What kind of driver are you?

[In the Clouds]

On 10/21/2024 at 11:44 PM, Sower said:

When I was young I couldn't afford a vehicle so I started out on motorcycles. My first one was a 49 Indian 500 TT Warrior twin with knobby tires that was like riding on dirt. Forty bucks cash.  I tore up the yards and alley ways till it died. Later I got a Cushman Eagle scooter two speed 12 hp w/suicide clutch. Legal at 14yrs. We thought people who drove in cars were driving in a cage.

Back then we could get a hardship license at 14 yrs, so I later scored a 57 BSA 650 twin that I once  got up to tall mph. Late one evening I cut through the parking lot of the Piggly Wiggly's grocery store to avoid a red light and then a cop saw me and pulled me over and walked around my scooter.

I received a ticket for the red light avoidance through private property, no tail light, no break light no head light, (he didn't approve the flashlight I had taped on the handle bars ? :), straight pipes no mufflers, no inspection sticker, no state license plate. Seven tickets. I received a total of 13 tickets that weekend, and more to come.

Later I went to buy a newer 59 BSA 650 Lighting Rocket with all standard equipment except it needed a generator, so I bought it for $250 but left a $50 dollar deposit to come back the next day with the rest of the money. I came back but he had sold it, to "his cousin" he had forgotten he promised it to"  (right)

Found another BSA 650 with everything working and me and my buddy were going around a brand new city highway late at night to see how fast it would go. His cycle had a speedometer,  mine didn't so we tucked way down and cranked it on till he hollered we just passed 90 mph. Wow! And then we heard the siren.........

He pulled us over and ask if there was an emergency but we confessed we were just  testing my bike late at night due to no traffic to see how high the top end. We got to talking about the bikes and BSA especially as the cop had just bought one. Humm.  He let it slip he needed a generator for his bike did we know where to get one. 

I ask him if he bought it out on Basse Rd and he looked at me and said "Were you the one that left the $50 dollar deposit?" Yes sir officer. How much did he get you for?   $350 dollars.    We all laughed and then he let us go no tickets and be safe.
God works in mysterious ways.

Eventually I had too many outstanding tickets and the Warrant Officer finally caught me at work and hauled me to jail till I posted bond. My license was revoked for two years, but hey, I had  joined the Marines already and spent those two yrs in Viet Nam where I didn't need a license to drive an armored tank.

I mostly got it out of my system when I returned home to chill out.  And no, I never hurt anybody or caused an accident while driving.       
In the USA, anyway.

Did you ever go to the Indian Museum in San Antonio?  The owner had the most beautiful Indians ever!  It's no longer there and the owner has since passed.  I've tried to find archives on the internet about it.  They were all vintage works of art.

[Sower]

1 hour ago, In the Clouds said:

Did you ever go to the Indian Museum in San Antonio?  The owner had the most beautiful Indians ever!  It's no longer there and the owner has since passed.  I've tried to find archives on the internet about it.  They were all vintage works of art.

I remember two Indian shops,, Skinny Pierce's Indian and BSA motorcycle shop, and Raymond's Krumm's Ducati and Norton shop, along with old flat head Indians.

"Lone Star Motorcycle Museum"

Just a little northside  near Bandera,

Very clean, small collection of privately owned motorcycles! Very friendly and knowledgeable host!

Assume you have seen the movie; 
"The World's Fastest Indian" If you haven't, get a cheap used DVD on E bay.
An old man from down under takes an ancient Indian to Bonneville and sets new world record for his class.

I road BSA, here's a really old one from the museum.

I haven't been there but reviews brag on it...

Thanks..

My cousin has a photo of my uncle and Raymond Krumm's when they both bought together a pair of Indian Chiefs, 1949.
My uncle took my aunt all over Texas when newlyweds packing on his Chief.

[In the Clouds]

It was Krumm's.  But, I think it was Adrian Krumm who I met.  He was a treasure of history and so gracious to visit with me.  That was in the early '90s.  Thx for the photos. 

[In the Clouds]

It was Raymond Krumm after all.  I recognized his picture right away.  Adrian was a relative of his who had a shop in Austin.  Good memories.

Indians and Harleys were in competition in the day. Harley won the government/military contract and the rest is history. 

Talk about some crazy, aggressive riders... Woohoo!

[Sower]

6 hours ago, In the Clouds said:

Talk about some crazy, aggressive riders... Woohoo!

To see a true story of motorcycle crazy, watch the movie "The World's Fastest Indian"

Now that's crazy cool..On the Bonneville salt flats.

[Ray12614]

The Bible talks about aggressive drivers in 2 Kings 9:20  And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.

One translation call his driving like a mad man . . . . so see . . . even back then there were bad drivers . . . LOL

 

[missmuffet]

As for motorcycles some are good on the road others are not. Going really fast and going in and out of traffic. We have had quite a few motorcycle fatalities.