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1313
| Posted on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 09:33 pm: |
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Sorry for my delay in posting my pics from this years Homecoming. It's been nearly 3 months, so I can't really offer an excuse. Colorful commentary will be added where appropriate. Some of the pictures have already been seen elsewhere, so don't be surprised if something looks familiar. BTW, I was in East Troy quite a bit before Homecoming started (due to BRAG shortening the event), so there will be some pictures other than Buell's. My transportation this year was my dirty V-Rod.
Interesting sign in background of Dirty V-Rod pic:
Since I was in town early I decided to check out some old stomping grounds. The first hearse I came across was almost across the street from the Milwaukee Mile raceway. This 1976 S&S car commemorates the 100th anniversary of S&S.
The owner was cordial enough to show off the special interior that was only installed in some of the 1976 100th anniversary cars:
Who said hearse owners don't have a sense of humor?
Just down the road from Hal's I saw this mildly customized Lincoln Hearse.
Enough hearses...for a while...there will be at least one other posted. One night I met up with a good, close friend who still works at Buell. In addition to owning S2 #13, he brought his Duell (S1 with Duc tail section and some other tasty streetfighter bits) to dinner that night so I could check it out. Here's a couple of pics of it (in the dark...).
I was hoping Hotrats would be able to go to dinner that night, but I did not hear from him (nor did I see his bike at the hotel in East Troy) before I left for dinner. On the way back home that night I stopped by the hotel and found Hotrats and his S3 at the hotel, along with a friend of his on a Kawasaki. Also at the hotel was Duck with his Ulysses and a bunch of other Buell's. Before leaving the hotel, we made plans to meet up the next morning to go to Hal's for their BRAG event - BREAKFAST! 1313 |
1313
| Posted on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 09:49 pm: |
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The previous night I had met Duck and checked out his Ulysses a little. In the dark, his air box cover looked flat black. When we met up in the morning, it definitely showed its true colors.
After a route that included some of the better roads of the area, which took longer than just hitting I-43, we arrived at Hal's. Here's the line up.
On display at Hal's was this XB Race Bike.
One of the guys from the Hoosier Thunder Club BRAG Group (our Defector Director Dave's new group) had an interesting paint job on his M2's flyscreen.
It kinda reminded me of a picture AirTECH had on their website. Notice any similarity?
Scoping out some of the stuff at Hal's I stumbled upon this hearse.
Previously owned by a guy who has a huge signshop who has done LOTS of work for both H-D and Buell. The graphics from the Enforcer, Defender and Peace Keeper as well as all of the graphics on the Battle of Champions bikes came from him. Before Stretch owned the car it was used as a Halloween promotion for a grocery store chain. But enough about hearses - back to bikes. I hope Webe noticed this Dyna with XB wheels that was at Hal's.
I've never seen a race bike with a tank bag before I was at Hal's this year.
The last pics from Hal's are of a bike that has been seen on badweb quite a bit, but it is still COOL, so I had to post the pics.
How it's off to the factory! 1313 |
1313
| Posted on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 09:53 pm: |
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Hopefully I will have time tomorrow night to post my pictures from the bikes at the facotry. Until then, 1313 |
U4euh
| Posted on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 11:50 pm: |
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It's amazing how the fairing swallow's up the front wheel on that white bike above. Keep'um coming! |
1313
| Posted on Monday, August 28, 2006 - 08:35 pm: |
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At the factory! Firemanjim's S2:
My buddy Scot's S2:
Another buddy, Abe's S2:
I couldn't believe that he said on the Buell chat that he was gonna sell the S2 to get a Uly, but from the paper on the bike it looks like he is serious.
I didn't realize that there was such a thing as a Voltage paint set for the Blast!...
Looks pretty sharp though!
WILD X1 - I believe this is BrentX1's bike...
WICKED flyscreen on said X1.
