FSSNOC THUMPER GARAGE
************************************************************************************ THIS WEBSITE UPDATE IS FOR ... 10-18-18
OUR NEXT ANTICIPATED UPDATE IS ... 10-25-18
See "Website Details and Instruction" section at the bottom of all this great conversation.
***************************************************************
FOR SALE: SR500 YAMAHA I'm reluctantly selling my 1978 YAMAHA SR500. It's a beautiful machine that was resto-modded by two competent and knowledgeable FSSNOC members. It's time for someone else to enjoy this fantastic machine as much as I have. Over $4,000 spent in improvements. A bargain at $2,000!
For info, contact Joel #5190 ejcalhoun75@gmail.com.
Thanks, Joel, #5190 - NEBRASKA
**************************************************************************************
GREETINGS THUMPER ENTHUSIASTS!
It's AUTUMN ... almost everyone's favorite time of the year, yes? No? Yeah, I know, in many areas of the good ole USA, we all know what follows those colorful leaves, don't we?
No ... well, around here, the "Fall Colors" season shortly becomes the "no color" season. With that said, and with thoughts of putting away for the winter that bright and shiny favorite Thumper that we have so joyously ridden all summer weighing heavily on our collective hearts, I'm reminded of what they do in the northern states and Canada?
Uhhhhhh, ... What is that, one might query?
As I get it, when the skies turn gray, when the leaves disappear, when the temperatures drop, and the prevailing winds are from the Arctic, and along with all this nonsense comes the dreaded "road salt" or some other kind of de-icer for our roadways, none ... na da ... of which is good for the shiny alloy components on my or your motorcycle, for sure, this is what they do...
Up north, many buy a "Winter Car" ... or as some put it, a "beater" ... something with which to thrash about in the snow and ice, doing it on the cheap, maybe carrying minimal insurance, etc, and driving and parking with careless abandonment...
"Who me? ... worry? Are you kidding?"
Some use this as an excuse to buy something they wouldn't drive otherwise, something 180 degrees away from their normal transport, perhaps. Others seek out stuff that is indestructible, something with real bumpers, something made out of steel and iron, something with some weight, and something with the radiator back away from the grille/bumper area. Others go the opposite way, they seek something that is fun to drive, something that looks good going sideways, maybe a high mileage Corolla or Toyota. Whatever they choose, the idea is to save their mobile pride and joy the wear and tear of winter ... and if their winter beater gets a ding or two or rust begins to creep up toward the door handles, what do they say? Pun intended, but perhaps they say, "No sweat!" ...
So, can we see any parallels here to the world of motorcycles?
I sure can! Years ago, back in 1970 before some of you were born, I hired on in sales at a local motorcycle shop called Al's Honda-Yamaha-Triumph. This was my dream job and I jumped in with my usual fervor, which was with both feet. An immediate goal was to ride every day, no matter what the weather. Now in Kansas, we get some winter weather, and back a few decades, we seemed to get more than of late. Ice, snow, wind, sleet, iced-over bridges, ice in the shade, ice on the painted lines, and even some black ice, but we didn't know what that was in those days...
I averaged about three get-offs a winter, a few were memorable, one in particular that I will share with you here was when I was riding down Plum street one winter day, mid-week on a Honda XL175, one of the orange ones, I'm thinking a 1973. The streets were a mix of packed snow and glazed ice, the ice being at the intersections where people would spin their tires while attempting to leave the stop-sign. The friction of the spinning rubber tires would melt the ice for a micro-second, then as soon as the car moved away, the ice would freeze again, somehow getting more and more treacherous with the passing of each car.
I did all the normal stuff short of studs in the tires. Things like lower tire pressures, usually I used a lightweight, maneuverable bike, WD-40 sprayed on all the wheels, spokes and hubs, alloy engine cases, etc, that sort of thing...
One fine winter day, I was riding down, that would be south here in Kansas, Plum street, and of all places to crash, I was going right by the college amidst fairly heavy traffic, though I have forgotten the exact time of day ... anyhow, the front wheel slips out from under me followed quickly by the rear wheel, no saving it now! I'm sliding straight down the street, the bike at about a 45 degree angle and still nearly at traffic pace. The bike was on it's left side, the left handlebar in the forward cant, the back wheel is near the curb, I'm still with the machine, my hands on the grips, my back is flat against the street surface ... I glance back over my right shoulder and make eye contact with the operator of a blue and white City garbage truck about two car-lengths behind me. His mouth is wide open, his eyes are big as saucers, his face is smack-dab up against the windshield so he has a bird's-eye view. I remember that he was driving one of those cab-over style garbage trucks and it is sliding exactly parallel with my bike, the dual rear wheels contacting the snow-covered curb, he's white-knuckling a huge round black steering wheel, cramping the wheels opposite the skid, just like a dirt-tracker, only heavier, much heavier ... it was like we were choreographed.
