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#41
General Discussion / Re: From the Library
Last post by Biggles - Mar 14, 2026, 11:41 AMThe roar in "Roaring Twenties" was the sound of an overheated stock market, not motorcycles. However, it was a great decade for hundreds of now-vanished manufacturers.
George Brough was a motorcycle maker who really captured the spirit of the times. His Brough Superior models were "the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles" and that wasn't an empty boast – the bikes were so well made that when Charles Rolls and William Royce examined one of them, they gave Brough permission to use their names in his advertising.
Most Brough Superiors were sold with engines outsourced from James A. Prestwich. Those "JAP" motors were supplied to many other builders, but Brough's came in special tunings that allowed him to guarantee that his SS100 model would really go 100 miles an hour. Each of Brough's machines was specially fitted to its owner, like a custom suit. They were fast, comfortable and built to last, so it's not surprising they remain sought after to this day.
Bathroom Book Of Motorcycle Trivia Mark Gardiner Day 3 (day numbers up to 365, not page numbers in this book)
George Brough was a motorcycle maker who really captured the spirit of the times. His Brough Superior models were "the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles" and that wasn't an empty boast – the bikes were so well made that when Charles Rolls and William Royce examined one of them, they gave Brough permission to use their names in his advertising.
Most Brough Superiors were sold with engines outsourced from James A. Prestwich. Those "JAP" motors were supplied to many other builders, but Brough's came in special tunings that allowed him to guarantee that his SS100 model would really go 100 miles an hour. Each of Brough's machines was specially fitted to its owner, like a custom suit. They were fast, comfortable and built to last, so it's not surprising they remain sought after to this day.
Bathroom Book Of Motorcycle Trivia Mark Gardiner Day 3 (day numbers up to 365, not page numbers in this book)
#42
General Discussion / Re: From the Library
Last post by Biggles - Mar 13, 2026, 01:00 AMWe finally got around Mount Tobias and passed by a little town nearing the lake. According to the map, the next town south would be Wofford Heights. We continued to ride, until the road ended at Highway 178. No Wofford Heights. We knew we were in the right place, but all we had seen was a big lake, no town. We retraced our route back to the northern end of the lake and took the turn into the little town we had passed earlier. Our butts were killing us, we had to get off, and I couldn't wait to ask directions.
The lady clerk in the convenience store watched us get off the Wing and come inside. You could tell that she had already labelled us as "the bikers from Hell". We all got something to drink. The clerk watched our every move. I said, "Ma'am, we were trying to find Wofford Heights. Could you help us?" She gave me a strange look and said, "It isn't there anymore. They moved it. It's all flooded and under the lake now." I asked, "Where did they move it to?" She said, "Up here." I'd had enough. "Is there a motel and restaurant close by?" The clerk just pointed up the road to the east. We left the store and headed up the road to the east.
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p224
The lady clerk in the convenience store watched us get off the Wing and come inside. You could tell that she had already labelled us as "the bikers from Hell". We all got something to drink. The clerk watched our every move. I said, "Ma'am, we were trying to find Wofford Heights. Could you help us?" She gave me a strange look and said, "It isn't there anymore. They moved it. It's all flooded and under the lake now." I asked, "Where did they move it to?" She said, "Up here." I'd had enough. "Is there a motel and restaurant close by?" The clerk just pointed up the road to the east. We left the store and headed up the road to the east.
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p224
#43
General Discussion / Re: From the Library
Last post by Biggles - Mar 12, 2026, 01:40 AMI noticed as the day wore on, the Wing had been handling funny. I didn't figure it out until I was doing my post-ride checks. The temperature extremes we had experienced in Omaha had greatly affected our tire pressures. The tires had been okay when we stopped in Omaha, but the Wing sat there for the entire weekend, with temperatures in the upper twenties [F]. I didn't check the pressures before we left. Now, when I checked, both tires were low. The low pressure in the front tire had been affecting the handling, at both high and low speeds. I made a mental note to be more attuned to temperature change. I had done so in the mountains because I knew both altitude and temperature would have a big effect. I just didn't realize it would have such a big effect at lower altitudes.