My favorite 'what if' color scheme from Homecoming. Sure would be easy to do and looks freakin' SWEET!
I sure hope Marilyn kissed the clutch cover when it was cold...
Mary Jane - Spidy's bike, not what you may have been thinking...
The bike that the fairing swallows the front wheel - minus tankbag.
It's a shame this pic didn't turn out better as I really dug the Felix the Cat sticker on the tank cover of this X1.
Before I saw the Black and Cherry Bomb XB12R, this would've been my choice.
BadS1's air box cover - look at what is looking back at you...
The Buell 'tube frame history' collection.
Everything from the RW 750 (that was restored and presented to Erik at the Battle of Champions race held in conjunction with the 15th annual HOG Rally) up to a late model S3 (but NO RR 1200!!!). The RW 750 featured the highest RPM Buell tach ever.
Here's the RR 1000 - with Chuck from Fuell getting his mug in my picture pages. I guess it's fair because my mug was in his picture pages...
Here's a pretty famous RS 1200:
Here's an RSS 1200. This bike was one of the biggest influences in the transformation of my S2...
Ah...Good Ol' B033...
Although since the S2-T equipment (except for the fairing lowers) is on a standard S2 frame and wheels (white instead of the T's gray), and the S2 front fairing (with the 'tilted' letters) I don't know what the deal is.
Tomorrow it's off to the races! 1313 |
1313
| Posted on Monday, August 28, 2006 - 09:05 pm: |
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A day at the races! The funniest thing happened when I was home - I washed the V-Rod. Here it is clean by the Buell demo trailer.
Here's another pic of it in it's clean glory.
Hey that's a pretty good looking Black XB by the demo trailer - let's get a closer look at it.
The pic above proves that it was, indeed, still there... My buddy Jeff and his lizard Pegasus.
Jeff sat next to me during the entire FX race and I didn't realize until we were walking around later on that he had a lizard on his shoulder...Man, do those XBRR's command attention or what?!?! This was the 2nd best use of factory colors to make something unique - a yellow 12S.
My buddy Chris's RS 1200 (with RSS subframe and tail section). If ever there were a Rat Buell...OK, so it's under construction...
The battle colors were drawn:
And saying 'Compete at a higher level':
But before the race, let's check out some of the Buell's in the Buell hospitality area. Interesting Uly with a VR 1000 type paint job.
Hmmm...So exactly which is faster, Orange or Black? Intriguing Blue and Purple S2:
Cool little S1 twin tail that was not in the Buell hospitality area.
Interesting tires on this XBRR, dontcha think?
Mike Hale's first running of the XBRR (notice 'standard' Firebolt race tail).
The P.I.N. label off of XBRR:
And you thought a 4 digit PIN number was hard enough to remember... One of the key ingredients in the XBRR recipe.
My racing pics didn't turn out too well. Maybe someday I will get myself a real camera for shooting farther distances. Oh yeah, I forgot these couple of pics from the factory that made me think of Carlos's flying suitcase.
Tomorrow it's the beginning of my journey back to NC (by way of Uke's annual open house). 1313 |
1313
| Posted on Monday, August 28, 2006 - 09:30 pm: |
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Homeward bound! First off a stop at Uke's (76th) annual open house. Opened up air box cover inspired by the '06's?
Pristine vintage bagger. Never did I realize they made Harley's in such macho colors - but it still looks sweet...
As usual, Bubba Blackwell was performing at Uke's - but I only stayed around long enough to get this picture of the air box cover of his V-Rod.
I had seen it many times before it even went to Uke's, but I was finally inspired to get a picture of it from a different angle. Looks kinda cool - kinda like the light is coming from the headlight...
This is the first functional part I've ever seen on an OCC bike...
Work on an OCC bike? Yeah right... The 'wildest Buell graphic', normally only on Molten Orange and Nuclear Blue framed S1'w and S1W's, appeared on this special Yellow M2 (with PM wheels).