When I finally came to a stop, I picked up the Honda, kicked it one time, it fired and I rode off, slipping and sliding after glancing back for traffic ... the truck had also stopped, miraculously still that two car distance away, and now with both doors hanging open...
I did make my goal for about ten years before I succumbed to a little higher level of common sense. Essentially, I rode to work a distance ranging from 7 miles to 12 miles every day for thirty years, unless I was hauling a race bike, or had a valid reason not to ride ... and, as you may know, in 1986 I started the Four-Stroke Singles National Owners Club. After working what was basically two jobs for thirteen years, in 1999 I quit the job that paid ... and the thing I missed the most about not being at the Motorcycle Shop each and every day, guess what it was ... it was the commute, the forced march come Winter, Spring, Summer or Autumn (I don't like to use the word, "FALL")!
Was it dangerous? Sure, sometimes way too dangerous to make sense ... we should all stay home on those bad weather days, right? I'm way smarter now days ... #000.
**************************************************************************************
To Brian Moon #3729 - COLORADO ... Thanks for the story! I plan to use it in a future issue of Thumper News. Great stuff!
To Steve Oakman, #5266 - NEBRASKA ... Thanks for your article for Thumper News! And, Thanks very much for the picture of that Matchless that I used on the Event Page (see it before you leave, people! :) Somehow I got home without a photo of that bike, is that nuts or what? ...
From Bill Crowe, #0370 - CANADA ... Bill writes:
Hi Jack, That was a great article you wrote - TN#132 - Mister Thumper Goes To Greybull, WY. I remember riding a similar trip but it was on a CX650 Honda shaft-drive, a nice bike, should have kept it! I like your tool kit (as described in the issue), seems like just right! Have to pull my sailboat from the water tomorrow. Good riding down south there - Best, Bill Crowe, #370 - Canada
Editor Note: My friend, Bill Crowe, has been with us here at FSSNOC for most of the 30 years that we've been a club! Another cool thing is that his Thumper is a 370cc Suzuki, a perfect match for his FSSNOC member number ... amazing and very cool! Best Wishes to you, Bill! - #000.
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Check this out?
1917 Triumph Model H
The Triumph Company Limited got its start in England around the same time Ford Motor Company, Indian Motorcycle Company and the Harley-Davidson Motor Company were being formed in America. In 1902, Triumph launched its first motorcycle, a 2.25 horsepower lightweight machine. For the first few years the engine was sourced from a Belgian manufacturer.
With its origin as a bicycle manufacturer starting in 1885, in 1905 Triumph began making its own engines, no longer relying on...READ MORE
www.nationalmcmuseum.org/1917-model-h/
Read & View More
National Motorcycle Museum Triumph 'Factory Racer' T-Shirt
National Motorcycle Museum exclusive, the design of this Russett T-Shirt is inspired by a 1966 Triumph Bonneville TT Special formerly on display at the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa. ONLY $18.99
BUY NOW
Triumph Motorcycles in America Book
Triumph Motorcycles in America details this two-wheeled invasion with an entertaining text plus hundreds of rare historical images. Triumph Motorcycles in America is a must-have for every fan of Britain's most legendary bike brand. 224 pages, hardcover. ONLY $60.00
BUY NOW
The Salt Ghost - Return of the Nitro Express DVD
Four Aces Cycle and Lowbrow Customs are proud to present The Salt Ghost: Return of the Nitro Express! This 60 minute long documentary shows their path of discovery of the history of this bike, it's builder, it's over two decades of El Mirage and Bonneville Salt Flats race history, and it's return to glory on the Salt. ONLY $12.95
BUY NOW
Other Triumphs on display in the Museum
1938 Triumph Speed Twin
1957 Triumph TRW
1977 Triumph Bonneville T140J Jubilee Special
Plan your visit today to see these and over 500 more motorcycles and 100 years of memorabilia on display at the National Motorcycle Museum!
