Timonium (Maryland) Motorcycle Show 2012

Like most anything, the Timonium Motorcycle Show is what you make of it. It's the first decent mid-Atlantic event of the year, and people and vendors come from miles around to make this one. I saw vendors from as far away as New York, Florida, and Ohio. Bike dealers show up too, and bring more bikes there than to the DC show held in January. Lots of goodies to look over.

And speaking of looking over the goodies, the fine people from Strip Club Choppers were there in case the bikes didn't quite do it for you.....

Like new...BETTER than new...1966 XLCH

(Every time I look at this picture, and right after lust kicks in, I also remember what it was like to get one of these things started. Anyone that had one of 'em had to begin getting their bike running a half hour before a run was supposed to start, just so they'd be ready to go with us. And a lot of guys [me for one] got hurt knees and ankles when they got kicked back!)

The Timonium show gets mixed reviews. Most people hate it because of parking, a sometimes-long wait in traffic just to get to the venue, and the crowds inside. Go there at the wrong time and you'll spend an hour in traffic, park a 1/4 mile away, and won't see half the stuff because people are packed in like sardines.

I don't like it for all those same reasons, but it's the first show in the area where a lot of vendors show up, and they typically sell something besides fucking sunglasses and helmet stickers. I really don't understand how those sunglass vendors make any money. Even at little events, there's always a hundred of 'em. How many pairs of sunglasses can they possibly sell? But I digress....

81

So I just got up early, drove the 70 miles north, and missed all the traffic. I parked near the door, and was inside right after opening at 10AM. I got to see everything, twice, plus I had access to vendors to ask questions. I was done in time to sit down, eat lunch, and watch the babes cruise by.

Hooray! The vendors were selling the kind of stuff bikers (this one, anyway) need. Pitbull Lifts (Tennessee) was there again, and another outift with a lot of great parts for trailers, towing, tie-downs, etc. There was yet another with a great selection of loading ramps, and one more selling some nice trailers. Great prices on leather jackets and chaps at the Hot Leathers booth, too, but I resisted for a change.

Barely. If that little gal would have smiled one more time, and gave me one more peek down her shirt, I'd have another leather jacket in my closet.

The great thing for me this year was that I really didn't need anything. Last year I was buying a bike lift (got a Pitbull) and a few others things for my shop. I was hoping to see a couple full size lifts....like a Handy Lift with a ramp, worktable, etc......but that's one thing that was missing. Good thing, or I mighta spent some bucks. With the Porsche gone, I now have room for a little more equipment in the garage.

And after lunch, I carefully and slowly checked out the Strip Club Choppers area, just to make sure things weren't getting out of hand. I made a couple passes....didn't want to miss anything! And yeah, took another look at bikes....After all, it WAS a bike show.

Sweet 72 Shovel, Complete with oil leak.....I loved this bike, and even more since it leaked oil. Authenticity!

And more....

Bike Builder Ron Finch, was there along with Michelle Smith (hot!, but for the life of me, I can't remember what she was famous for....), plus and Emilio Rivera from Sons of Anarchy!

Ron Finch

Michelle Smith....Not hard to look at, is she?

There's a bonus to the Timonium show, which I actually missed in the past. Up on the hill, in an entirely separate building, there's a Swap Meet going on, and even more bikes are on display. I saw a ton of cool bobbers in there, plus some nifty parts for sale...new and vintage. There were far less people in that building, and no need to muscle your way through.

I was there by 10:15, and headed back out the door by 2PM, and completely enjoyed it. I got some great ideas for bobbers, ordered an awesome custom leather belt from Tom Accordino at http://www.jekylshydes.com/, and left there with my wallet only a little emptier!

The belt!

Good time, if you time it right, and what the Hell else are you going to do on a cold February day between football season and NASCAR? Check it out sometime.

