Interesting True Story

[LowRyter]

It was a beautiful day in central OK.  Low 70s, not a lot of wind, a good day to go riding.

It's 2:30 in the afternoon and I am heading home by the long way when I drive by a housing addition and see a motorcyclist kicking the starter on HRD Vincent Rapide (!). 

So of course I pull over to help the guy.  He's got his riding gear on the ground, so I know it's going to tough, if not futile.  He tells me he's been there for a while.  He got it started and drove through the addition and he killed it trying to get on the city street.  It's dripping gas too.

His neighbor in brand new Corvette stops and asks and we answer several times that it's a Vincent (?).  He asks how much was wrapped up in it, and the rider does some math out loud and declares $55k-$60k.  The guy in the Corvette gives some (useless) advice and finally leaves.

We take turns kicking it.  One time it pops white smoke.  We give up and I help him push it up the hill and back towards his house.  We try to bump start it down the hill and it skids.  I tell him to try 2nd gear and turns over a couple of times but won't catch. 

After two near coronaries we get over another hill and up his driveway.  We only took two breaks to get the block and half to his house.  He tells me he had it restored in Canada and just got it delivered in December and this was his first ride.  He says he changed out the leaking petcocks and probably didn't tighten the fuel lines.  I suggested he might look the plugs to see if they are wet with gas and to verify spark.

He's got a nice Ducati Multi.  Hopefully we'll do some riding.

[johnr]

I hope you do do some riding with him. It would be interesting to know why the Vincent had a wooden start. Probably just new engine blues.

[oldbike54]

 Sounds like it might have been flooded out . John , tell me you got his phone number .

 Dusty

[Guzzistajohn]

You think you can keep up with him JL?   Sounds like he needs to join up with the OKC to Springfield to Springfield gang

[oldbike54]

You think you can keep up with him JL?   Sounds like he needs to join up with the OKC to Springfield to Springfield gang

 Heck , bring him to the Vale , betcha Carmack knows something about Vinnies 

  Dusty

[Guzzistajohn]

Heck , bring him to the Vale , betcha Carmack knows something about Vinnies 

  Dusty

You know, at least will be there will be someone there that can make some shit up!

[LowRyter]

I hope you do do some riding with him. It would be interesting to know why the Vincent had a wooden start. Probably just new engine blues.

well, I didn't expect to start it.  I know another Vincent owner (NorVin),  he's 75.  He cant kick start it anymore.  No way.

I suggested that this guy get a roller.  That way he can get it started and sorted out.  Once it's warmed up- after it's been sorted out- he MIGHT be able to kick it when it's on the road.

He was thinking of 12v conversion and electric starter.   I mentioned Egli conversion.

I knew when I saw him, those things are a $50000 bugger bear.

We'll try to get him at the OKC MILE CAMP OUT IN JUNE.

[oldbike54]

  John , do you mean the French Alton conversion ? They have proven to be problematic . Seems like there is an alternator conversion involving a Kubota Alt . I think , maybe it is Toyota 

  Dusty

[LowRyter]

Sounds like it might have been flooded out . John , tell me you got his phone number .

 Dusty

yep.  Got his number.

I thought it was REALLY flooded.  But it was dripping gas, so you can't get sure.  The white smoke was a sign.  I suggested we pull the plugs and dry it out.

[LowRyter]

You think you can keep up with him JL?   Sounds like he needs to join up with the OKC to Springfield to Springfield gang

I think you might be right.  But he'd rather trailer his bikes.  He's been to Barber.  So he's OK, just on the wrong Italian bike. 

 

Told him rather than trailer to COTA he should ride it. 

[LowRyter]

  John , do you mean the French Alton conversion ? They have proven to be problematic . Seems like there is an alternator conversion involving a Kubota Alt . I think , maybe it is Toyota 

  Dusty

I have no fricking idea how to put a starter on it.  But the Egli Vincent is a modern (mid 60s) frame and suspension.  Also, Hunter Thompson stuff.  Just like the Egli Guzzis and Bandit.

[LowRyter]

You know it was a really strange day. 

I was listening to Prairie Home Companion without Garrison Keillor today.  Anyway, the girl singer, Brandi Carlile was about to sing and I was thinking that she should sing "Red Dirt Girl (Emmylou song)" and dang if she didn't.