*********************************************************************************************************************************
Have you heard about this from anyone, Jack?
https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/the-klrs-long-run-is-over?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=10/13/2018_CT&utm_term=Common%20Tread%20%7C%20Combined
Maybe it's just a vicious rumor?!?!
(Hi Joe ...I haven't heard it from anyone that said they really knew and I've heard it a lot from those who professed to not know for sure, but who can say? The word is definitely out, true or not ... guess time will tell. - #000)
Joe Gilmore #661
PS Don't know if you heard---On Labor Day, 2 weeks after the arthroscopic knee surgery in August that kept Carol and I from attending the two 2018 ThumperCafes, a deer burst out from the underbrush on my right. I was on my 1990 Honda Hawk NT650---Carol was following me on her own NT650. Not enough time to swerve or slow down, I hit the 6-point buck at about 60MPH, killing it with both of us tumbling down the road nearly 80 yards.
I was choppered to the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore and spent a week there. "Pilon fracture with dislocation" for my left tibia, fibula & talus---essentially a complicated jigsaw puzzle for one of the best orthopedic surgeons in the state to solve. 3 plates and 17 screws. X-rays of my lower left leg look like a failed 7th-grade woodshop project. Dislocated left shoulder, 4 broken ribs, a bunch of cracked & separated ribs, bruised lung, bruised heart (I know what you're thinking. "How can one bruise a chunk of anthracite coal?!?!") Chipped a chunk off of my T7 vertebrae, broken right thumb/squashed right hand/hyper-extended right wrist. My hand was between the gas tank and the pavement when I slammed down---and saved the paint!!! Concussion---even though I was wearing a top-shelf Shoei.
And, despite having pretty good gear on, I have several acres of road-rash and bruises. Doc says I may be able to put weight on my foot by early December---we will see.
The good news? The bike looks like it will be a fairly easy repair job once I'm up & about. The chipped vertebrae (approximately 1 inch below where my back protector stopped protecting) could have easily been a much more serious injury. So I'm a lucky guy as far as my injuries are concerned. In the future, however, I do hope that I do a better job at spacing my surgeries apart!!!
Wow, Joe ... so sorry to read this! Man, you took a hit! Best Wishes and prayers for your healing from all this! It can happen so fast ... keep us updated. - #000.
******************************************************************************************************************
Don't miss the other pages on this website ... Keep On Thumpin! - Jack, FSSNOC #000/Director
******************************************************************************************************************
Posts below are from previous updates:
RAIN - RAIN, GO AWAY...
COME AGAIN ANOTHER DAY!
NO LIGHTNING, NO THUNDER,
NO SUNSHINE TO PLUNDER.
JUST RAIN AND MORE RAIN,
RAIN, RAIN ... IS MY REFRAIN.
RAIN - RAIN, GO AWAY,
COME AGAIN ANOTHER DAY...
DAMP GREETINGS FROM THUMPERVILLE TO YOU AND YOURS ...
I know, I know, it's only Wednesday evening, I'm way ahead of schedule, but hey, give me some slack, I'm bored. The only riding I did in the last three days was today when I rode the DR-Z400 down to the Post Office ... a lofty 6 mile trip. The local weather dudes are saying we had something like 7 to 8 inches over the last two days and nights. Guess I should be thankful that we survived it, which we did, and I am ... it's just fun to blow off some steam, ya' know? Thump, Thump!
SO ... what do you think about the photo above? Know what the bike is? Brand, Year, model, etc... some of you guys and gals probably had one of these. I made my very first "Trials" bike out of one back in the black and white days. So let us know what you think it is... Give us some details, etc... Maybe even a caption would be fun, eh?
As I snapped this shot, I also took a photo of the speedometer mileage reading, the odometer reading, to be correct, I guess... How many miles did this little jewel run before its final ride in a pickup truck? Give me your best guess, okay? (SEE THE HISTORY PAGE FOR AN UPDATE FOR 10-18-18...)
SOMEONE ... could it be?
I lingered a bit at the scene of the crime. I won't tell you that a tear ran down my cheek or that a lump appeared in my dry throat, but I will say that my thoughts rambled for a few minutes as I noticed little details about this once new and shiny motorcycle from the past. Once sold at or near retail, now worthless ... I looked at such things as the front brake, once a work of polished art really, with all those tiny shiny spokes, now spotted with rust ... and the tail lamp lens, unbroken and perfect.
