[Randomness] Sears Puch 250 at the Metal Museum

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Sven

Saturday, April 21, 2012 (Memphis TN)—The craftsmen at the Metal Museum talk about their love for the tactile essence of their work, so it’s no surprise that they also enjoy restoring and modifying motorcycles. There’s always a bike or three parked around the museum grounds.

Today, this bike was parked near the shop where someone was grinding mold marks off a cast iron piece.

After a little research, I’ve decided this is a 250cc Sears Allstate “Twingle”, circa 1968. The bikes were rebadged versions of an Austrian bike, the Puch SGS250.

The “Twingle” name refers to the “twin/single” engine, powered by one cylinder containing two pistons.

(For another great bike at the Metal Museum, see my recent post on the “Death Bike’.)

Posted in 2012, Randomness | 2 Comments

[Bike Show] Mid-South Motorcycle & Car Show

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Sven

The "Taj Mahal" themed tank

Sunday, April 15, 2012 (Memphis TN)—The 15th annual Mid-South Motorcycle Show was disappointing.

There were few vendors, few dealers, no test rides and no entertainment or stunt shows.

I don’t know how many folks attended on Saturday, but on Sunday, attendance was very thin. There were only a handful of motorcycles in the parking lot at any time.

The show was expanded this year to include custom/restored cars, and the couple dozen cars on display drew more attention than the bikes.

This bike has a Dodge Viper auto engine.

Most interesting to me were the bikes and tanks on display from O’s Custom Paints.

The nationally-known custom bike shop, located in Bartlett, had several eye-popping sample tanks and customer bikes on display.

I especially liked the “Taj Mahal” theme tank, with its Hindu theme. It’s one of O’s stock images that can be ordered.

I also liked a lovely with a tooled leather seat and copper copper-braided fuel and brake lines.

This bike featured copper trim and lines.

There was also a “Viper STR-10” bike with a Dodge Viper engine and a bright red paint job and matching helmet. The bike is owned by the owners of the Deli Mexicana in Germantown.

To view customer-owned bikes and O’s line of gorgeous stock tanks, visit the O’s Custom Paints website.

I hope next year’s show will bounce back, perhaps by adding more vendors for the custom car crowd.

Detail of the copper bike.

 

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[Ride Report] Spring on the Mississippi Blues Trail

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Sven

Beale Town Bound Marker (Hernando, MS)

Ramesses at the Memphis Pyramid Arena

Sunday, March 18, 2012— “In the Spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of motorcycles.” (Alfred, Lord Harley-Davidson)

Despite an unusually mild winter (the fourth warmest on record, according to the U.S. National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration), I didn’t ride any more than I do in much colder years.

But with spring weather arriving nearly a month earlier than usual, the urge to get out and ride is blossoming along with everything else.

The only question is: where?

Jessie Mae Hemphill Marker (Senatobia, MS)

Sunday morning’s answer was a visit to the Memphis Pyramid Arena (to snap a few pictures of the statue of Ramesses II before it’s moved to the University of Memphis) followed by a trip down US 51 yo visit several stops on the Mississipi Blues Trail.

Pictures and details on each stop on my 125-mile ride are at Postings:

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