Ink, I think

I’ve wanted to do a post on tattoos lately, as I think tattoos and motorcycles kinda go hand in hand.

I have a few, literally.

I’ve recently seen Dave Perewitz get a tattoo on video http://www.lifeatperewitz.com/ at ACME Tattoo in Minnesota while he was here for the Donnie Smith Bike Show, and I recently commented on a fellow blogger’s post regarding a Harley tattoo he got.
http://harley-davidson-mystique.blogspot.com/ The comment was "similar" to what I’m about to tell you here:

I have three tattoos, and only three for a very good reason. I had two before I got married. I decided I needed a third tattoo and got the blessing from my wife. So, a friend and I decided we were going to get tattoos together after work one day. I told my wife I was going to get a Harley tattoo, which I honestly did intend to do. She said, "Are you sure? I don't want anything evil!" Well, needless to say, I came home with an evil tattoo, not related to Harleys at all. It started out innocent enough, but the tattoo artist asked if I wanted it embellished after he got the basic tattoo done. He said he had no one else in line and he’d do it for free. I said sure, and he made it kind of portrait looking, like it was under my skin. It looks pretty damn evil. This was to be my last tattoo if Mama was to remain happy. We all know if Mama ain’t happy, ain’t no one happy. She was not happy with me at all for a very long time. You should know if a very long time turns into too long, you ain’t happy with half your stuff. Well, It took a long time for her to stop complaining about it. She hates it to this day. She'd say "cover it up, It's looking at me!" I love my wife dearly, and the fight over wanting to get more tattoos is not worth it. I got a Harley though, and she doesn't complain about that,(much). The Harley is a whole different story. Anyway, I told him to enjoy his "first" tattoo, and said I'm sure there'll be more to come.

By the way, I still don’t have that Harley tattoo yet. And I love tattoos as much as my wife, Harleys, and custom paint.

The foot bone is connected to the ankle bone,.... is connected to my wallet.

Most bikers learn early on, that just about the time you try to do one thing custom to your ride, that you rarely can do just “one thing” without it directly affecting something else. For me anyway, it usually amounts to about two to three times the cost I initially thought I was going to end up spending for just the one thing. Thus, my title the foot bone is connected to the ankle bone, ....is connected to my wallet.

I've been doing a lot of bodywork and painting on motorcycles lately. I used to custom paint for a living, but I've scaled back to doing it as a side job and or hobby. I am currently doing my 3rd bike now for about the 3rd or 4th time. I suppose you can say I'm never content with one paint job for very long, as I have the ability to do bodywork and paint myself. Plus, this way it’s a little easier to swallow the cost of the new paint. However, it never comes without a price. There is still a lot of expense and time involved. I usually end up picking up another paint job for a paying customer to help pay for my habit. So needless to say I've been busy lately. I must thank my wife and kids for putting up with my lack of being around lately as I have spent many hours away in the shop.

The cause of the problem to start with was that I put in a larger motor, which decreased clearances that I used to have with the smaller motor. I ended up "having" to do my bike again because I had a crack in a gas tank weld, caused by one of my lower gas tank brackets hitting one of the rocker box covers, which was caused by the motor heating and expanding the jugs under the rocker box cover, thus pushing it upwards into the bracket. This caused a lot of unwanted vibration on the gas tank, thus cracking a weld. (Bracket bent upward, clearance given, welded crack, problem averted). Since I cracked the weld in the gas tank, bodywork and paint was necessary. I also broke my drive belt due to having a small weak stock belt that was not suited for the larger motor. Since I am doing bodywork and paint, and need a new belt, this means the rear fender needs to come off to. Since I'm doing the gas tank and rear fender, I'm already painting two thirds of the main painted parts, so why not paint the front fender and change out the custom paint to a whole new paint job. While it is apart and in the shop, why not change the fluids. I also have easier clearance to change brake pads now, so I may as well do them too.

The larger motor is connected to the gas tank, is connected to the belt, is connected to the rear fender, is connected to the front fender, is connected to the brakes, is connected to the fluids.
Thus "the foot bone is connected to the ankle bone,...is connected to my wallet."

I’m getting that spring fever thing goin on here, since we’re climbing into high thirties. Did I mention I’m in Minnesota? Hopefully, soon it’ll all be over and I'll be happily picking bugs out of my teeth again.

Keep the shiny side up!

Hope to see you in the wind come springtime.

Mr. Motorcycle