Mosey the Flathead

There was a time in my motorcycling history when I thought an ancient Harley was anything but pretty. This was around the time you could buy one for next to nothing from a surplus store, if you could turn a wrench and knew how to deal with cosmoline. As time went on, they went from so-so to acceptable, then to kinda cool, and one day I found myself WANTING one. Of course, by that time they were collector's items and worth more than I could easily afford.

One day in 1999 I found myself in Rolling Thunder, a bike shop in Des Moines WA, looking at a shop FULL of 1940's and earlier bikes, all painted in the same red & white scheme. Turns out they belonged to riders of The Seattle Cossacks (www.seattlecossacks.com), a stunt team that's been around since 1938. They only use antique Harleys and will scare the pants off you while never going faster than 10-15 MPH - you should see them sometime.

I said "Geez, I've always wanted one of those". The guy behind the counter pointed at one and said "That one is for sale". Later, I talked to the shop owner, Ray, and got a price. I went home to tell my wife about this screaming deal, she said "No way" and the next day after a quick trip to the bank it was mine. I, um, decided to keep the bike in the shop for a little while, until the perfect moment arose for me to break it to her. About a month later I came home from work, she handed me an envelope and said "Here's your title". Problem solved. For the longest time, the bike was known as the NoMobile. Sigh. For reasons not directly related to that particular event, she's now my ex-wife. I think she's probably a saint.

Ray owned the shop at the time and he let me use his basement to tear my "new" bike down for repaint and a few other things, which was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. The Cossacks stored their bikes down there, and I was working in the middle of a virtual museum of running Harleys. If I needed to figure out how to route a wire or hook up a cable correctly, I could look at that knucklehead over there, or that flattie over there, or . . . .

The bike is a 1941 Model UL, a 74 cubic inch flathead, sidevalve to be more correct. I bought it in running condition, and wound up rebuilding it about 3 times, as in "out of the frame" rebuild. Excuse me - HAVING it rebuilt. I've done most of the tear-aparts and most of the put-togethers, but I don't touch the bottom end, for example. THAT is an art best left to those who have The Touch. In the last ten years, the motor has had two overheats and one complete come-apart, as well as a few other less major (spelled: EXPENSIVE) issues. I guess I'll give myself a solid C on stewardship, some of the rebuilds were self-induced, some were unavoidable. More on that later.

I tend to use the word steward rather than owner because I have a strong sense of responsibility about this bike and any other classic machine I may be involved with. This bike has seen and experienced so much, I'm sure, that I feel like a wonderful responsibility has been passed to me, and I hope whoever is next in line will have similar feelings. I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but on 9/11 I went to the garage and talked to the bike. I said "Remember Pearl harbor? It's happened again", or words to that effect. And we just hung out together for awhile. It's not just a machine, it's history.

The saga of the flathead continues because I insist upon riding it. I can't have it sitting in my living room looking pretty. I need it to RUN pretty and I want to ride it until I can't ride anymore. And I continue to learn how to keep it running. It's actually a very solid, very simple machine, and I'm getting closer and closer to getting it all dialed in. As of this writing I think I have about 10,000 miles on it since 1999, probably 7000 in the last three years. I call it Mosey because that's what it does. Mosey will cruise all day long at 60-65 but I like to ride it at about 40 and listen to that beautiful exhaust, gentle and relaxed. When I'm riding the flattie we mosey along together, enjoying the moment. Thus the name, Mosey.

The flattie is completely stock, except for:

• 12 volt system. The old 6 volt system just can't handle running all day with lights on
• Primary belt to replace the chain, for durability
• Electronic ignition because the points they make these days wear out waaay too quickly. The electronic ignition is truly a set & forget thing anyway

Bob The Wizard suggested all three of these changes for the reasons mentioned. The casual observer can't tell, the bike looks 100% stock and it's a runner. THAT is what's important to me. I need a runner.

In my own approach, there is a difference between stock and original - and I don't want to get into a debate of the nuances of those words, this is just my own world. Stock means it's together and running as it came from the factory. Original means original Harley parts, and the bike is about 95% original. I still need a few original fiddlybits like a speedometer ($900) and a horn ($250), but once I get them I'll be going after the really oddball bits that I can't even name right now. There are also some pretty nifty period aftermarket things like bumpers and lights that could keep me going for years. Ah, the joy.