A guide in the museum said this bike was the most valuable bike in the museum...
A Springer Softail? Come on, there's a XR 1000, 2 RR 1200's, a VR 1000, but this lowly Softail is valued at $250,000...All because of the Rolling Stones paint work. It was a giveaway bike that was won through Uke's dealership and the winner wanted a Sportster instead of the Softail so he traded it in on a Sporty. On the North side of Chicago - actually Highland Park, just down the street from where the infamous Highland House was (Sundays would see the Highland House parking lot fill up with every form of 2 wheeled trickery - from an Aprilia RS250 that couldn't be registered in the US but somehow had an Illinois plate on it to Duc's to every flavor of Harley to Buell's and on and on) is a Porsche dealership that has a V-Rod on their showroom floor. Since I was on the proper steed I could finally stop for a pic of mine and theirs.
I guess I've been away from cars for such a long time as I was actually surprised to see that the price tag on the nice red rag top in the back ground started with a 1 and had 5 fives behind it. Needless to say I won't be going into a Porsche dealership anytime in the near future. Time to motor on because I had to be back to work on Tuesday 06-06-06! 1313 |
Court
| Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 06:20 am: |
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Brankin: Good news. . . Abe's S-2 went to a very good home. . . stayed in the "family". We've got to find the matching helmet to the red, white and blue RS1200. Erik and I rode, 17 years ago, that bike and my green Sportster to take our wives out dancing one night. I have photos of us, each with helmets that matched our bikes. Mine green and cream helmet is still sitting here on the shelf. |
CJXB
| Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 11:20 am: |
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Nice Pics !! |
1313
| Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 08:11 pm: |
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Court, Funny you should mention that red, white and blue helmet. In 1996 when I was working at Buell and the custom bodywork for my S2 was being painted, along with my helmet, I was out riding around helmetless with a spare bodyset on the S2. I started down Road X and a nasty storm erupted. I found shelter under a nice big tree and just as the lightning started I noticed a red Dodge minivan pull up behind me. I thought to myself, "Heck no, this can't be..." and as I turned around it was Erik himself. I followed him home and he let me use that red, white and blue helmet over the weekend. IIRC, Erik even offered me dinner before I departed. Talk about roadside assistance - from the man himself! 1313 Indeed it is good to hear that Abe's S2 stayed in the 'family'. (Message edited by 1313 on August 29, 2006) |
Jlnance
| Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 09:25 pm: |
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a red Dodge minivan Let me get this straight. Erik Buell drives a minivan? |
1313
| Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 09:51 pm: |
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Well, actually it was his wifes (at the time) minivan. At that time IIRC Erik was driving a Ford Festiva. You see, he had to. As the 3000GTVR4 he had shortly after H-D first bought into Buell left massive clouds of oil smoke when he took off. Something about burnt out turbos or something. In the days of the old company he was driving an old Audi 5 cylinder with the drivers side headlight firmly attached with the aid of duct tape. This car was later handed down to another Engineer at Buell. Erik seems to have redeemed himself somewhat though because at last years Homecoming he was driving a Black Dodge SRT4. From humble beginnings... 1313 |
Court
| Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 06:06 am: |
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Stories of Erik and vans, from minivans to Dodge Tradesmen, are legendary. I red one of the best in Roadracing World. |
M2nc
| Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 11:25 pm: |
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I knew Erik and I had more in common than these great bikes. In the eighties I had a Dodge GLH Turbo, predecessor to the SRT-4. I used to blow off Cameros, Firebirds and Mustangs of the day. |
Bigdaddy
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 08:16 am: |
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Carlos, You're giving me flashbacks -- stop it! Proud owner turbo charged Shelby Charger back in the day (black, of course) and I used to think that thing was bad. I bought mine from AAFEES car sales in Bitburg Germany. Ran good as I remember it. Traded it on a 900T Saab, (Rose Quartz was the only color we could score with US Specs -- my only new car purchase that wasn't black!) and man that thing would go! G2 |
Jlnance
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 08:44 am: |