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p189-90
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p189-90
#44
General Discussion / Re: From the Library
Last post by Biggles - Mar 11, 2026, 01:10 AMWe left Swift Current just after sunrise. The traffic was nonexistent; our only road companions were a couple of long-range truckers. We listened to their conversation on the CB.
Unlike a lot of trucker conversations we have heard in the lower forty-eight, which normally always centre on low pay and lack of female companionship, these guys had an in-depth discussion on Canadian economics that was only once punctuated with profanity.
We were paying close attention to what the truckers were saying and the next thing we knew, we were airborne. The road surface had separated and we had just flown off a good eighteen-inch shelf in the road. The trucks were about 600 feet behind us and both started screaming about the big bump. We hit hard enough to bottom out the suspension. We were doing sixty-five miles per hour at the time. For a split second, we thought we would lose control. We just sat real still and I tried not to make any steering inputs for that split second. The Wing settled out nicely. From listening to the truckers, the weather may have caused that section of the road to sink. Had this happened to us going the other direction, we would have been killed and so would the truckers. Absolutely amazing. The truckers stayed with us all the way to Moose Jaw.
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p95
Unlike a lot of trucker conversations we have heard in the lower forty-eight, which normally always centre on low pay and lack of female companionship, these guys had an in-depth discussion on Canadian economics that was only once punctuated with profanity.
We were paying close attention to what the truckers were saying and the next thing we knew, we were airborne. The road surface had separated and we had just flown off a good eighteen-inch shelf in the road. The trucks were about 600 feet behind us and both started screaming about the big bump. We hit hard enough to bottom out the suspension. We were doing sixty-five miles per hour at the time. For a split second, we thought we would lose control. We just sat real still and I tried not to make any steering inputs for that split second. The Wing settled out nicely. From listening to the truckers, the weather may have caused that section of the road to sink. Had this happened to us going the other direction, we would have been killed and so would the truckers. Absolutely amazing. The truckers stayed with us all the way to Moose Jaw.
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p95
#45
General Discussion / Re: From the Library
Last post by Biggles - Mar 10, 2026, 02:09 AMIt was taking all strength I had to keep the Wing from collapsing any further. I remembered a technique from motorcycle school, to help get a bike up if you were not strong enough or were unable to lift it on the two wheels. The technique called for starting the bike, putting it in gear, making sure the rear wheel was on the ground, letting out the clutch, and adding a little throttle, while simultaneously pushing the bike up. By doing this, the bike should pull its own self up. Of course this was on level ground, not pinned against the pump island on wet asphalt, on top of a damned mountain. In sheer desperation, I decided to try. I had put the Wing in neutral before I got off, which my first mistake on a hill. I got the key on, hit the starter, and the engine fired right up. I managed to slide my left foot to a position that I could just get a toe on the gear shifter, and clunked it into first gear. I took a deep breath and added throttle, letting the clutch out.
The Wing jumped. I rocked off my butt at the same time and sure enough, the Wing came right up. The Wing and I came up so fast I almost went over the seat. I hadn't let off the throttle quick enough, so I just grabbed the clutch. The engine raced, the Wing started rolling down the hill, and I did a couple of ungraceful hops running alongside. I jumped to throw my leg over the Wing, like they used to do in the old-time cowboy movies. By the time I got to the bottom of the hill, I had the Wing and myself under control.
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p69
The Wing jumped. I rocked off my butt at the same time and sure enough, the Wing came right up. The Wing and I came up so fast I almost went over the seat. I hadn't let off the throttle quick enough, so I just grabbed the clutch. The engine raced, the Wing started rolling down the hill, and I did a couple of ungraceful hops running alongside. I jumped to throw my leg over the Wing, like they used to do in the old-time cowboy movies. By the time I got to the bottom of the hill, I had the Wing and myself under control.
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p69
#46
General Discussion / Re: From the Library
Last post by Biggles - Mar 09, 2026, 03:15 AMJust as I put the nozzle in the holder, I heard a scraping noise behind me. I turned around and saw the Wing slowly moving forward down the hill. The side stand was scraping on the asphalt. As the Wing moved forward, the side stand was slowly collapsing to the rear, which allowed the Wing to fall to the left. I stepped down off the fuel pump island just in time to halt the forward motion, but not the fall to the left. It was a slow motion fall, only I'm between the Wing and the pump island.