Cowboy

A Long Weekend in my Home-Away-From-Home, Daytona Beach

True to form, my plans for Daytona were made on the spur of the moment. I was feeling sorry for myself one afternoon because I hadn't made it to Florida during most of 2011, so I surfed travel sites on the 'net a bit and stumbled across a low-cost plane ticket on the net. On the heels of that, I found an equally great deal on a beachside condo. A sign from above, and not one to be ignored!

I was going alone so I figured I'd also have time to check out some business-related stuff too. And then, outa nowhere, I had unexpected company for the trip so I dialed back the business plans. And then, just as suddenly, things changed and I didn't. And people wonder why I hate to make plans.....

But why let a spare condo bedroom stay empty, right? A quick call to my daughter, Marianne, ended up in a last-minute father/daughter event that was made even more fun with Mar's friend, Marina! These gals are veteran party-animals, biker-oriented, with skills honed at Cancun Cantina and Reckless Rics, a couple infamous biker-friendly spots in Maryland. Check 'em out! No, not the girls...the bars!

Marina and Marianne

So the girls drove and I flew, for once taking the easy way south. I thought about hauling a bike down, but with the short stay, it just didn't seem worth it. I figured if the itch got too bad, I'd rent a bike for a day. I also still have vivid memories of the 2 weeks I spent last year getting all the salt and sand off the bikes after coming back north hauling 'em on that open Kendon trailer. 

If none of that makes sense to you, you probably live in a warm place. Up north, they spread liberal quantities of salt and sand on the roads to melt ice and snow, give cars a little traction, and make roads passable. Add rain to that mix, and it sticks like glue in places a q-tip can't get to, and it sure makes a mess on vehicles.

But I digress (whatever that means)....

We all had plans to meet and check into the hotel, but the girls ran late (no kidding, right?) so I took advantage of the extra time to grab something to eat. Turns out Catrina was still waiting tables at Hooters and remembered me from last year!!! I'd like to think it was my charming personality and devastating good looks, but it might just have been the tips I left. I decided not to think too much about that......

After eating and catching up on the past year's events, etc, with Catrina, I rolled out to the hotel. The condo I rented was at Daytona Regency, and what a great place. A HUGE 2 bedroom apartment larger than the place I live in. And the staff were great too. Very biker-friendly and eager to help. Be advised that you will most definitely NOT get a tall truck in the garage, and a trailer is out of the question. The tight turns into the garage would be impossible, in addition to the low ceiling. But with a car, little SUV, or a bike, you'd be set. I doubt if my H3 would have made it in.

Time passes.....

We all meet and get ready for the first night out. There's no real choice about "where" for me. I've been wanting to go back to Boot Hill Saloon ever since I walked out the last time. Boot Hill is one of the very few places I've found where I can walk in and within minutes I'm in a conversation with someone who's damn near just like me. Now that might even be scary, but it does't happen much around Washington, DC. In fact, and now that I think about it, Boot Hill reminds me of Daniel's Restaurant in Elkridge, Maryland, 'cept Boot Hill's in a hell of lot warmer place.

Boot Hill had a kick-ass band called Big Engine, and while I really don't zero in on bands, this one was just terrific. Played some real rock n roll that we all grew up on...Skynyrd, Def Leopard, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and up through the 80's, 90's and now. Great covers of great songs. Even the old folks were bouncing around at the booths, rocking out to Honky Tonk Woman!

Next day, I was off to Destination Daytona to check on bike rentals, and was disappointed to find out the HOG rental program wasn't available there. Eaglerider was though, but the prices seemed steep. About $150 per day for a bike, plus another $24 for a damage waiver. That's a Joker payment for me, so I took a pass. I found out the regular HOG rental location was available at Seminole HD, which wasn't exactly convenient, so I just browsed around and looked at all the goodies. Destination Daytona must have one of everything Harley makes, and a few things (see the pic below) that Harley doesn't make.

Nice

So as I'm rolling out, I look in the distance and see...to my surprise....J&P Cycles, that HUGE aftermarket bike parts supplier. I rolled over there and checked out the goods. Loads of quality hardware at decent prices, and the sales staff was more than willing to answer questions, take stuff apart, recommend stuff, etc. I told them I'd just ordered a Saddlemen's BR1800 Sissy Bar Bag, so they dug one up, gave me the inside scoop on mounting, etc, and told me to call them if I had questions. AND I DIDN'T BUY IT FROM THEM! That's above and beyond helpful.

