BABBITT VINTAGE BIKE SHOW

Puttz and I have been looking for a vintage bike show that we could enter our every day bikes. We found one in Babbitt Minnesota on Saturday June 27. The criteria was simply bikes 25 years old and older. The cost to enter was $0.00. Now that was a bargain theses two Norwegians could not pass up.








I rode up to Puttz the night before so we could head out early on the 36 mile trek to Babbitt.

Jawa The Puttz was trashing me all night about how his Nighthawk was going to get more votes than my CX. We put a wager on the thing. The loser would need to lick the sole of the winners motorcicle boots!

There were 24 bikes entered in this first year event. It was one of may events going on during the town's Peter Mitchell Days. Peter Mitchell was the fellow who developed the process to concentrate low grade iron ore into pellets (taconite). Babbitt has a very large low grade ore deposit which will be mined for at least the next 75 years, so the town is forever grateful to Mr. Mitchell efforts.

It was held at the community park where there was also a snowmobile show of classic sleds and a bocce ball tournament. Puttz and I should have entered the bocce ball tournament where we would of had better odds of winning. Oh well, we still think our bikes are fantastic.

Nice Trail 90 that is well equipped for hunting excursions.

A every day bike.

This chopper has not been restored, but showed a lot of promise. It has an Amen Frame and the traditional 750 Honda in line four. The bike won the Most Potential award.

Yup there is my CX and Puttz Nighthawk.

This is the bike a voted for in the category The Bike I Would Like To Own. The fellow in the picture is the owner and the one who customized it. This 1979 Suzuki GS 850 was striped down to a mere 400 and some odd pounds and had it's frame shortened and donned a different rear fender. It had custom exhaust and electronic ignition.

A Kawasaki LTD 750 that was in very nice shape. Eat your heart out Gutts!

Side view of the Suzuki 850

The one and only dirt bike present.

This is a Honda CX 500. It was in nice shape.

This Goldwing was a very nice bike. Again it was just an everyday ride.

There were about 8 or so restored bikes at the show such as this Honda 350.

This restored Honda 175 won the Best Bike Award. The owners (two brothers) had before pictures of this two year project bike.

Jawa The Puttz was piping mad that I got 4 votes for my bike and he got zero! He out smarted me on paying up on the bet, to lick the sole of my boot. Putts first scrubbed the sole nice and clean then put peanut butter and honey on it. He took one good lick then demanded I put the boot on and ride my bike off his property.

BLIND LIZARD RALLY

Flash, Lizard and I headed down to the 33rd Annual Blind Lizard Bike Rally in Minneapolis on Nicolette Island. It is traditionally held on Father's Day which happened to be June 21 this year. There is a great family atmosphere at this rally. We rode on secondary highways taking 23, 61, 107 and 65. It was a great time even with the steady rain on our return trip. One trait of a Nobody is their ability to enjoy the company and the weather even when neither is perfect! You can double click on any of these photos to make them really big.




Flash and Lizard getting ready to have a good breakfast at a restaurant just past Askov.

Lizard (Dave) is a staple at the rally. I was told that he had a new costume this year. I being a newcomer (my first Blind Lizard) was just thrilled to see him.

Lizard was willing to give rides throughout the day.

There were several bikes honoring the lizard.

This is a Suzuki with a Wankel Rotary engine The RE5. I think it is a 1976. http://www.suzukicycles.org/RE5/RE5-Rotary.shtml

Wards Riverside

I think I remember this bike back in the 60's at that time I was a mini bike rider. http://www.bordsenius.com/motoguzzi/database/mc.php3?action=edit_model&id=167

This is a 1963 Cushman scooter. The fellow has owned it for 35 year.

This is a Harley scooter. An unreliable source told me that Harley did not manufacture them, but simply hired a company to manufacture them. Harley then put their name on them.

http://motorcycleinfo.org/2008/08/harley-davidson-scooters-and-mopeds/

Nearly every motorcycle with a sidecar had at least one dog as a passenger.

There must have been at least 250 bikes and who know how many people.

I don't know the year or model of this BMW. Maybe you can figure it out and let me know. http://www.motorbikes.be/en/BMW_motorcycles.aspx

I don't think I will ever have a vintage bike like this. I can only imagine what it is like to ride one. If you my beloved readers have such a bike, please ride over to my place some time and let me take it around the block.

This is a Honda Super Six. They may have only made it for one year. Some guy once told me Honda did it simply to prove that if could be done.

A dog's best friend is a sidecar.

Lizard liked the 0 cc bikes. These are custom made bikes.

Wow, This was some bike.

A few people came in period dress. This guy had a great Triumph and his clothing reminded me

of a Cafe Racer.

I have no idea what this three wheeled machine was called.

Flash was way too interested in the scooters. Prediction: The Nobody Museum will be adding a scooter wing in the next few years as Flash has a soft spot for classic scooters

This is a 1921 Harley. It has a spark advance lever. When this fellow stated it to leave the rally, it was a slow and difficult process. He worked his way out in baby steps, as the bike kept stalling and would take 10 - 15 minutes to get it prepped and ready for another go.

The Mowercycle was a very popular bike. A week long project for a creative fellow.

This is a cyclone motorcycle. http://www.khulsey.com/motorcycles/vintage_motorcycle_cyclone.html
These segeways are a regular at the rally also. Evidently there is a tour company on the island that uses these two wheeled wonders.
The guy riding this Ural had a note on the bike stating that is was not an old bike just an old design, but warned that it was a real chick magnet! The guy was well into his 60's and appeared to have his wife riding in the sidecar!

This is a Triumph chopper. I like the name of the motorcycle club. I would like to be a member of the Flywheelers.

Lizard and Flash are glad to be back in Duluth. We rode 3/4 of the trip home in a steady rain. Lizard got his motorcycle rider name on this trip. This was his first long ride so it was appropriate to name him after the rally. Also I consider lizards to be tough, and our Lizard was very tough riding a 400 cc bike 300 plus miles, with a good portion in a driving rain. He didn't have rain gear