Rising sun project update

So Ive been squeezing in some work on the GS1000 in the past few weeks. Some of it went smooth, some of it was a bitch, I guess thats how it goes with a 33 year old bike. The previous owner claimed that I could clean the carbs and it should fire up and run fine. Well, it fired up. Run fine? Not so much. Fast forward, Ive got the motor apart and ready for a top and bottom motor rebuild (just to start from square one since I dont know the history of this bad mamma jamma). O by the way, Pat says this bike of mine is probably the model Toe Cutter rode on Mad Max. Thats mad awesome! Gonna need some Animal and Hawk style spiked football shoulder pads asap. Thats right, Pats back. So glad to have you back home brother. Love you man.

So shit done so far:

1. stripped garbage (fairing, luggage rack, engine guards, gauge cluster, 25 lb seat, etc) - lost approx 80 lbs!
2. took of shoebox sized airbox - impossible with the carbs etc on these inline fours, fully dismantled and cleaned carbs. I didnt want to put that box back in so I ordered clamp on pods and rejetted a few sizes up and shimmed the slide needle.
3. Ass end of this bike up sky high like a damn kitty cat in heat, so I cut off 5 coils on the shocks. Im sure it will be a janky ride, but this gets me by till Im feeling a little more financially irresponsible.
4. This bike has air adjustable forks, so I pumped it up like arnold.
5. With the ass draggin now, I had to shim up the battery box about 3 inches to clear the swingarm.
6. I set up a deal to trade the luggage rack and back rest for a healthy rear tire and electronic ignition/coils
7. Pulled the motor, and stripped top end, so much shit in there i decided to do the whole thing. Cleaned, then cleaned, then brushed, then dipped, then cleaned, and pressure washed, and cleaned the motor casings, block, head, pistons and valves. Ordered gaskets, seals, bought engine enamel, cap head allen bolts throughout motor - color = flat black with stainless bolts.
8. Hacked off 4 exhaust pipes - Lost another 20lbs
9. Drilled out, fucked with, and screamed at stuck exhaust bolt
10. In denial about stuck bolt, what else can I do to keep distracted?
11. Finally got that bolt out, well ground it out to dust, and retapped the manifold.

Shit to do/get:

1. headlight
2. clean frame, chain, wheels
3. mount new rear tire
4. try to salvage needed electrical or rewire with chopper minimal
5. find acceptable seat (trying for two-up but everything is so chunky - suggestions?
6. bmx pedals floor boards
7. new petcock?
8. paint frame, fork lowers
9. paint and reassemble motor
10. test ride mid december?

Pics tomorrow when I find the camera usb. Chow Bastards

Winter project of the rising sun

So since my last post, my quiver of bikes has undergone some changes. The old (actually way too new 2006) Honda VTX I had, my first bike actually, sold a couple weeks after I posted it on craig's. I bought that thing for 4500, put around 1700 in it, and sold it for 6500. I know its no big profit, but Ana and I were strapped and it had to go. Were currently bumming along fine. Both of us are back in school and Gabby is now two months old.

So, about the bikes, I couldnt stand watching the season go by with no bike. I started scouring craigs for a cheap sporty, but there not my kind of cheap, so I steered back towards the japanese market. First I was hoping for an SOHC four CB 750, but those are apparently too trendy right now so hard to find and stupid pricey. After riding a few 70s-80s inline fours, I realized the vibration frequency is so high that it almost tickles in the bars and pegs. That led me to look for a large displacement four, with the theory that a bigger motor can produce the power at a lower rpm. A little more craig's time and I picked up a 79 Suzuki GS 1000 for $650. It was so ugly with the monster fairing and luggage rack. Perfect candidate for a bopper chobber project.