The Wing was coming down and pinning me on the island. I fought as hard as I could to keep the Wing from coming down hard enough to hurt anything. At the last second, I managed to move my legs to keep them from getting hurt between the pump island and the Wing. I am in a semi-sitting position, with my butt on the pump island, and the Wing resting on my chest and legs. I can feel the moisture soaking through my jeans and cooling my ass. I can feel the sweat forming on my face as I strain the Wing up. There is no one around to help. I am embarrassed to be in this position and feel stupid that I didn't see this coming.
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p68
The Wing was coming down and pinning me on the island. I fought as hard as I could to keep the Wing from coming down hard enough to hurt anything. At the last second, I managed to move my legs to keep them from getting hurt between the pump island and the Wing. I am in a semi-sitting position, with my butt on the pump island, and the Wing resting on my chest and legs. I can feel the moisture soaking through my jeans and cooling my ass. I can feel the sweat forming on my face as I strain the Wing up. There is no one around to help. I am embarrassed to be in this position and feel stupid that I didn't see this coming.
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p68
#47
General Discussion / Re: From the Library
Last post by Biggles - Mar 05, 2026, 02:26 AMOn one corner, we noticed a guy wearing what looked like a caveman get up. He also wore a horned, Viking style hat and was holding a rubber chicken. His ride was an old Harley trike, the kind Police used years ago. His bike looked in perfect condition. He was waving at everyone that passed by and seemed to be having a hell of a good time. At the next light, a guy pulled up next to me on a really old Harley. He was a little, bitty, skinny fellow wearing a chrome German army helmet, sunglasses of course, black leather jacket with colours on the back, jeans, and really big, black boots. His lady riding on the back was enormous. I didn't know how he could hold the bike up. She too had a chromed helmet, jeans with knee length boots that were very high-heeled, and a reddish colour fake fur coat that was shaggy.
She looked like a grizzly bear in high heels sitting on the back of the bike. The bike had two large flags mounted on the back, one American and I couldn't tell what the other was. It was quite a sight. The crowning touch was on a small platform mounted over the front fender. The platform covered with a green artificial turf rug.
On the platform stood a little, bitty Chihuahua dog, wearing a little, bitty chromed German army helmet and sunglasses. I almost forgot to put my feet down as we came to a halt at the light. This guy and his bike stole the show for that trip up Main Street.
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p36-7
She looked like a grizzly bear in high heels sitting on the back of the bike. The bike had two large flags mounted on the back, one American and I couldn't tell what the other was. It was quite a sight. The crowning touch was on a small platform mounted over the front fender. The platform covered with a green artificial turf rug.
On the platform stood a little, bitty Chihuahua dog, wearing a little, bitty chromed German army helmet and sunglasses. I almost forgot to put my feet down as we came to a halt at the light. This guy and his bike stole the show for that trip up Main Street.
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p36-7
#48
General Discussion / Re: From the Library
Last post by Biggles - Mar 04, 2026, 12:51 AMA couple more Harleys had just pulled up. We didn't see the people come in because just about that time, the waitress showed up with a whole armload of food. I really don't know how she could have stacked that many plates on her arms, but was doing a great job. She placed Marguerite's food down and was just putting my cheese omelette in front of me, when someone pulled the chair out beside me and sat down. I was still concentrating on what the waitress was giving me, but I glanced to my right. The first thing I saw out of the corner of my eye was a titty nipple and some breast sticking out of a black leather circle. The nipple had a gold earring pierced through it. This sight broke my concentration on the cheese omelette, and everything else. I looked straight at Marguerite's face. If she saw anything unusual, it didn't show on her face. I risked a sidelong glance. The pierced nipple was still there. There was a short, greasy looking guy sitting down next to Marguerite. He was middle-thirties, about five-foot-seven, plump, dark long hair with the standard Harley rider bandana on his head. He was wearing a black tee shirt with the words, "Connoisseur of Cheap Wine and Sleazy Women". The guy looked like he needed a good bath, his hands were greasy, and it had been some time since he cleaned the grease out from under his fingernails. I looked at him, and then at Marguerite for some reaction. She had on her best poker face.