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Traded it on a 900T Saab Right after Netscape released the mozilla code, I did some work with the people at mozilla.org. This was all done online, and I had never actually met the people I was working with. One day they were planning on going out to dinner and I was in Californaia, so I asked if I could tag along, and they agreed. I didn't know my way around, so I asked if I could ride with one of them. They said "sure, you can ride with Scott." I'm convinced it was a setup. Scott worked at Netscape in Mountain View, CA, but he didn't live there. He lived in Detroit, MI. And he drove to work. He would stay in CA for 2 weeks at a time, sleeping under his desk. Then he would drive back home. He had some sort of Saab. I've ridden with all sorts of drivers. The only one who has ever managed to scare me was Scott. I get in the car and he takes off hard, throwing me against the back seat. I manage to collect myself and peer around the seat at the speedometer and we are going 60. We are still in the Netscape parking lot. We are not however on the side of the parking lot with an exit to the freeway, so I brace myself for the brakes because we have to make a 90 degree turn. But the brakes never come. The tires just squeel around the turn and we pick up speed on the exit. On the freeway, Scott is delighted to have me and another passenger in the car. It means he can drive in the HOV lane. I don't remember too much about the freeway except hoping I'd arive alive. We got to the restruant and everyone else is asking me, "How did you like the ride?" |
Jlnance
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 08:51 am: |
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google is great http://www.saabnet.com/tsn/photo/0001.html |
Ulywife
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 09:00 am: |
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back in the day (black, of course) Our GLH and Turismo were both black! Carlos' two brothers had a black Mustang and a black Daytona. His Mom could never tell who was or wasn't home!
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Court
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 09:10 am: |
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That photo of the Saab speedo brings back memories. Vickie and I were guests of Saab at the unveiling of the Viggen. We spent 2 days at Lime Rock and they made the mistake of giving us a group of Viggen's to take on a "real world" adventure through the hills of CT, heading to the Old Rhinebeck air show. I can attest to the accuracy of that reading and have my own photos.
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Bigdaddy
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 09:15 am: |
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Court, I still have my Saab owners tri-fold thingy job with all the factory documentation. It's like a big leather trifold wallet X10. Also have some pics of my speeding incidents from Europe in it. All good memories might I add. G2 |
M2nc
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 07:51 pm: |
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My Dad had a 79 Saab Turbo that was a dealer demo. It ended up being the owner's son's car and they had put a "European" Turbo in it. 13psi, vs 7psi of the time. It had a 135mph speedo and it would peg it. Of course my Dad would have killed us if he knew we were in it. My brother was driving at all of 19 and I was 15. Of course a few months later he did find out we were taking it out when my brother wrecked it. My dad thought I had done it even though I was 15. He knew I could drive since my older brothers started to teach me to drive from the age of 12. Just about the time my Dad went in for the kill, my brother showed a moment of weakness and confessed that it was him. Of course I was talking out a car, but it was my mom's old Ford Wagon. I thought that if I wrecked that car, Dad would just kill me quickly and not torture me first. (Message edited by M2nc on August 31, 2006) |
Hotrats
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 09:14 pm: |
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1313 - hate we missed having dinner in E. Troy also. that 8d form nail in my rear tire @ 6:30 pm kinda threw us off schedule. would like to thank you for taking us the 'long way round' to Hal's. great pics! andy & my phuong (Message edited by hotrats on August 31, 2006) |
Jlnance
| Posted on Friday, September 01, 2006 - 06:25 pm: |
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Another picture so I can throughly hijack Brankin's thread.
At dinner with the Netscape folk, I sat next to Dawn Endico, the person in charge of their website. We had a good conversation, and when I got home, she sent me some stuff for my kids. A mozilla stuffed animal and the shirt my son is wearing in the picture above. |
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