Originally Posted by FatStrat

I've been riding since I was 15. Bought a Honda 50 back in 1965. Not very good in hilly country. Almost had to run beside it to get up the hills. Although... It never let me down, Always started and got me to where I needed to go.

I had a summertime job with a landscape construction company for three years running. My foreman told me about a bike that a friend of his had that he was looking to sell. He didn't know what it was. All he knew was that it was a big bike, and his buddy wanted $65 for it. So...after work one day we ride over to have a look. Down a flight of stairs, through an outside bulkhead, down in the dark, damp cellar sat a 1951 Pan. It had been down there over the winter. It was a hacksaw and hammer build, (that's how it was done in those days, not many store bought parts to build your Choppder) complete with a 450 Honda tank painted Olive Drab green. $65? Yeah...I'll take it.
Drug it up the steep cellar stairs with the aid of some planks, a good thick rope and Rays Corvair. Put some oil and gas in it, along with a new battery, and it wasn't long before it was thumping away. I was 16 years old. I weighed about 135 pounds soaking wet. Coming from a Honda 50 to this, was an experience.

It took awhile to develop my technique of how to get it started. Don't forget to retard the spark. That starter pedal can hurt you. But...develop my technique, I did. Do it right, and she would start every time. Ignition off, full choke, full throttle, cylinder up on the compression stroke, kick it through, do it again. Ignition on, retard the spark by rotating the distributor, back off half way on the choke, kick it through and... huppity putt, putt, putt. When all of my buddys were riding around on 305 Hondas, I was riding a 51 Pan.

Over the years I've owned and built more than a few old Harleys. After the 51 I bought a 1945 SideValve 74 complete with the stock springer and suicide three speed tranny. Later came a 1948 ELH Pan (61 cu. in.) and then a 1976 Liberty Edition Sportster that some scum bags decided to steal from me.

Since the Sportster, I've owned a variety of Asain bikes that I can say were all rock solid rides. No Asain bashing from me. Sorry but...the Japanese build good machines. I don't agree with the cloning of Harleys, they should get back to their own niche, but...even the clones are good, durable machines.

With that being said...one of my bestest Buddies...yeah...you Dave...offered his absolutely Cherry, 08 Electra Classic to me for a price "That I couldn't refuse" and refuse, I didn't. So...it's back to the Dark Side. The Classic shares the garage with my restored 1984 R100RT Beemer and a 2014 Honda CTX 1300.
The Honda and Beemer will be collecting dust for awhile until the novelty of the Harley begins to wain.

So...hello Y'all. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!