In the first phase, I dropped 90lbs off it. Then, so far I just cleaned and rejetted the carbs, all four of the bitches, and ordered some clamp on open element filters cause the airbox is bigger than a shoe box and it jams the carbs in so their impossible to work on. I only want to remove that box once. I took the shocks apart and cut off four coils to drop it about 4-5 inches, might go more but I want to ride it first. Ill get the float bowl gaskets this week and then I can hopefully bring her to life (fingers crossed).

Shit to do: (wow I cant believe you read all this, thanks) headlight, smaller speedo, rear tire (150 - 90-17) tubeless, find swing arm king and queen (Help!) or a nice bitch bar (im tryin to retain two up capability while still doing minor bobbin, side mount plate and brake light, degrease and paint, hope the thing runs - if not, rebuild motor. Stayin on the super cheap.

old new vtx SOLD

gs1000 with full garbage

ikuzus

make the azz drop (probably more yet)

My girls

Later zen bastards. got parts? suggestions? criticisms? streams of incoherent curse words? lets have em.

MJ took some pics at the FULL TILT show today

Here's some pics from Micheal Jordan Rides Motorbikes that he took at the Full Tilt chopper show today.  Seems like there was a little something for just about everybody.  Looks like some preeetty cool stuff, wish I could've been there!  Oh well, next year for sure!

He reports having a rad time, a very cool vibe overall, and that in person Zach from Heavy Clothing is a really nice dude.  Cheers everybody, enjoy!

Hope everyone's enjoying summer so far!

Today is father's day, so remember to give the old man a call and maybe ride together and/or share a good meal if you get a chance.

Sorry I've been out of the loop lately.  Uncle Sam has had me doing 12 to 16 hour days for the past couple weeks, and there hasn't been much left in the mental tank by the time I get home.  Fortunately, I'll be back in MN on leave for two weeks startin June 24!   Any Zen Bastards in the area lets find some time to hangout and ride (hopefully I can borrow my old man's bike as mine are not going to be available)!  Unfortunately the meet as it was planned earlier this year isn't going to happen, but we can still get together and have some fun as schedule's will allow...let me know if you need my number and we can find time to meet.

Hopefully by now, pretty much everyone has sent Jeremy a letter.  Keep em comin, I will get the info on his commissary account and pass that along so we can help or brother get some writing supplies and whatnot.

I hope everyone is out there havin fun this summer,  let's see some pics of summer adventures!

Ok so this is long overdue, but heres some pics of me (doing my "nerrr" face, my sweetie and fiance Ana (gettin hitched this friday! whoa), our little girl Gabriella (due July 12), and my VTX 1300 as it sits now (I friggin hate that rear fender floatin in the air like a cats ass in heat! Is is just me or what?) Hola to you Bastardos, what the frig is hap-pening yo!?

By the way Im leanin strongly towards cashin in the VTX and getting something with a bit more soul and more room to add weird home-fabbed junk parts and cut shit off with no sweat. Im thinkin older sporty or maybe an old cb750? Gots ta be cheap yet safe. Junk is in the eye of the beholder. Rat bike or bare bones is a good thing. Whats a good foundation bike thats a decent interstate 2-up runner, has room for choppin and such, and I can get for a couple G's? Muchas Gracias

Michael Jordan rocks tall Zees

Looks like the tall Zees that Rene whipped up awhile back finally found a good Bastard home. The proportions are perfect on MJ's sporty frontend, and knowing how big that dude is I'm betting the height and reach is pretty spot on, as well.

Some quick mock up pics

I finally hooked up with a local welder/ drag car builder guy to get some bungs welded that had me stuck progress-wise for awhile now...THANKS SHAWN!!  My photo skills suck, but trust me his tig skills do not.  Gas tank mounting bungs, seat spring mounts, upper fender mount bungs, and rear oil tank mount bungs, yeehaw! 

Some very nice beads on his work today, and I plan to go back later to get my sissybar  mount bungs and sissy to fender support strap and upper motor mount welded by Shawn, as well.  Here's a few quick mock up pics from after I got home:

PS-hope everybody is havin fun and takin it easy today, CHEERS YOU ZEN BASTARDS!