I heard the titty nipple say to me, "Gee hon that looks like a really great omelette!'
There's no concentrating on an omelette when a titty nipple with an earring in it sits down shoulder to shoulder next to you. I turned my head to complete the look and answer this person. She was middle-thirties as well and had a real weathered look. She wasn't unattractive, just hardened. Her hair was long and she had the Harley rider bandana scarf fashioned over a ponytail. Her ears were adorned with extremely heavy looking, long earrings that were made from horseshoe nails. The earrings hung down almost to her shoulders and tugged heavily on her earlobes. Her weathered face had a nice smile. She was wearing a black leather outfit with a bib front and a strap going up and around her neck. The bib had two holes in the leather, allowing the nipple area of her breasts to stick out. The nipples of both breasts held gold earrings. A gold chain connected the two earrings. The whole arrangement made my nipples hurt.
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p33
I heard the titty nipple say to me, "Gee hon that looks like a really great omelette!'
There's no concentrating on an omelette when a titty nipple with an earring in it sits down shoulder to shoulder next to you. I turned my head to complete the look and answer this person. She was middle-thirties as well and had a real weathered look. She wasn't unattractive, just hardened. Her hair was long and she had the Harley rider bandana scarf fashioned over a ponytail. Her ears were adorned with extremely heavy looking, long earrings that were made from horseshoe nails. The earrings hung down almost to her shoulders and tugged heavily on her earlobes. Her weathered face had a nice smile. She was wearing a black leather outfit with a bib front and a strap going up and around her neck. The bib had two holes in the leather, allowing the nipple area of her breasts to stick out. The nipples of both breasts held gold earrings. A gold chain connected the two earrings. The whole arrangement made my nipples hurt.
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p33
#49
General Discussion / Re: From the Library
Last post by Biggles - Mar 03, 2026, 12:32 AMI was hoping to get to Clewisfon and find a motel for the night. In the Corps, we used to joke about night flying. "Only fools and owls fly at night. Do your feet fit a limb?" or "Night operations are characterized by darkness and periods of reduced visibility". I was a little nervous about the whole thing. I didn't want to worry Marguerite, but this could turn in to a real bag of crap. We had a long way to go before we reached any level of civilization, there was very little traffic, and any mechanical failure or accident would be serious. I was getting tired, but had to reach civilization for any hope of a room.
I kept telling myself to just keep the scan going and stay alert. After a while, everything was okay. The air was cool. Marguerite and I were getting comfortable with sights and sounds of night riding on the Wing. We kept hearing these little popping sounds. There were things hitting our helmets and leather jackets. I could see swarms of bugs in the headlight, and watched them bounce off the windshield. They weren't soft and squishy. The bugs were hard. When they hit the back of my gloved hands, it hurt. The swarms would come and go. Eventually, Marguerite noticed the dead bugs accumulating on the seat in between us. The bugs were also piling up in between my legs. I was able to take my hand and sweep some of them away. We actually thought if things got any worse, we could just stop and use the Wing cover for shelter and spend the night on the road. When we considered how many mosquitoes would descend on us, we decided to let that idea go.
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p30
I kept telling myself to just keep the scan going and stay alert. After a while, everything was okay. The air was cool. Marguerite and I were getting comfortable with sights and sounds of night riding on the Wing. We kept hearing these little popping sounds. There were things hitting our helmets and leather jackets. I could see swarms of bugs in the headlight, and watched them bounce off the windshield. They weren't soft and squishy. The bugs were hard. When they hit the back of my gloved hands, it hurt. The swarms would come and go. Eventually, Marguerite noticed the dead bugs accumulating on the seat in between us. The bugs were also piling up in between my legs. I was able to take my hand and sweep some of them away. We actually thought if things got any worse, we could just stop and use the Wing cover for shelter and spend the night on the road. When we considered how many mosquitoes would descend on us, we decided to let that idea go.
Winging It Marguerite & William Spicer p30
#50
General Discussion / Re: From Beyond the Library
Last post by ZigZag - Mar 02, 2026, 09:08 AMIt's a broad church here FIXA. Feel free to contribute your own stories if you want.