From 46167d486646abe369132051a037a2ec68ed892d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Alex Scerba Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2025 18:44:04 -0500 Subject: Add H-D homecoming post --- ...n_Homecoming:_2025+motorcycles+events.tmpl.html | 29 ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 29 insertions(+) create mode 100644 html/blog/2025-07-14+Harley-Davidson_Homecoming:_2025+motorcycles+events.tmpl.html (limited to 'html/blog') diff --git a/html/blog/2025-07-14+Harley-Davidson_Homecoming:_2025+motorcycles+events.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2025-07-14+Harley-Davidson_Homecoming:_2025+motorcycles+events.tmpl.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a215863 --- /dev/null +++ b/html/blog/2025-07-14+Harley-Davidson_Homecoming:_2025+motorcycles+events.tmpl.html @@ -0,0 +1,29 @@ +{{ define "article" }} +
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Busy weekdays lead to tired weekends. I've missed a few events not realizing they were even happening. Not this time. While deciding what to do, I stumbled across the fact that it was the Harley-Davidson Homecoming and that there was a vintage motorcycle meet scheduled at their headquarters. After some prodding and persuading, I was on the road with my Sportster to meet my Chicago friend at the event.

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On arrival, we were met with some extremely cool, rare bikes. I need to do my homework, but I watch enough Wheels Through Time on YouTube to know that they were special.

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+ Pre-war Harley-Davidson single cylinder race bike. Grey tank, brown seat, black frame. +
H-D pre-war race bike.
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Race bikes are always interesting, as they push the limits of engineering for a win. This yellow bike is no exception. I've never seen dual headers on a single exhaust port before, yet here it is.

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+ Pre-war Harley-Davidson single cylinder race bike. Yellow tank, brown seat, black frame. Dual exhaust on a singe valve head. +
Another pre-war racer but with dual exhaust on a single cylinder!
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These kinds of meets always bring out interesting characters. While eyeing a WL, the owner greeted us and let us sit on it and take a picture. He told us all about the bike. It's a wartime civilian model, which makes it rare for reasons you can surmise, and it has an original plate. He has a WLA at home as well. Turns out he is an engineer of sorts that works in the food industry. It's a travel heavy job, and he rattled off a list of places in Europe that he'd be in the coming month. I love meeting people like this. It's a reminder that there's cool people everywhere. You don't need to be a <insert_industry_with_prestigious_and_pretentious_connotation_here> to be cool.

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+ My friend Rex, censored, sitting on a war-time, civilian Harley-Davidson 45 motorcycle. +
Rex on the WL.
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I also discovered H-D's newer CVO wheels... amazing. There was another that I didn't get a picture of. These wheels allow for tubeless tires on a spoked rim, as the spokes nuts are external on the side of the rim. It also has the side benefit of giving the wheel a lot more depth and section, which looks great IMO. I guess you might suffer lean angle in some situations, but Harley-Davidsons drag the kickstand before you're ever hitting the edge of the tire anyways. I'm just glad to see a production example of great, modern looking spoked wheels.

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+ Modern Harley-Davidson CVO spoked wheel with trapezoidal castings where the spokes lace to the rim. +
CVO spoked wheel.
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We went on the HQ tour, but it wasn't quite what we were expecting. It was more history and trivia as opposed to touring active office space, which I guess makes sense. The powertrain tour is definitely on the bucket list this summer.

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I'm glad I was able to make it, but I'll want to plan better next year to hit some more events instead of being blindsided in the morning. It was a great day, though. Beautiful weather, beautiful bikes, and a hell of a lot better than sitting on the couch doing laundry.

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