My Apologies

Sorry everyone. Ive been crazy busy with the business. I hope all is well. Enjoy!

stolen from:http://buzzkillerz.blogspot.com/?zx=9b38f42f776b514c

B A C O N

CALLIN ALL BASTARDS! Got leave?

So, I finally just got confirmation that I will be getting some leave time...finally!  June 24 to July 7 is basically when I'll be able to be back home.  Will anybody be able to meet up still?  I know it's not a lot of notice, and not what I was hoping for back in January when I was trying to plan a bigger, better, bastard-er get together.  Basically I'm just trying to get an idea of who might be interested in a weekend ride party type of thing.  The Waseca and Minneapolis group are aware of the timeframe, but I know some of you guys have a lot going on right now, too, so let me know what might work for you.  I am planning to head to WI to see BearPaws, so maybe we could ride around out there if people want to come with?  Ideas?  Put stuff up on the blog when possible so we can all read it and chime in.
 
How about our other Bastards and friends, will anybody else be able to or want to get together and maybe camp out for a weekend?  I have some little goodies and swag to pass out to members and friends, so I hope to see you guys and gals!  CHEERS!
 
Unfortunately, it looks like I still won't be out of Uncle Sam's grip for good until around September.  Perhaps we could do another hoedown around then, start coming up with stuff you guys would like to do. 

Got my brakes from Fab Kevin today

You can't rush high quality, nor can you get it cheaply...but if high quality is what you must have, then Fab Kevin would be a wise choice.

Don't forget! Mothers Day is Sunday!

Cheers to all the Mamas out there, we Bastards love you!

Risers for Dirty tom

They are about 4" rise, I was thinking of getting em on Pats IH but he sent me a set of more suitable risers for the springer. These are for 1 Inch bar.

It's been too long, but...

There's always a 'but', isn't there? Extenuating circumstances and budget problems aside, I finally found someone who apparently knows how to weld properly through my neighbor. With any luck, I will actually get the bungs I need welded PROPERLY in the next week or so and have a pic of this gorgeous Shovel mounted in its frame along with the tanks and fender that go with it. As soon as I get my brakes from FabKevin I'll be able to get measurements for my wheel spacers, too!

Any opinions on spacer material? I've been contemplating brass, but the Paughco spacer kit in chrome could prove to be a cheaper option in the end. Brake calipers will be gold Nissin four-pots, for reference.

I'm thinking the frame should be satin/semi-gloss black to offset Topher's metalflake pearl on the tins. Been pondering a pearl kinda thing for the brake caliper brackets from FabKevin. Any opinions there?

PS-I'm officially jealous of everyone riding already, and will trade a RAD Shovel for a running chop just to get out and feel the wind, hahaha..

Calling all Bastards! 

I need some risers for the new bars Rene fabbed for me. Sooo sick bars btw. Way to go MercuryMotoMan. This is pathetic, but I dont own a digi cam and my phone is quite the dinosaur, so I have no way of posting pics of the bars yet. Ill get on that asap tho. (They're black powdercoated Mini-ape/ z-bars custom sized for my fat tank bike's proportions, etc. Very clean welds. Super slick bars. Very cool shop Rene runs.

The riding season is upon us and I have got the itch bad. I am gambling with the weather up here in Minnesota. Just yesterday I was very close to getting caught in the severe thunderstorms we have had all week. Lucky for me, a coworker needed a ride to work so I didnt take the bike. I work second shift right now so Im always looking at the prospect of shitty MN springtime evening weather. Plus its a 20 min commute. Anyways thats enough bitching for me.

So if youve got a lead on some 1-3"ish risers for 1" dia bars, let me know. I ride a Honda VTX 1300

Ill also be looking for cables, but I want to mount the bars to be sure of length needed.