I then put the fun on temporary hold and went into business mode. After retirement, not too long from now, I've got plans on starting a little motorcycle business, and what better place to locate it than Daytona. There are shops and builders everywhere, any or all of whom could maybe use a convenient, local machine shop that can build those special one-off components. I'm also an engineer, so I can help with design too, so maybe that business is a way to make a little spending money. I don't want to work hard or often, so the plan is to keep things low-key, leaving plenty time for riding and travel.

I started looking for real estate....Locations for a home and shop. I had pulled a bunch of places off the net before heading down, and my afternoon was spent checking them out. Suffice it to say there's a TON of stuff available, and I found several places that would do just fine. I even found one that looked like it could also be party-central for all my friends up north who might pass through, and that house is still on the books, though it's a little far from the beach to suit me. I'll have to think about it.

One thing's for sure, though. In a couple years, I'll be there...not in Virginia. You can bet on that.

With business out of the way, it was back to the fun! I treated myself to an "insider, all-access" tour of Daytona Speedway, which was worth every penny. I was inside, on top, under, etc. You name it. Lots of fun!!!

I worked up an appetite on that tour, which was a perfect excuse to go back and visit Catrina at Hooters, and I also wanted to get her opinion on some of the neighborhoods that I'd looked at for houses. I ate too much, talked too much, and learned practically nothing about real estate locations. In fact, I think I forgot to ask about it at all, but I guess I got distracted. You know how that goes, right?

And then there was that moment of truth! I'd been staying within steps of the beach and hadn't set foot on it the entire trip. Off I went, but without a bathing suit, figuring cowboy boots would be OK just this once, but hoping no one saw me! I got away with it!

I reckon that about wraps it up. Lots of fun, and a chance to hang out with the girls. I'm very sure the folks in Wing House will never, ever forget the three people at the outdoor bar who watched the Ravens/Patriots game. And then there was that crazy blonde, Sandra, trying to sell me time shares throughout the game. Only in Daytona. LOL 

I'll be back.

Cowboy

New Milestone, 25,000 Hits on Southern Comfort

Just wanted to acknowledge that while I was in Daytona last weekend, Southern Comfort logged its 25,000th visit!! To me, that's number is absolutely remarkable. Most of SC's audience is in the US, but the readership is truly worldwide.

The East Coast Sturgis posts retain top billing, but as you can see from the right rail of the blog, the Joker upgrade posts are clearly a high-interest item, with hundreds and hundreds of hits coming from HD Forums about the parts I've written about. Lots of people are using the how-to on speedo relocation, along with the other mods to the Joker. 

Many more read the articles about bike lifts...What works and what doesn't. I've sold at least 2 Pitbull lifts, and I'm not a dealer! I don't sell ANYTHING! An equal number of folks read about my experiences buying a Kendon trailer, and even more are interesting how I load one.

Lots more hits originate from DK Customs, with riders checking out the foot peg installation and review. Or maybe they're just trying to get Dawn's phone number, but I ain't givin' it up.

And on and on.... thanks everyone! I get some flattering notes, suggestions, and "Howdies!" too, which are the best part.

Coming soon to SC: a little something about a long weekend in Daytona. After that, I'll do a review about a new piece of bike luggage, a Saddlemen's Sissy Bar Bag. And somewhere in between, I might whine a little about making a decision between Daytona Bike Week 2012 and Sturgis Bike Rally, 2012. That ain't an easy decision.

Cowboy

1/25/2012

Ho, Ho, Ho!

Merry Christmas, everyone. I hope everyone gets their Christmas wishes, and that Santa Claus treats you as well as he's (so far!) treating me. I've got my health, my family, and the best friends a man can ask for. And a couple Harleys. :-) That said, if one more shows up under the tree, I won't send it back.

