Ocean City bike fest...

[Gilligan]

Anyone else go? Rt. 50 headed toward the shore was jam packed with bikes. An estimated 150,000 were expected.

Saw the wrecked remains of a ricer on the side of the road just a bit west of Easton and traffic was backed up all the way to the bay bridge thanks to that accident . Didn't look good.

 

[twinoaks207]

I heard something on WTOP yesterday about 50 being closed in both directions due to an accident and a Lifeflight out. Prayers being sent.

 

[Dupontster]

What a weekend for it....OC bikeweek is getting bigger & bigger....

 

[Larry Gude]

Is there anything more ironic than 1,000's and 1,000's of 'rugged individualists' flocking together like enormous herds of sheep? And anything more predictable than some of them getting culled in the attendant stampedes?

 

[Gilligan]

Is there anything more ironic than 1,000's and 1,000's of 'rugged individualists' flocking together like enormous herds of sheep? And anything more predictable than some of them getting culled in the attendant stampedes?

"Iconic"...you meant to post "iconic"..right?






I didn't even know about it beforehand...I went to Berlin to visit an ailing (terminal) Uncle with whom I've always been very close. About the time I was getting close to the bridge I was asking myself "wtf??...I know its a perfect bike riding day, but jeez.." By the time I hit the 301 split and the Rt 13 intersections, I knew something had to be up.

Didn't find out why so many were on the road until I got to my Uncle's house.

 

[Gilligan]

I heard something on WTOP yesterday about 50 being closed in both directions due to an accident and a Lifeflight out. Prayers being sent.

Yep..that was the one. Weird thing was that the median was completely plowed up by what must have been a large truck heading west. At least 100' of black rubber marks on the pavement led in to the median from the westbound lanes. But the smashed up bike was off on the shoulder on the eastbound side.

From the limited news reporting I've found, the westbound marks might have been made by an entirely different accident earlier in the summer involving a tractor trailer. The news I found mentions only the motorcyle.

 

[Larry Gude]

"Iconic"...you meant to post "iconic"..right?

I didn't even know about it beforehand...I went to Berlin to visit an ailing (terminal) Uncle with whom I've always been very close. About the time I was getting close to the bridge I was asking myself "wtf??...I know its a perfect bike riding day, but jeez.." By the time I hit the 301 split and the Rt 13 intersections, I knew something had to be up.

Didn't find out why so many were on the road until I got to my Uncle's house.

You're a small business owner, so, by definition, you are far too stupid and independent minded to ever think being in the pack is interesting, let alone a good idea.

 

[itsbob]

Is there anything more ironic than 1,000's and 1,000's of 'rugged individualists' flocking together like enormous herds of sheep? And anything more predictable than some of them getting culled in the attendant stampedes?

100s of thousands generally on the same type bike celebrating their individualism...

Lawyers, accountants, and dentists dressing up like pirates to show the world how Badass they are... "WILD HOGS!!"

 

[Gilligan]

You're a small business owner, so, by definition, you are far too stupid and independent minded to ever think being in the pack is interesting, let alone a good idea.

Good point. My innate stupidity so often prevents me from realizing that.

 

[Gilligan]

100s of thousands generally on the same type bike celebrating their individualism...

Lawyers, accountants, and dentists dressing up like pirates to show the world how Badass they are... "WILD HOGS!!"

And engineers.

And on my dresser, no less. The one that looks like probably 100 identical dressers I saw yesterday...a thousand if you ignore the color.

But no friggin way am I ever taking the flathead on a trip that long...no matter how "unique" that might make me.

 

[itsbob]

And engineers.

And on my dresser, no less. The one that looks like probably 100 identical dressers I saw yesterday...a thousand if you ignore the color.

But no friggin way am I ever taking the flathead on a trip that long...no matter how "unique" that might make me.

Oh yeah and engineers...

Think the biggest badass would be the pee wee Herman looking dweeb that shows up on a Vespa...


But alas, times have changed.. Used to be they met to show off their bikes, the ones they built, the ones they kept running, and to show off the mods THEY did to their bikes...

Now it's all 'look at the bike I bought, and all the stuff I bought for it' they won't even change the oil.

 

[Gilligan]

Oh yeah and engineers...

Think the biggest badass would be the pee wee Herman looking dweeb that shows up on a Vespa...


But alas, times have changed.. Used to be they met to show off their bikes, the ones they built, the ones they kept running, and to show off the mods THEY did to their bikes...

Now it's all 'look at the bike I bought, and all the stuff I bought for it' they won't even change the oil.

I hear ya..but nobody will ever claim my flathead wasn't built entirely by me. Whole sections of the engine case were missing when I got the baskets full of parts.

 

[Larry Gude]

Good point. My innate stupidity so often prevents me from realizing that.

It was supposed to be a compliment actually.

 

[Larry Gude]

I hear ya..but nobody will ever claim my flathead wasn't built entirely by me. Whole sections of the engine case were missing when I got the baskets full of parts.

See, that's kewl and that's what it used to be individuals getting together on pretty unique, certainly individual bikes. Now, it's 140,000 FLHTCU's getting together to sneer at 10,000 Gold Wings for how boring and un original they are.

 

[Pushrod]

I hear ya..but nobody will ever claim my flathead wasn't built entirely by me. Whole sections of the engine case were missing when I got the baskets full of parts.

I built a 1942 WLA 45 flathead about 10 years back from a backet of parts I found on a farm down in Alabama. Most everything was there including the frame and engine and tranny, but there were a lot of small parts missing. Took me about a year to find all the parts and get it back together and on the road. Sweet sounding the first time I ever kicked it over and it rumbled to life after who know how many years. I had it painted dark purple and built it in its civilian configuration. It was a really cool bike that I regret getting rid of a few years back. I'll see if I can find a picture of it and post it.

Tell me about your build.

 

[Gilligan]

Mine is a '47 "U" Big Twin (74 ci). It was chopped sort of "Captain America" style about 20 years ago or more. A buddy of mine bought it about 10 years ago and rode it only a couple times before the engine completely grenaded itself, with the rear cylinder leaving in pieces and a section knocked out of each case half.


I bought it from him a couple years ago, completely rebuilt the engine, including the repairs to the engine case, and transformed the look to "bobbeb and chopped" with a solo seat, soft bags and a full rear fender.

 

[Pushrod]

Mine is a '47 "U" Big Twin (74 ci). It was chopped sort of "Captain America" style about 20 years ago or more. A buddy of mine bought it about 10 years ago and rode it only a couple times before the engine completely grenaded itself, with the rear cylinder leaving in pieces and a section knocked out of each case half.


I bought it from him a couple years ago, completely rebuilt the engine, including the repairs to the engine case, and transformed the look to "bobbeb and chopped" with a solo seat, soft bags and a full rear fender.

Sweet bike. My grandfather had a '36 or '38 knucklehead, I don't remember it exact year as it was long before I was born and only heard the stories. Love to get my hands on a knuck or a one like yours.

 

[Asmodeus]

Anyone else go? Rt. 50 headed toward the shore was jam packed with bikes. An estimated 150,000 were expected.

Saw the wrecked remains of a ricer on the side of the road just a bit west of Easton and traffic was backed up all the way to the bay bridge thanks to that accident . Didn't look good.

AHA! that explains it... was headed to BWI thursday and could not figure out where the hell all those bikes were 'coming from' going south on 97... duh... going to... Also explains all the trailer queens too... And they were not draggin knuckleheads (pun intended)... brand new dressers both HD & Wing... lol...

I haven't been to a bike week since Daytona in 1982... Don't remember seeing a single trailer with a bike on it going down!