Someone a few short years ago had a motorcycle dealership and probably purchased this machine from the factory on a 90 day floor-plan in hopes of selling it for a profit in further hopes of paying that floor plan plus interest ... and the Shop electric bill.
Someone may have skinned a knuckle or two getting this machine off the thin metal pallet under the wrinkled and water stained cardboard shipping crate.
Someone installed the handlebars and the controls, put on the front wheel, and then with a smile, rolled it over to the mechanic and said, "Here ya' go, Bob!".
Someone was that mechanic, Bob, who serviced it, who checked it over, who charged the battery, then fired it up, witnessing it take it first feeble breath of stateside air and laughing as the shop filled up with pungent blue smoke.
Someone, after a spin down the alley and back, rolled it onto the showroom floor with the hopes of finding it a new owner and making a few bucks commission.
Someone with a damp nose pressed again a dirty window pane likely spied it on the way home from school that day, then ran all the way home to beg his or her parents (or wife - heh,heh!) to go back on Saturday to take a closer look.
Someone came by the dealership one day and took that candy apple painted two wheeler home, much to the delight of almost everyone previously mentioned.
Someone probably and promptly broke a bone or skinned an arm.
Someone's Mom was probably mad and harsh words were spoken.
Someone showed it to all their friends, it was so fun to show it off.
Someone crashed again, this time it wouldn't start, probably fouled a plug.
Someone parked it behind the garage to make room for a longer car.
Someone soon forgot about that first exciting day and went away to college.
Someone may have said a few years later, "It's the weekend, I think I'll clean up around the place today then if it doesn't get too late, I'll make a run to the dump. I might even throw Freddie's old bike in the truck along with my other junk."
Someone perhaps said the next day, "Oh, yeah, it's Sunday. Let's hop in the truck and go to church and I'll go by the dump first thing Monday morning."
Someone asked, "What about all that junk?"
Someone might have replied, "Who cares about some rusty ole junk? No one will notice. Let's go, we don't want to be late and have to set up front..."
Someone walking by that day did notice, and after a moment of reflection, respectfully shot the above photo... R.I.P. - #000.
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Check out the other pages...... O O
U
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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 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
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
************************************************************************************ THIS WEBSITE UPDATE IS FOR ... 10-18-18
OUR NEXT ANTICIPATED UPDATE IS ... 10-25-18
See "Website Details and Instruction" section at the bottom of all this great conversation.
***************************************************************
FOR SALE: SR500 YAMAHA I'm reluctantly selling my 1978 YAMAHA SR500. It's a beautiful machine that was resto-modded by two competent and knowledgeable FSSNOC members. It's time for someone else to enjoy this fantastic machine as much as I have. Over $4,000 spent in improvements. A bargain at $2,000!
For info, contact Joel #5190 ejcalhoun75@gmail.com.
Thanks, Joel, #5190 - NEBRASKA
**************************************************************************************
GREETINGS THUMPER ENTHUSIASTS!
It's AUTUMN ... almost everyone's favorite time of the year, yes? No? Yeah, I know, in many areas of the good ole USA, we all know what follows those colorful leaves, don't we?
No ... well, around here, the "Fall Colors" season shortly becomes the "no color" season. With that said, and with thoughts of putting away for the winter that bright and shiny favorite Thumper that we have so joyously ridden all summer weighing heavily on our collective hearts, I'm reminded of what they do in the northern states and Canada?
Uhhhhhh, ... What is that, one might query?
As I get it, when the skies turn gray, when the leaves disappear, when the temperatures drop, and the prevailing winds are from the Arctic, and along with all this nonsense comes the dreaded "road salt" or some other kind of de-icer for our roadways, none ... na da ... of which is good for the shiny alloy components on my or your motorcycle, for sure, this is what they do...
Up north, many buy a "Winter Car" ... or as some put it, a "beater" ... something with which to thrash about in the snow and ice, doing it on the cheap, maybe carrying minimal insurance, etc, and driving and parking with careless abandonment...
"Who me? ... worry? Are you kidding?"