Funny, a few years back, while doing some last-minute Xmas Eve shopping, I stopped in a Hummer dealer just to see what those new H3s looked like. In the showroom was a new bright red H3 with a huge red bow on it. Two hours later, they opened up those showroom doors and I drove it away! So this morning, I stopped in Patriot Harley Davidson, and right inside the doors was a kick-ass Harley Limited. Ruby was just about to put a big bow on it. Yikes! I begged her to wait until I got out of there before putting it on. Not sure I could resist!!!!

It was good to see all my great friends at Patriot HD this morning. Bobby, Mark, Ruby, Jeff1, Jeff2, Keith, Tim, Alison, Marika, Kris, Danny, Vicki, George, Leah, and so on. If I missed you, I'm sorry, but Merry Christmas to everyone! Patriot HD is a terrific HD dealer....stop in and tell 'em Cowboy sent ya.

And now.....

I'm outa here. Stopping to share an early Christmas with my kids and grandkids, and then hitting the road. Maybe Harrisonburg tonight, Nashville tomorrow, and maybe a stop to see Dawn and Kevin at DK Customs near Memphis. After that, I'll make it to Fort Worth, Texas, to see the Girls of Azle and do a little work on the house. DAMN little. It's vacation, right?

Stay tuned....Might have a little fun on the way, and I'll keep the blog updated if I do. Hell, I might just lie about it and make up some stuff....

Happy Holidays!
Cowboy

T-Bags Motorcycle Gear - Follow up

T-Bags Top Roll on the Joker.....Debi too!

Sometimes I just gotta pass out the Gold Stars, and this is one of those times. Back in early 2010 when I was putting together gear to go on the road, my neighbor John mentioned that I should look at T-Bags for luggage requirements, and so I did. If for no other reason, John's a Marine officer, and those guys should never be ignored....never.

So I shopped around, finding out there were a lot of cheaper alternatives, but nothing really looked like it matched the quality, and since I was going on the road for a long time and a lot of miles, I didn't want any junk. And yeah, I didn't want to face John if a bargain bag I found ejected all my stuff on some dark Louisiana back road.

So I ended up buying T-Bags Super T with a top roll. I was totally impressed when it arrived. Obviously very high quality....no floppy canvas/fake leather like some I saw and it seemed like it would do the job. Again, not cheap, but I needed it to hold up.

And off I went from Alexandria, Virginia to who knows where....... 

3,139 miles later, through a lot of heat, drenching rain, and repeated loading and unloading, the Super T held up, and was easily one of the best pieces of equipment I could have bought for the ride. First class construction, it held up to the abuse, and kept my stuff dry. And I didn't lose any socks in Louisiana unless you count when I had to leave that little town in a hurry......But that's another story.

 

Loaded to the max....

Got some stickers on it from one of my stops!

There actually was one hiccup. After turning back from New Orleans, following the shore of the gulf, I stopped in Pensacola for a break. While stretching my legs, I noticed that one of the zippers on the backpack had pulled loose. I guess it was because I was stretching it to the limit while repeatedly pulling it over the sissy bar pad when I loaded up each day. I bungied things together temporarily, and later paid a shoe repair place to replace the zipper, but it broke again as soon as I stretched it back over the bar. 

So I gave up on trying to fix the zipper, assuming it would just pull out again. I needed to keep things tight, so I thought about lacing it up like a shoe. That sounded good, but poking holes in the material proved to be damn near impossible. I tried heating up the end of a 1/4" bolt, and it worked! I melted holes every inch or so on both sides, top to bottom. Then laced the pieces together with black rawhide I got from a craft store, using a piece of dowel I found to tie off the end. Worked like a charm and looked pretty cool too!

Of course, this little repair project kept me out of the bars, and out of trouble, for the night..... Damn!

Lace job! 

And no negative comments about the T-Bag zippers, by the way, at least not from me. I'm not complaining. I'm very sure these zippers weren't designed to be pulled and stressed the way I was using 'em, and I didn't finally break mine until about 2,000 miles into the trip. These got stretched and pulled once a day, every day, for a couple weeks before they came loose. Everything else held up like a champ!

