Rough roads and old bikes.

Late winter road trip.

Last year I delivered some magnetos to Lindom in Sweden for repair. He is located some 500 km from me, so it is not often I go there. The Mooneyes Bike Show was coming up…..and the MC collection museum is not far away. I invited some friends and we had an instant weekend road trip..

A cool place to hold a bike show, an old industrial building.

Enjoy the eye candy.

Lindoms well equipped magneto workshop.

Geeks at the museum….

Marlon Brando are watching when you do your business….

The Motosacoche in the barn.

As you saw at my previous post I organized the Norwegian vintage motorcycle club`s display at the two yearly motorcycle show near Oslo. Two years ago I did the same. We had a 30`s Motosacoche on display. That bike had special interest to a man and I started talking with him. It turned out that he had a much older Motosacoche. That was interesting, so we agreed that he would mail me some photos of the bike. The problem was that the bike where at the place he grew up….a few hours driving from where he lived.

After a while I got a mail that said that he would take some photos in the summer. Some months later I sent him a mail wondering about the bike, but I didn’t get a reply. So I forgot about the old Motosacoche.

Just before Christmas I was tiding in some papers and found a note I had written about the old bike. I phoned him up, and yes, he had the photos. There was a problem…..He had had a serious accident on his motorcycle. He had crashed with a moose and had spent a long time in hospital and recovery. That`s why he had not replied to my mail. The left arm was paralyzed so he was not able to scan photos or work on the computer. But he was happy to send photos in regular mail. Photos arrived and after a few phone calls we agreed to go and have a look at the bike……

On a cold and dark January day we set off to the meeting point, Elgstua in Elverum. Elgstua in English is “the Moose cabin”…..Thinking of the accident, maybe not the best place to meet?

After a while on a winding icy road we were there….

The bike had been resting in the barn since 1939…..76 years! 

Just like on “American pickers” happy sellers… and my brother Dag is playing Frank in this episode….And me? I guess I am playing Danielle….

After assembly and some oily rag treatment it was on display at the motorcycle show.

Started life in 1909.

Thank you Ueli for the scans and information.

We are missing the carburetor…..Do you happen to have one like this you don`t need. Send me a mail: stigtorb@hotmail.com

Glad Jul.

I found these photos on the Facebook……I liked them so much that I recycled them. It`s the time to wish you Glad Jul!

Mr. Olsen, on the first photo, and the Fjerdingen family on the second. They are from Stjørdal, Norway on a winter modified Motosacoche.

Trondhjemsridtet day 3 and 4.

“In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king”. But in the land of “tinkering with motorcycles” the man with most glasses rules.

Day three started with heavy rain. Rain and gravel roads make an unbeatable combination ……That’s why Odd has such a happy face….

This morning at a wet and cold gravel road the Sunbeam decided that enough is enough…..so with an expensive sound it went dead….I had to leave the bike to be picked up by the rally’s rescue team.

My worst experience of my life was when I had to ride pillion with this fierce looking man.

I was left alone at a check point waiting for at one of the rally’s service cars. So when one turned up I immediately applied for the post of First lackey, under doubt I was accepted…

The “beam” on the chariot of shame….

I spent the rest of the rally collecting road signs and tried to be useful….but I still had a good opportunity to enjoy the view of the bikes and scenery.

Bent, my commander in the car, is enjoying the view of Rondane.

Kurt and Sverre takes a toast for American made motorcycles.

Ready for the evening's festivities. One has cigars and the other rubber....

Start of the last day.

So…What happened to the Sunbeam….?