Some use this as an excuse to buy something they wouldn't drive otherwise, something 180 degrees away from their normal transport, perhaps. Others seek out stuff that is indestructible, something with real bumpers, something made out of steel and iron, something with some weight, and something with the radiator back away from the grille/bumper area. Others go the opposite way, they seek something that is fun to drive, something that looks good going sideways, maybe a high mileage Corolla or Toyota. Whatever they choose, the idea is to save their mobile pride and joy the wear and tear of winter ... and if their winter beater gets a ding or two or rust begins to creep up toward the door handles, what do they say? Pun intended, but perhaps they say, "No sweat!" ...
So, can we see any parallels here to the world of motorcycles?
I sure can! Years ago, back in 1970 before some of you were born, I hired on in sales at a local motorcycle shop called Al's Honda-Yamaha-Triumph. This was my dream job and I jumped in with my usual fervor, which was with both feet. An immediate goal was to ride every day, no matter what the weather. Now in Kansas, we get some winter weather, and back a few decades, we seemed to get more than of late. Ice, snow, wind, sleet, iced-over bridges, ice in the shade, ice on the painted lines, and even some black ice, but we didn't know what that was in those days...
I averaged about three get-offs a winter, a few were memorable, one in particular that I will share with you here was when I was riding down Plum street one winter day, mid-week on a Honda XL175, one of the orange ones, I'm thinking a 1973. The streets were a mix of packed snow and glazed ice, the ice being at the intersections where people would spin their tires while attempting to leave the stop-sign. The friction of the spinning rubber tires would melt the ice for a micro-second, then as soon as the car moved away, the ice would freeze again, somehow getting more and more treacherous with the passing of each car.
I did all the normal stuff short of studs in the tires. Things like lower tire pressures, usually I used a lightweight, maneuverable bike, WD-40 sprayed on all the wheels, spokes and hubs, alloy engine cases, etc, that sort of thing...
One fine winter day, I was riding down, that would be south here in Kansas, Plum street, and of all places to crash, I was going right by the college amidst fairly heavy traffic, though I have forgotten the exact time of day ... anyhow, the front wheel slips out from under me followed quickly by the rear wheel, no saving it now! I'm sliding straight down the street, the bike at about a 45 degree angle and still nearly at traffic pace. The bike was on it's left side, the left handlebar in the forward cant, the back wheel is near the curb, I'm still with the machine, my hands on the grips, my back is flat against the street surface ... I glance back over my right shoulder and make eye contact with the operator of a blue and white City garbage truck about two car-lengths behind me. His mouth is wide open, his eyes are big as saucers, his face is smack-dab up against the windshield so he has a bird's-eye view. I remember that he was driving one of those cab-over style garbage trucks and it is sliding exactly parallel with my bike, the dual rear wheels contacting the snow-covered curb, he's white-knuckling a huge round black steering wheel, cramping the wheels opposite the skid, just like a dirt-tracker, only heavier, much heavier ... it was like we were choreographed.
When I finally came to a stop, I picked up the Honda, kicked it one time, it fired and I rode off, slipping and sliding after glancing back for traffic ... the truck had also stopped, miraculously still that two car distance away, and now with both doors hanging open...
I did make my goal for about ten years before I succumbed to a little higher level of common sense. Essentially, I rode to work a distance ranging from 7 miles to 12 miles every day for thirty years, unless I was hauling a race bike, or had a valid reason not to ride ... and, as you may know, in 1986 I started the Four-Stroke Singles National Owners Club. After working what was basically two jobs for thirteen years, in 1999 I quit the job that paid ... and the thing I missed the most about not being at the Motorcycle Shop each and every day, guess what it was ... it was the commute, the forced march come Winter, Spring, Summer or Autumn (I don't like to use the word, "FALL")!
Was it dangerous? Sure, sometimes way too dangerous to make sense ... we should all stay home on those bad weather days, right? I'm way smarter now days ... #000.
**************************************************************************************
To Brian Moon #3729 - COLORADO ... Thanks for the story! I plan to use it in a future issue of Thumper News. Great stuff!
To Steve Oakman, #5266 - NEBRASKA ... Thanks for your article for Thumper News! And, Thanks very much for the picture of that Matchless that I used on the Event Page (see it before you leave, people! :) Somehow I got home without a photo of that bike, is that nuts or what? ...