Time passes.....

It turns out that the T-Bags Top Roll has gotten a lot more miles on it that the bigger backpack piece, and the roll bag alone was probably worth the price. I've sure gotten a lotta use out of it. It's almost always on one of my bikes, and holds just enough for a day ride or an overnighter, assuming the Girls of Azle aren't with you. And it's constantly being switched between bikes. I'd be lost without it, and it keeps from having to put those detachable saddlebags on. I just can't get used to saddlebags. Too may years on choppers, I reckon.

In Shenandoah, Virginia....

...and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania!

But all that ain't what this post was really about. I'm writing to give Shelly at T-Bags Customer Service a shout-out for outstanding customer service. See, the other day, when I was remounting the roll bag for the eleventy-third time, one of the snaps cracked. Yikes! I gotta have my bag. I'll bet those snaps have been snapped and unsnapped a million f'n times. High mileage on those puppies.

Snapped snap

Fortunately the other half of it held just fine, but the next day I decided to take a chance. I sent an email to T-Bags Customer service address and got an almost instant response from Shelly who offered free replacements if I gave her the part numbers. One more email later and SHAZAM, spare parts, including a couple extras, were in my mailbox, and Shelly gets rave reviews for being prompt, helpful, and taking good care of her customers. Reminds me of Dawn at DK Customs! Sisters? Cousins?

  Lots of spares, and FREE!

So thanks to T-Bags for making an awesome set of luggage that has been on lots and lots of rides, and to Shelly for doing a great job taking care of a customer. And thanks to my neighbor John for the tip about T-Bags, and for his service in the USMC!!!!

While I'm at it, those thanks also extend to Chuck, USMC retired; Daniele, US Army; and Brian, USMC. They're all in the Gettysburg photo. And if I missed anyone that serves our country, thanks to you too!

Beats buying from some copycat outfit in Asia that sells their crap on eBay and won't support it. Think about that when you're shopping......I do.

Cowboy

Newbie Rules...Looking for more!

As the saying goes, $15,000 and 15 miles doesn't make you a biker. True dat. We all know the rules of conduct around bikers are far different that those in downtown Washington, DC, or at least Northwest DC, so I thought it would be fun to build a list of things to do, or even more important, things not to do at a first run or Biker event.


(Reposted.....The original was buried in an event post)


For starters:


Rule One: The Girls from Azle decided that you shouldn't say you "drove" your bike to Sturgis. One such utterance and you'll probably be chased out of town and your motorcycle confiscated. School buses and cars are driven, but motorcycles are ridden. So remember, you RODE your motorcycle to Sturgis. Get that right.


...and from the original post:


Rule Two: NEVER sit on someone else's motorcycle without the owners' permission. And don't scratch it or smudge it. In short, don't do anything to someone's bike or you might regret it.


Rule Three: If you see a hot girl appearing to be alone, the odds are 99-to-1 that she's actually not alone, didn't come alone, and the biggest, meanest motherfucker you ever saw is just out of eyesight. Masturbation is a far better option than an evening spent in the ER. Or put another way, be on the safe side and take your own. Fucking with someone's Old Lady is damn near as bad as sitting on their bike.


Rule Four: Don't fuck with people. Bikers tend to settle differences in far more physical ways than a quiet discussion over coffee in a downtown cafe.


Rule Five: Get the first four rules memorized and follow them.


OK, maybe I'm just bored, but I figured I'd put this out there one more time to see what y'all can come with for Nifty Rules and Tips for New Riders, or things to do, or not to do, when attending your first Biker event! Let's hear it! Whatcha got?


Cowboy

Time of the Season

I guess credit for this stolen photo goes to Roland Sands Design.....If not, lemme know.

Damn...As I'm writing this, it's the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, it's just after 5, and it's fucking dark. Not just dusky, but dark. Already. And raining too. And though it hasn't been a bad day, I still ain't having one like the guy in the picture....I like that damn picture.

