As some of you may or may not know, every year I pack my bags and head out to Sturgis, South Dakota for the motorcycle rally. On Junction Avenue a tent is erected in the parking lot in front of Hank's Hardware, from which I will sell and install motorcycle seats for a week and a half. Unfortunately the economy has taken a downturn over the past few years, so the crowds have steadily declined since 2008. It used to be that I was on my feet for 12 hours with barely a moment to gather a lunch together, but this year there were periods as long as an hour filled with nothing.

This year I once again forgot my DSLR camera, but luckily our modern phone technology has come in to lend a helping hand. It works in a pinch. The shots aren't spectacular in quality, nor are they the majority of what I saw. This is only a taste of what I had time to capture during the lull.



Not a Harley, but a lot of time and money was spent to make it look like one.











The definition of excess.

A fine example of our top quality seats. These are some of the newest designs by my uncle, inspired by old spring mounted board racer seats. They are by far the thinnest, bare-bones models that the company designs. However if his bony butt can be comfortable in one after 400 miles of riding, it certainly passes the test of Mustang standards.

Of course, it wasn't all bikes....








Plenty of oddities to go around.




By far though, this was my favorite:



There's something about a stripped down, no nonsense motorcycle that really grabs me. When it comes to my car, I want it running to the maximum, as efficiently as possible. When it comes to bikes though, it's the ones with loping, off-balance engines that spit boiling oil all over you with every kick start. Those are the ones that really tug my heart strings.

I've lasted about a year without my bike. Not sure how much longer I'll be able to last though.

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-Chris

Awesome Pics thanks for sharing !

yeah great pics. i feel that way about my 280z. she may not be perfect but just driving in her makes me happy. sweet pics man. would love to head out there sometime. and do i see third gen Camaro wheels on a Ford pick up?

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Mike Tubiak
1978 Datsun 280Z - HLS30-438694

Some excellent saddles on a wide variety of hardtail and barely-sprung hardware. Nice pix, too.

In the 60s my uncle rode his spankin' new Triumph Bonneyville TT-120 650 to Sturgis. He and my aunt rented a 1-room cabin and chained the Bonney's front wheel to a tree outside. When they woke the next morning that's what they had....the chain, the tree, and the front wheel.

For those who can't make the Bob Sharp day at Lime Rock, the Yankee Reunion will meet at the Museum of Vintage Trail Bikes in Cheshire, Mass. It's a 2-day event (maybe you could sell some saddles there too, Phrog?) (www.Yankee500z.com)

Frank

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1970 240Z

Well Frank, most of Mustang's have touring and cruiser bikes, namely Harley Davidson and Japanese from the 1980's and up. Sure, you CAN modify just about any frame to fit our seats, but for the most part they're made for the stock models previously mentioned for the best fit and comfort.

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-Chris

Youse guys can have your bikes!--

I MUCH prefer the red '36 Plymouth 3W business coupe! (Especially
if it has a 318, a 340, or any hemi in it). 440 6-pack would be okay,
but I'm looking for streetability.

At first, glancing at the tags, I thought it was from TX. But looking a
little closer, I think it must be Montana (Big Sky Country).
~Rick~

Out there Rick, it's ALL big sky country to me. Absolutely beautiful. Two years ago, we also took one of the rental cars on a jaunt up the mountains in search of ghost/old mining towns. Wonderful area, I'd consider moving there in the future.

Here are some more pictures from last year. Once again, they don't do it justice.









My favorite stock bike of all time; the Harley Davidson Softail Delux.












A bat landed in our tent and attached itself to one of the seats! Soon after it dropped into the "Free Map" box. How convenient.

My bike. Sold last year to buy a daily driver. I rode that thing from SoCal to Sturgis on a good portion of Rt 66, then back to CT. I miss it dearly. In my opinion, it was the most perfect '07 1200XLC out there. Even with a Z to fill the void, I've been heartbroken ever since.

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-Chris

Well Chris, at least you know what you need to be happy again. I was haunted by my own 240Z for 23 years before I found it again and bought it back (and it was in better shape than when I let it go).

So there's hope. Always picture yrslf riding that same bike again some day, and who knows? You might find yrslf astride it in the future.

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1970 240Z

I'll probably never see her again, Frank. I was haunted twice this year by two bikes in our tent that looked almost exactly like her, I even checked the VIN numbers and for familiar scratches to be sure. I'll never again own a new bike.

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-Chris

THAT POOR BEETLE!!!!!

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2002 Subaru WRX
1978 280Z HLS30-477043
1972 Beetle
1996 Subaru Legacy


1978 280Z 2/2 RIP, Never Forgotten.
VIN GHLS30-120946

that is actually a pretty common thing to do with Beetle's. i saw one in a parade recently.

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Mike Tubiak
1978 Datsun 280Z - HLS30-438694

Still doesn't make it right!!!!!

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2002 Subaru WRX
1978 280Z HLS30-477043
1972 Beetle
1996 Subaru Legacy


1978 280Z 2/2 RIP, Never Forgotten.
VIN GHLS30-120946

i was waiting for that response. yeah i agree. i like the old Beetles.

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Mike Tubiak
1978 Datsun 280Z - HLS30-438694

Yeah, I've seen just about everything done to bugs now. It's hard to be surprised anymore, lol.

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-Chris

Yeah me too. Totally not biased because I own one......

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2002 Subaru WRX
1978 280Z HLS30-477043
1972 Beetle
1996 Subaru Legacy


1978 280Z 2/2 RIP, Never Forgotten.
VIN GHLS30-120946