From Bill Crowe, #0370 - CANADA ... Bill writes:
Hi Jack, That was a great article you wrote - TN#132 - Mister Thumper Goes To Greybull, WY. I remember riding a similar trip but it was on a CX650 Honda shaft-drive, a nice bike, should have kept it! I like your tool kit (as described in the issue), seems like just right! Have to pull my sailboat from the water tomorrow. Good riding down south there - Best, Bill Crowe, #370 - Canada
Editor Note: My friend, Bill Crowe, has been with us here at FSSNOC for most of the 30 years that we've been a club! Another cool thing is that his Thumper is a 370cc Suzuki, a perfect match for his FSSNOC member number ... amazing and very cool! Best Wishes to you, Bill! - #000.
*************************************************************************************
Check this out?
1917 Triumph Model H
The Triumph Company Limited got its start in England around the same time Ford Motor Company, Indian Motorcycle Company and the Harley-Davidson Motor Company were being formed in America. In 1902, Triumph launched its first motorcycle, a 2.25 horsepower lightweight machine. For the first few years the engine was sourced from a Belgian manufacturer.
With its origin as a bicycle manufacturer starting in 1885, in 1905 Triumph began making its own engines, no longer relying on...READ MORE
www.nationalmcmuseum.org/1917-model-h/
Read & View More
National Motorcycle Museum Triumph 'Factory Racer' T-Shirt
National Motorcycle Museum exclusive, the design of this Russett T-Shirt is inspired by a 1966 Triumph Bonneville TT Special formerly on display at the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa. ONLY $18.99
BUY NOW
Triumph Motorcycles in America Book
Triumph Motorcycles in America details this two-wheeled invasion with an entertaining text plus hundreds of rare historical images. Triumph Motorcycles in America is a must-have for every fan of Britain's most legendary bike brand. 224 pages, hardcover. ONLY $60.00
BUY NOW
The Salt Ghost - Return of the Nitro Express DVD
Four Aces Cycle and Lowbrow Customs are proud to present The Salt Ghost: Return of the Nitro Express! This 60 minute long documentary shows their path of discovery of the history of this bike, it's builder, it's over two decades of El Mirage and Bonneville Salt Flats race history, and it's return to glory on the Salt. ONLY $12.95
BUY NOW
Other Triumphs on display in the Museum
1938 Triumph Speed Twin
1957 Triumph TRW
1977 Triumph Bonneville T140J Jubilee Special
Plan your visit today to see these and over 500 more motorcycles and 100 years of memorabilia on display at the National Motorcycle Museum!
*********************************************************************************************************************************
Have you heard about this from anyone, Jack?
https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/the-klrs-long-run-is-over?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=10/13/2018_CT&utm_term=Common%20Tread%20%7C%20Combined
Maybe it's just a vicious rumor?!?!
(Hi Joe ...I haven't heard it from anyone that said they really knew and I've heard it a lot from those who professed to not know for sure, but who can say? The word is definitely out, true or not ... guess time will tell. - #000)
Joe Gilmore #661
PS Don't know if you heard---On Labor Day, 2 weeks after the arthroscopic knee surgery in August that kept Carol and I from attending the two 2018 ThumperCafes, a deer burst out from the underbrush on my right. I was on my 1990 Honda Hawk NT650---Carol was following me on her own NT650. Not enough time to swerve or slow down, I hit the 6-point buck at about 60MPH, killing it with both of us tumbling down the road nearly 80 yards.
I was choppered to the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore and spent a week there. "Pilon fracture with dislocation" for my left tibia, fibula & talus---essentially a complicated jigsaw puzzle for one of the best orthopedic surgeons in the state to solve. 3 plates and 17 screws. X-rays of my lower left leg look like a failed 7th-grade woodshop project. Dislocated left shoulder, 4 broken ribs, a bunch of cracked & separated ribs, bruised lung, bruised heart (I know what you're thinking. "How can one bruise a chunk of anthracite coal?!?!") Chipped a chunk off of my T7 vertebrae, broken right thumb/squashed right hand/hyper-extended right wrist. My hand was between the gas tank and the pavement when I slammed down---and saved the paint!!! Concussion---even though I was wearing a top-shelf Shoei.
And, despite having pretty good gear on, I have several acres of road-rash and bruises. Doc says I may be able to put weight on my foot by early December---we will see.
The good news? The bike looks like it will be a fairly easy repair job once I'm up & about. The chipped vertebrae (approximately 1 inch below where my back protector stopped protecting) could have easily been a much more serious injury. So I'm a lucky guy as far as my injuries are concerned. In the future, however, I do hope that I do a better job at spacing my surgeries apart!!!