But this ain't about pictures or art, or even early darkness. I'm not even real sure what this post will be about, but I need to keep Southern Comfort recharged during the off-months when there isn't much going on. It's the time of the season when people are getting those last rides in before the bikes are put away.

And also the time when we get together and tell war stories about all the events we attended in 2011! Hell, we may even lie a little, but with our crew, lying's hard since we travel together. Someone is always sober enough to remember everything, and there's always a camera ready to snap a picture at the worst possible moment. And yeah, just about every time you fart, someone updates their Facebook status accordingly. Nothing happens that doesn't show up on Facebook sooner or later.

For me, family obligations took priority over most of my Summer and Fall plans this year, and while I have no regrets whatsoever, I'm damn sure gonna make up for it in 2012. I already have reservations for Daytona Bike Week and Sturgis, SD. I already wrote the checks. Non refundable. I'm going.

In the news......

First of all, at about 10PM last night, Southern Comfort was viewed for the 20,000th time. Twenty-fucking-thousand times someone tracked this blog down for one reason or another. Income from the Blog has reached the staggering grand total of $10.69, which just might buy me lunch someday. US readers top the list, followed at a distance by the Canada, Germany, the UK, and even Russia's on the list at #6. Ride safe over there...Must be f'n cold!

Lately, the DK Customs review was the hot item, closely followed by the Joker Machine upgrade posts, which also include words about DK Customs hardware. And the Kendon Trailer and Pitbull Lift articles also made a comeback.

• DK Customs Article
• Joker Mods 2
• Joker Mods 3
• Kendon Loading/Unloading
• Motorcycle Lifts / Pitbull Lift

In other news....

I sniffed around, again, the other day at a full-dress bike Patriot HD had....a Limited. I got as close to a deal as I ever had in the past, but still couldn't bring myself to sign the papers. Still not sure how much I'd ride it, but that sure looks like the way to go to Sturgis from Virginia...instead of the Softail Custom.

I did, very briefly, entertain the thought of letting the Softail Custom go, but a ride on it later that day convinced me I'll keep that FXSTC forever. Stay tuned as I wrestle with this decision to get bike #3.

I hit a good day two weekends ago and took off for Kent Island on Maryland's Eastern Shore. What a great place, and a fantastic day-ride destination. Crab cakes at Harris' Crab House is an absolute must, and after that there's Red Eye's Dock Bar right next door, a very popular biker/powerboat bar. Coincidentally, they serve cold beverages...What a surprise! We might even end up there this Saturday, and if so, pix to follow. Might even get some of those infamous Potty Pix by Denise! (I'll bet THAT got your attention!)

Kent Narrows, near Grasonville, MD

Maryland Crab Cake

And no. No matter where else you had one, it wasn't this good.

I also snuck off to Dallas to watch the Cowboys kick Buffalo's ass.....great time, with gratitude to "The Girls of Azle" for their hospitality! Hey, no bikes involved, but a good time anyway. Wait! I did hit Texas Harley Davidson to do a t-shirt run, so it wasn't a total loss!!!

Go Dallas

Past all that, I'm just chillin.....Taking it easy, buying bike parts and tools on eBay to set up my shop, when and if I ever get around to it. I'll try to update the blog now and then this fall and winter, just to keep the dust off the keyboard and the cobwebs out of the brain cells....... It's that time of the season.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Ride Safe

Cowboy

SC's First, & Maybe Only, Fashion Article.....

True Story Department:

Cowboy, to Korean guy at the cleaners: Please patch up the holes in these 3 pairs of jeans. Yes, they're same jeans you fixed last time.

Korean Guy: Jeans are very old, Ken [Cowboy].

Cowboy: Yes, but I like 'em.

Korean Guy: Ken, you have Hummer, Harley and Porsche. You can afford new pants! They'd be better and maybe cheaper than fix!

Cowboy: Fix em, OK? I'll throw them away after this fix.

Korean Guy, shaking his head and walking away: Your money, Ken. Have a good day....

