Category Archives: Automotive

Total Pipe Dream

One of the things I did when I was young was design stuff. I aircraft, cars, boats, and bikes. I remember designing sport bikes a lot… and a few choppers. All my dreaming about a bike had me doodling a little, and then that lead to me running though images of motorcycles… and then I found it.  The bike that is just like I would have designed myself. My dream bike.

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Welcher

So I put some guns up on KSL for trade for a Motorcycle.   I get some responses for parts bikes… nothing that runs.   Then I get an offer that’s just crazy good for a 2004 HD Softail.  Dude sends pictures and everything.   Oh hell yes.  The guy wants it out of his garage.  I say “Yup, I’ll take that trade offer.”

But then the guy gets cold feet and welches.   Feh.  I mean, come on… You put up a bike that’s worth twice what I offered to trade, that’s not my problem.  Oh well.  Still no bike for the Ogre.

Motorcycles

For the last few years, the itch to get another motorcycle has been uncontrollable.  Well, Saturday that itch came to a head and I actually went out looking for a bike.

I found one.  The question is do I pull the trigger on it or do I let it go.  It’s an older bike, in great condition… the style I like, the size I want… Even if it is a V-Twin.  It’s getting about 50 miles to the gallon, which is much better than my truck which I think gets about 3… or at least it feels like it.

If I want to “Run out to Salt Lake”, that trip costs me about 140 bucks.  On this bike, it would cost about as much as a good Sandwich.   Which means getting out there to take care of business actually makes some business sense.  And with Crusader’s growth, I’m going have to get out there more often.  Not for Training Days, because I’d still have to bring the truck, but for other things… like helping Joe get orders processed, Slipstream made, all that.  And, hey… Get some 5 Guys Burgers because I just freaking feel like it.  Can’t do that in my truck.

If something happens like I want it to happen tomorrow or the next day – I’ll get it.

The Police Car

The Police Car subset of the Auto Industry is a fairly boring segment for a narrow nitch market. Yet the money is well worth a car company to pursue that nitch. I drove a Chevy Caprice cruiser. It was a great car. Smooth, roomy. Very comfortable. Fast flat out, but not quick. It handled like a barge. It was stable when parked, or just going straight. Taking a curve caused a massive weight shift that if one didn’t expect it or were otherwise ready for it, could cause one to visit the ditch. However, if you learned to handle it, a good driver to really work the Caprice’s strengths. In it’s day, the Chevy Caprice was the Cop Car of choice all across the country. This became even more matter of fact when Chevy revamped the Caprice into what was affectionately called the “Turtleback”. The police turtlebacks were powered with a detuned LT-1 engine, giving the large and heavy car some good performance.

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