Ways to contact me in order of priority are:

phone - 507-461-5555
email - thomas.moen@mnsu.edu
blog - Dirty Tom on this here Bastard Blog
other blog - "wompin.mn" on www.vtxoa.com

Thank God for Bastard Brotherhood, Thanks Pat, Mike, Dave, and Rene for the Birthday treat,  and Thank yall for any tips on that gear. Happy scootin!

Objects of meditation

Previous posts mentioned that an object of meditation is utilized as a basis for cultivating insight.  That is, you return to your object when mind does something else.  As you meditate it becomes obvious that mind is doing all sorts of stuff you didn’t plan on, as demonstrated by your meditation object.  Anything that is not your object is clearly the result of an uncontrolled process, because your intention is to meditate on the object!  So, you get to learn all about how mind works, because you are seeing it get repeatedly distracted.  Even better, you are retraining mind to NOT get distracted and to gently let go of the things that pulled it away from the meditation.  As you get familiar with how mind’s attention moves and you let go of more and more distractions, you can stay with the object with greater ease, and you enter into states of increased awareness and fun called Samadhi or the Jhanas.  There’s more, but that’s the start.  Simple. 

The Buddha taught various object of meditation: some sources say 40, but if you look in the Pali cannon you can find at least 108 and also make a case for more.

Why so many?  One answers is: because they all have different qualities and side effects.

The breath is a pretty cool object.  It has some very useful qualities; it’s calm, always present, and when you slow your breathing it is great for your nervous system etc etc etc.  However, it’s not my favorite.  I find it to be easy to learn, but very difficult to master.  Master?  I mean attain the higher Jhanas and eventually awakening - yeah, there is a goal to all this meditation stuff, aside from feeling good and having your life improve and so on.  I am not sure why the breath is such a popular object in meditation training these days.  Maybe because it is so simple to start with?  That’s actually the reason why I wrote about it first… everyone has a breath to work with, so talking about the breath is a great way to get down to the mechanics of meditation without having to talk about a complicated meditation object.  However, the breath is not an extremely common object in the Pali cannon.  It appears that other objects were utilized more frequently, at least they show up in the suttas more frequently.  There are good reasons for this.

Some personality types are better suited to some meditation objects.  For example, if you are a pissed off, salty, generally dissatisfied person you might enjoy Loving-Kindness.  I know I do!  Seriously, even if you have been having a blast with the breath and are the kindliest person you know, I strongly suggest you give Loving Kindness aka Metta a shot.  It’s a little tricky to get started, maybe, but progress is much faster and it has a lot of benefits that the breath does not have.  Even better, all your awesome meditation skills with the breath will directly translate. 

Instructions:

Sit like you do – eyes closed, perfectly still, etc etc.

Make a silent wish one time– “may I be happy.”  Or, “may I have ease,” ”may I be peaceful.” The specifics don’t really matter, just something along those lines.

Now, feel this wish.  You know what it is like to feel peaceful, so bring up that feeling.

Sometimes people use triggers to get this feeling started – like remembering something really happy – puppies, babies, motorcycles…  Whatever makes you grin.  See, you know what it is to feel Metta, it’s a common human feeling – friendliness, good will, happiness.  That spontaneous smile when you see something hilarious or adorable.  That’s Metta.

So you bring up the wish, feel it, and stay with it…

Until it fades, or you start planning dinner, or whatever.

Then you let the distraction go – let it be there and relax your head and body once.

Smile, just because.

And then make one more wish and feel that.

Repeat.

The method for dealing with a distraction is identical to the using the breath.  Now instead of returning to relaxing on your breath, you return to the feeling of your happy wish aka Metta. 

Some more about Metta. 