And that's it....My guy is still shaking his head, wondering why anyone would save some ragged-ass jeans, and waste the money to have them repaired over and over. I, on the other hand, won't even ride in new jeans! If I ever get a bagger, maybe that'll change........


Cowboy

RIP Millie Brown

Millie Brown

I heard just this morning that an old and dear friend passed away, and Millie Brown, may you rest in peace. I regret to say that I don't have a single photo* of Millie that I've been able to put my hands on, which in many ways I find strange.

Millie, you see, was right there when Hell's Creations MC was starting up, back in the late 60's-early 70's. Millie was one of the (much) younger girls that would show up at our clubhouse, and for the low, low price of a pat on the ass, was welcomed to the party which was always going on. No one.....no one I can remember anyway.... was really sure who Millie was actually dating, but she was always there!

I remember that smiling face clearly, and Millie was such a cool lady to have around. There was never a dull moment in the club, and certainly not with Millie around.

Time passes.....

I drifted away from the crowd in later years, and Millie did as well, each of us going our separate ways. I last saw Millie at Crazy Steve's funeral about 3 years ago (Has it really been that long?).

Now there's another funeral....hers. Millie will be missed. She's survived by her daughter Melissa.

RIP Millie Brown.....

* A footnote or two: Since I couldn't find a photo of Millie, I included one of a few of the old HCMC crew, taken near Glen Burnie, Maryland in 1968. She's not in the photo (neither am I...I took it!), but I'll bet she's in the background someplace, laughing and having fun. Secondly, I broke a Southern Comfort "rule" in this post, using Millie's last name, something I rarely do. I figured it might help others remember her as fondly as I do.

** Thankfully a family member posted a group photo this afternoon, and I edited the original to get this shot of Millie...

Nightster Pt V, Canyon Carvers Upgrade

After relocating the speedometer and some other odds and ends on the Joker, I began snooping around for a few easy bolt-on upgrades that fit the rowdy, bar-hopper theme of the bike. I also didn't want to change anything that would fuck me up when I wanted to run the Dragon, and there just didn't seem to be a lot of things left I could do without major effort.

I was thinking about changing the bars, but for running the Dragon, I don't think I want to run apes, or even mini apes. Maybe that works for you, but I like the handling with the flat-track style bars. And I still want a little suspension, so struts and fork mods were out too. I don't just putt along on the Dragon, I run it pretty hard.

I've learned that looking cool doesn't always translate into riding cool, and finding something that fills both reqiurements isn't always easy. Mods to a bike depend entirely on your riding style for your particular scoot. Which brings me back to finding something sorta cool that's also functional.

Well how about FOOTPEGS! 

I never really thought much about footpegs, but I gotta tell you this:  Running that damn Joker bike (it's basically a 2008 Nightster) for any distance makes me want to have a little something that allows me to move my feet around, and the stock pegs just don't offer many options. And because I'm keeping those stock handlebars, I also want to keep the mid-mounted peg location. It works for me. 

So I went back into manufacturers' catalogs, eventually taking a hard look at what DK Customs offered. Their coil relocation kit was a nice piece of hardware, looked great, and the price was right, so they were on the top of the list for another look.

Shazam! DK had all kinds of neat foot pegs, some resembling a damn BEAR TRAP! They might even BE a modified trap!

Each DK model seemed to offer something a little different, so I picked up the phone. A chat with Kevin (He's the "K" in DK) helped me zero in on their Canyon Carvers! I always think it's great to be able to call a company and actually talk to someone who knows what the hell they're talking about. Better yet, someone that understands riding. Kevin's that kind of guy.

Canyon Carvers, Kevin noted, have a smaller footprint than the others, and would give me a little more lean angle before the sparks start flying. I also checked out their blacked-out Stealth Trap pegs, and I still think they'd have been a good choice, but the smaller footprint of the Canyon Carvers was the deciding factor.

