---a $5,000 down payment on the pair. He then said "I'll bring the rest when I get the bikes---after I recuperate from my surgery." Turns-out he dropped the check in the mail and then was going in for open heart surgery later that same day! I told him "Thanks---but I think that if I was you, I would've waited until tomorrow to mail the check---just in case..."
Blaine Paulus says he plans on riding to Indiana, also. See you in a month! ...Joe Gilmore #661
REPLY TO JOE GILMORE, #661 - MARYLAND and NOTICE TO ALL FSSNOC MEMBERS:
Yes ... we, Carrie and I, are well and rocking and rolling, although in a somewhat altered fashion due to the directives abounding from the pandemic. I've been riding almost daily, which doesn't represent much of a change except that I no longer go to or seek out a particular urban eating destination as I found out that I used to do that, almost unconsciously, I guess ... funny how when a change occurs, it does give a different perspective.
I now brew up some hot coffee, heavily laced with several spoons of French Vanilla, put it in my thermos, which incidentally was/is a much appreciated gift from Dwain (above) a few years back. Along with the brew, I add a bag of nuts, or some homemade snacks that Carrie makes ... kind of a saddlebag picnic, I guess. It must work, I've gained a new appreciation for home-cooked foods, in fact I'm up a few pounds to prove it! (grin)
I've been riding in search of old townsites from yesteryear, even found one called GEORGIA only six miles from where I went to grade school for eight years, and no one told me it was there!! Weird, huh?
You may recall I reported riding to the unvisited venue of 99 SPRINGS in a recent Thumper News. Kansas has a multitude of dirt back roads, perhaps the highest number of miles in the USA, I've heard ... anyway, lots of exploring, lots of old barns, old rusty collectible cars, and, yes ... even a motorbike or two. I just came home with a rusty relic of an INDIAN 80cc MX to add to our rockgarden, though not much more than the bare bones remain, I still love it!
And, that brings me to more pandemic related information. THUMPER NEWS #140 is at the printer as we speak today. On the back cover of TN#140 as promised, you'll read a printed version of what I am about to talk about here on our FSSNOC website...
HEADS-UP! ... this could be IMPORTANT to you! After talking with ThumperCafe-related sources in the Goshen, Indiana area and with our friends and fellow FSSNOC members at JANUS MOTORCYCLES, we are hereby serving notice that we are delaying our ThumperCafe event near Goshen, Indiana, previously scheduled for August 26, 2020 ... the much anticipated re-schedule date is unknown at this time, perhaps even as late as in 2021, time will tell, perhaps only the shadow knows?
Based on our recent phone call, JANUS MOTORCYCLES has cancelled their earlier invitation for a group Tour of the JANUS production shop, Q - A, test rides, and light refreshments that was to be held later in the day after our ThumperCafe event had concluded on August 26, 2020 ... again, it is now cancelled.
I learned from Richard at JANUS MOTORCYCLES, that they, due to the Covid-19, have limited their current in-house activities, for example, their annual JANUS get-together was held on the original date that it was scheduled, July 17-18, 2020 as I recall, but it was held ... "virtually".
Richard commented to me on the phone that they remain very open to individual visits by appointment: www.Janusmotorcycles.com for an email address or their business phone number is 574-538-1350. He further commented that their motorcycle production continues daily without any foreseeable issues and that they would welcome any individual inquiries, questions, and yes - even purchases from FSSNOC folk.
A fellow FSSNOC member who lives in the area commented that Elkhart county, the local county, was/is currently a "hot spot" for Covid-19. I know we all have differing views on almost any subject that one might mention and that remains true for the pandemic, no argument there. See Thumper News #140 for additional input... Thanks for listening!
Upon passing this information along to you all, I was reminded, in fact, I used a similar expression in the upcoming TN#140 , of when President John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas, and in my recall, Lyndon B. Johnson assumed the presidency with words somewhat like the following, "It is with a heavy heart..." and while some might say that the two issues are not comparable, no argument there, however, I can assure those reading this that "it is with a heavy heart" that I make the comments concerning our now-postponed ThumperCafe #51. - #000
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(Website Details and Instructions: )
Hello Thumper Enthusiasts...
I'm Jack Robinson (FSSNOC #000), your club Director. It is an honor to introduce you to THE THUMPER GARAGE. This mini-venue is in addition to our legendary hard copy THUMPER NEWS quarterly magazine. After enjoying this page, please visit our other pages on this site. Go to the masthead above to make it happen...
You are encouraged to thump by the THUMPER GARAGE weekly. This is a FREE site for you and your friends.
Members may contact us anytime 24/7 with comments, conversation, stories, or questions via a mailed letter, a phone call or an e-mail. When you E-mail, please give us your first name, your FSSNOC member number, and your state. You'll receive a courtesy confirmation E-mail back. Our actual response to your E-mail will generally be posted on the following Thursday's THUMPER GARAGE posting so be sure to tune back in then... (Address-phone number-email address is below... **)
We encourage you to join our club: Complete the application found elsewhere on this site (click on "more" above) and mail it to us with $40 dues for a 12 month membership or save a few bucks by sending $75 for a 24 month membership. Include your shirt size so we can gift you a FREE club t-shirt if this is your initial membership.
A subscription to THUMPER NEWS magazine, mailed to your mailbox, is included in your membership as well.
Our U.S. POSTAL address is: FSSNOC P.O. Box 1809, Hutchinson, Ks 67504-1809.
To call our club, phone 620-663-1869 or you may send an E-mail: FSSNOCTHUMPERS@yahoo.com
NOTICE: Please understand that your E-mail will likely be reproduced on this site. Any/all subject matter and information submitted may be used in-part or edited and will become the property of the Four-Stroke Singles National Owners Club and FSSNOC,INC. All included content in Thumper News or The Thumper Garage is solely for entertainment, not advise....
THE CLUB STORE ... CLICK ON IT WHEN YOU ARE DONE HERE?
The Autumn season means awesome riding for many areas ... time to get some new club gear, eh? Order yourself a bright new yellow and black club cap, a couple cotton t-shirts, and at least one sweatshirt to wear under your riding gear. Remember, every day is FSSNOC gear day. Tell the world about our club ... Thanks!
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YOU'VE JUST VISITED THE THUMPER GARAGE. PLEASE CLICK ON THE "MORE" ON THE MASTHEAD ABOVE ... AND CHECK OUT ALL THE OTHER PAGES OF THIS SITE. PLEASE CONSIDER BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE FOUR-STROKE SINGLES NATIONAL OWNERS CLUB (FSSNOC) TODAY ...Thank You! - Jack, FSSNOC #000/Director
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