Wow, Joe ... so sorry to read this! Man, you took a hit! Best Wishes and prayers for your healing from all this! It can happen so fast ... keep us updated. - #000.
******************************************************************************************************************
Don't miss the other pages on this website ... Keep On Thumpin! - Jack, FSSNOC #000/Director
******************************************************************************************************************
Posts below are from previous updates:
RAIN - RAIN, GO AWAY...
COME AGAIN ANOTHER DAY!
NO LIGHTNING, NO THUNDER,
NO SUNSHINE TO PLUNDER.
JUST RAIN AND MORE RAIN,
RAIN, RAIN ... IS MY REFRAIN.
RAIN - RAIN, GO AWAY,
COME AGAIN ANOTHER DAY...
DAMP GREETINGS FROM THUMPERVILLE TO YOU AND YOURS ...
I know, I know, it's only Wednesday evening, I'm way ahead of schedule, but hey, give me some slack, I'm bored. The only riding I did in the last three days was today when I rode the DR-Z400 down to the Post Office ... a lofty 6 mile trip. The local weather dudes are saying we had something like 7 to 8 inches over the last two days and nights. Guess I should be thankful that we survived it, which we did, and I am ... it's just fun to blow off some steam, ya' know? Thump, Thump!
SO ... what do you think about the photo above? Know what the bike is? Brand, Year, model, etc... some of you guys and gals probably had one of these. I made my very first "Trials" bike out of one back in the black and white days. So let us know what you think it is... Give us some details, etc... Maybe even a caption would be fun, eh?
As I snapped this shot, I also took a photo of the speedometer mileage reading, the odometer reading, to be correct, I guess... How many miles did this little jewel run before its final ride in a pickup truck? Give me your best guess, okay? (SEE THE HISTORY PAGE FOR AN UPDATE FOR 10-18-18...)
SOMEONE ... could it be?
I lingered a bit at the scene of the crime. I won't tell you that a tear ran down my cheek or that a lump appeared in my dry throat, but I will say that my thoughts rambled for a few minutes as I noticed little details about this once new and shiny motorcycle from the past. Once sold at or near retail, now worthless ... I looked at such things as the front brake, once a work of polished art really, with all those tiny shiny spokes, now spotted with rust ... and the tail lamp lens, unbroken and perfect.
Someone a few short years ago had a motorcycle dealership and probably purchased this machine from the factory on a 90 day floor-plan in hopes of selling it for a profit in further hopes of paying that floor plan plus interest ... and the Shop electric bill.
Someone may have skinned a knuckle or two getting this machine off the thin metal pallet under the wrinkled and water stained cardboard shipping crate.
Someone installed the handlebars and the controls, put on the front wheel, and then with a smile, rolled it over to the mechanic and said, "Here ya' go, Bob!".
Someone was that mechanic, Bob, who serviced it, who checked it over, who charged the battery, then fired it up, witnessing it take it first feeble breath of stateside air and laughing as the shop filled up with pungent blue smoke.
Someone, after a spin down the alley and back, rolled it onto the showroom floor with the hopes of finding it a new owner and making a few bucks commission.
Someone with a damp nose pressed again a dirty window pane likely spied it on the way home from school that day, then ran all the way home to beg his or her parents (or wife - heh,heh!) to go back on Saturday to take a closer look.
Someone came by the dealership one day and took that candy apple painted two wheeler home, much to the delight of almost everyone previously mentioned.
Someone probably and promptly broke a bone or skinned an arm.
Someone's Mom was probably mad and harsh words were spoken.
Someone showed it to all their friends, it was so fun to show it off.
Someone crashed again, this time it wouldn't start, probably fouled a plug.
Someone parked it behind the garage to make room for a longer car.
Someone soon forgot about that first exciting day and went away to college.
Someone may have said a few years later, "It's the weekend, I think I'll clean up around the place today then if it doesn't get too late, I'll make a run to the dump. I might even throw Freddie's old bike in the truck along with my other junk."
Someone perhaps said the next day, "Oh, yeah, it's Sunday. Let's hop in the truck and go to church and I'll go by the dump first thing Monday morning."
Someone asked, "What about all that junk?"
Someone might have replied, "Who cares about some rusty ole junk? No one will notice. Let's go, we don't want to be late and have to set up front..."
Someone walking by that day did notice, and after a moment of reflection, respectfully shot the above photo... R.I.P. - #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 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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