Metta is a feeling, it is not an emotion.  You already know what it feels like, but have probably never consciously cultivated it.  You get to rediscover it.  How?  Pay attention to what the wish feels like.  What feeling arises in your body right after you make a wish, or simply smile?  Well, eventually it will probably feel like a warm, glowing/radiating feeling in your chest.  Seriously.  Maybe other feelings will happen to, that fine.  This may sound a wee bit odd, or fluffy, but this is anything but.  If it helps for all you science based hard heads out there (myself included), when the vagus nerve is stimulated, it feels like a warm, glowing/radiating feeling in the chest.  That’s well documented neuroscience.  So, something like that is happening with the meditation.  In my recent bout of school, I did several studies looking at the effects of meditation on novices; autonomic nervous system markers were our primary outcome.  And yes, the effects of the vagus nerve become stronger with meditation training.

Don’t get me wrong, there is way more going on with meditation then simple autonomic re-regulation; it’s a process that goes to the core of your perception and supposed self.  But, one step at a time.

Don’t make this too complicated.  Just smile, have a light mind, make your wishes, and follow the instructions carefully.  Metta will naturally arise and develop.  If you don’t feel it, that’s fine.  Just do the instructions, don’t try to feel it too hard, and it will naturally arise.   When you get good at bringing up the feeling, try letting go of the verbal wish.  The wish is actually just a cue to bring up the Metta, nothing more.

Make good wishes for yourself for about 10 minutes.  Then you get to give it away.  This is actually easier for some folks, but you MUST send to yourself at first.  This is a gradual, methodical training, and every part has a purpose.  Also, you really can use the Metta, especially if you’re so rough on yourself!  So, you get to get over any resistance you have to wishing happiness for yourself.  Whatever comes up, let it be there, relax, smile, and make a wish for yourself, despite your resistance, and stay with the feeling.

Then send Metta to someone else – your “spiritual friend.”    Your friend is someone alive, is the same sex as you, not a family member, and one that makes you feel good whenever you think about them.  No complicatedness in the relationship.  You don’t need to know them either.  The Dali Lama is a good candidate for most guys who like Buddhism, or pick another person that could use the good vibes.  Choose a person, and don’t change them once you are settled.  Give yourself like three or four sessions to decide, and then choose.  Later in the training you can change the person, but for now just have one.  No need to be complicated, let it be simple. 

So, a good wish to try would be “may they be happy.” Right?  Or whatever you feel like.  "may they have ease,""may they be joyful."  Etc.

You don’t need to visualize them perfectly.   You might see them, you might not.  About 10% of your focus is on sending/visualizing.  The rest is on generating and staying with the sensation of Metta and the rest of the meditation instructions. 

Remember, Metta is just the object of meditation.  Instead of returning to the breath, return to Metta.  Metta is a little more complicated with all the above details, but has some pretty nice benefits.  Ultimately, Metta is simply an object of meditation – a reference point that allows detailed insight and stabilization of mind.  Once you get the hang of it, it is really quite simple and the benefits are remarkable. 

Have fun!

Livin up the street from a 3rd World Warzone

A Tale of Two Cities: Ciudad Juarez and El Paso

Andrew Kennis, Truthout: "Charles Bowden dubbed Ciudad Juarez 'Murder City' via the title of the book he published in 2010, the same year the city suffered 3,110 murders. 'You have come on a very busy day today,' Sandra Rodriguez tells me ... 'There have already been eight murders,' adds Rodriguez as she walks briskly back toward her desk to finish the next write-up. It is just 4 PM." 
Read the Article 

Checkout the article, if you're interested.  I'm currently reading the book they quote from and it's neither an exaggeration, nor a comfortable read.  In other words, definitely check it out if you feel truth is more important than fantasy.

The BSA is Done!!!! 99.9%

So some pipe changes and a bar change. She is ready to roll, tomorrow I will post another burnout vid. I have thrown about 15 miles at her, nothing broke.... Yes!!! Rear brake ad front are now serviceable.

The only things I may add are a remote oil filter, and drop the front about 1 more inch

It's Getting A Little Too Quiet In Here

Lets get a few pics to make everyone happy:

A little American and British steel