I had my concerns about changing foot pegs though, which I should mention. There just ain't a hell of a lot of room, front to rear, between the pegs and either the shifter or brake on my bike, and I was concerned that the wider pegs would interfere with braking or shifting, neither of which is a good thing. In the pics above, maybe you can see what I mean. But what the hell. I figured if put 'em on and they didn't work out, I'd beg Kevin (or maybe Dawn!) to take 'em back. 

Or maybe I could just call DK and talk to Dawn, but wait, there I go again!......Focus Cowboy, focus......

The Canyon Carvers arrived practically overnight, which was cool, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out DK even included new snap rings with the pegs, which is a nice little bonus. Those damn snap rings bend up every time I remove 'em, so having a set of new ones right there was pretty cool. A+ for DK on that little detail.

The quality was evident right out of the box. A black, trap-looking outer ring, bolted to a chrome center section with countersink-head socket screws. Nice looking construction, and not tinny or cheap. They definitely look like a heavy duty BMX bicycle pedal, which I think makes them cool. They've got some serious grippers, and my boots won't be sliding off at the wrong moment!

Installation is a breeze, but I put the bike on a lift anyway to do some cleaning while I was at it. Just pop off the old clip, pull out the clevis pin, and remove the old pegs. On each side, there's a stamped spring that takes up the slack between the old peg and the slot, so don't let that get lost. Just line up the new peg, slide it in along with that spring, and replace the clevis pin, securing it with that new c-clip.

the flat spring

There's even a couple possible adjustments. You can use a socket to loosen and remove the locknut on the shaft. Then adjust the inside nut to: 1) let the peg rotate freely, 2) add a little resistance, or 3) lock it in place. Totally up to you. I left mine loose until I was sure there weren't going to be an shifting and braking issues. Don't forget to reinstall the lock nut when you finish adjusting.

There's also a little set screw that allows you to adjust the drop of the peg. I guess the technical term would be horizontal alignment. Back the screw out and the peg raises up. Turn it in and they droop. Want droopy foot pegs? This is your big chance!!!!

I got mine set where I wanted 'em, counted the number of exposed threads of the set screws, and then removed them. I then added some blue Loctite and reinstalled to my previous setting. Not sure I really needed to do that extra removal step, but I definitely needed to add the Loctite. The tapped threads in one of my pegs were sorta loose, so a little crunch on the set screw threads with pliers added a bit more resistance. I didn't wanna lose it and have a droopy peg! Hell, I'd be lopsided!

This pic, with the old peg on top of new, shows the difference in size, and how much the new pegs stick out, which also moves your feet out a little further. You'll feel that difference as soon as you start riding.

Cool looking!

The pegs look great. A test ride quickly let me know there was a difference, though. My feet were out a little further on both sides so I had to slightly turn my foot in to shift. Not a big deal and after a few lights, I forgot about it. Same with the rear brake.

There was also an immediate feeling that there was something more substantial under my boots. More like a platform than a round surface, and though I haven't taken any long rides yet, I'll bet this will make a difference. I'm going to experiment with position and the lock the pegs down to see how that works out. Seems that might even be more comfortable. Or not. We'll see.

Overall, this was a great addition and couldn't have been simpler. The pegs are (like DK's coil relocating bracket) very high quality, and I don't expect any issues with them, and yeah, the price is right. Like 80 bucks a pair! Go for it. DK has another winner.

Cowboy

PS If you call DK and happen to get Dawn on the phone, be sure to tell her Cowboy said Hi!

PPS Here are the links to all 6 Nightster/Joker posts in order, 1-6:

http://cowboyken.blogspot.com/2011/05/nightster-projectbeginnings.html

http://cowboyken.blogspot.com/2011/05/nightster-part-ii-coil-and-parking.html

http://cowboyken.blogspot.com/2011/06/nightster-part-iii-speedometer.html

http://cowboyken.blogspot.com/2011/08/joker-machine-air-cleaner-installation.html

http://cowboyken.blogspot.com/2011/10/canyon-carvers-real-story-aka-joker.html

http://cowboyken.blogspot.com/2013/12/good-times-and-good-memories.html