Then I was thinking that 90% of the universe is dark matter and somehow I got locked into it. 

Weird deja vu shit today.

what the hell, you ride down the road and see a Vincent.  Strange shit anyway you cut it.  Some days you think someone pulled the curtain back to the universe. 

I mean what are the chances?  And two in one day.  Weird man. 

[oldbike54]

Don't know how to take that but can talk about Vinneys with no sh-t

m
:-)

 John is just jealous because we have some experience with Vinnies  Getting close to CV time Mike .

  Dusty

[Muzz]

I have seen my bro's Vinnie 500 hold him up on the compression for over a minute, and I think the C.R. was just a gnats over 7:1. You definitely need the decompressor to start it. Don't know whether the twin has one or not.

[kirby1923]

John is just jealous because we have some experience with Vinnies  Getting close to CV time Mike .

  Dusty

Yes ain't it grand!!!!

[Farmer Dan]

sounds like it flooded.  Tell him to put in NEW plugs and check for a nice hot/blue spark.  Those are the two most common problems I see with Vinnies.

[wrbix]

.....and PHC without Garrison Keillor basically sucked IMHO

[Guzzistajohn]

Don't know how to take that but can talk about Vinneys with no sh-t  Cheers John!!!

m
:-)

i wasn't refering to YOU making shit up specifically. The whole group has the ability:cool:

[nick949]

His neighbor in brand new Corvette stops and asks and we answer several times that it's a Vincent (?).  He asks how much was wrapped up in it, and the rider does some math out loud and declares $55k-$60k.  The guy in the Corvette gives some (useless) advice and finally leaves.

Asshat! Figures that he'd drive a Corvette. 

Nick

[LowRyter]

Asshat! Figures that he'd drive a Corvette. 

Nick

I am glad you picked up on the point Nick.

[LowRyter]

I have seen my bro's Vinnie 500 hold him up on the compression for over a minute, and I think the C.R. was just a gnats over 7:1. You definitely need the decompressor to start it. Don't know whether the twin has one or not.

for sure it has a decompressor.  The trick is keep it open and the release it at the bottom of the kick -at least those were the instructions.  I was worn out after a few kicks.

[LowRyter]

.....and PHC without Garrison Keillor basically sucked IMHO

But you do remember "red dirt girl"?   

I wanna be sure I ain't hallucinating it.   

[kirby1923]

But you do remember "red dirt girl"?   

I wanna be sure I ain't hallucinating it.

That man always made my day!

[cruzziguzzi]

I'm going with a magneto rebuild.

The situation seems too familiar.

Todd.

[LowRyter]

He just texted me.  After he fixed the leaks and changed back to the original plugs (?), it fired on the first kick.  He rode it and tail light feel off.  Luckily he retrieved.

 

Too bad I was out riding and didn't read the text until after I got home, I would've loved to see him ride it.

Looks like a happy ending.   

BTW- I had another ESP episode of guessing what the wife brought from the store for me to BBQ (country ribs).  It just came to me when I was riding.  I guess my ESP didn't work to see the Vincent ride.

[Guzzistajohn]

Emmy who? Red dirt what?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59LdQJex8DI

[kirby1923]

When Steve beat me at the to the UPF in Santa Paula airport he came up to me in the parking lot and thanked me for running!!! the price up. I would raise $100 and he would trump  me $1,000. A couple of those and I quit.
He said you really want that UPF and I said yes. He gave me his card with his signature on the back and told me I could fly it anytime I wanted with this card. I still have it, but never used it. I was on my old airhead/6 and he told me he had a Vinny in his hangar and I was welcome to ride it.

I didn't ever see him again..pity

When he walked away he turned and said that in the bullet film "I was in the floorboards of that Mustang with Bud... cussing him" when he made the wild ride down the road in SF.
True?? that is what he said.

I had a P-51 at the time and offered a ride.. never took up the offer. quite a guy.

[LowRyter]

[Kiwi_Roy]

I have seen my bro's Vinnie 500 hold him up on the compression for over a minute, and I think the C.R. was just a gnats over 7:1. You definitely need the decompressor to start it. Don't know whether the twin has one or not.

The twin has a large decompression lever looks like a second clutch, at least the one on my Bros Rapide did.

[oldbike54]

 Damn that is pretty 

 Dusty