Intake

Intake

HAND JOB SPOKED FLYING BRITTEN

HÊEHSTHHT THE EOfíVEHSHTÈOn

Whoa! That was either the cheesiest cover you’ve ever had or the coolest. While trying to decide, I read “Hand Built,” “Get Dirty,” and “Norton Commando.” Since I’ve just finished rebuilding the transmission on my 750 Commando (a dirty “hand job,” so to speak), I concluded that’s an über-cool cover. Good on ya for stepping outside the box and totally eschewing your “look.”

TERRY ZERI BELLINGHAM, WA

Thanks for the backhanded compliment (get it?). You’re probably glad to see that we stepped safely back inside the box for this issue, huh?

HAND-BUILT

Loved the “Hand-Built” edition (May). I'm an ER nurse who recently finished a 14-month project building a Triton, on which I did everything from fabricating the oil tank to sewing the seat. Wheel and motor building, paint, polish, and wiring are the things I find both challenging and rewarding. The shop time helps take the stress out of my day job, and thankfully my wife understands and supports me.

JIMMCALEER

CYCLEWORLD.COM

Dang! When I opened my mailbox and saw the cover, I thought maybe, just maybe, we might have some home-built bikes like the old American Flyers issues. Well, hell, where are the bikes? C’mon, man, let's see some specials! I give you an "A" for effort and an "F" for execution.

RICK STEEN CYCLEWORLD.COM

HOLES

I enjoyed “Holes in the Memory” by Paul D’Orleans (Wandering Eye, May). Sad that there are so many references to HarleyDavidsons in books but so many “holes.”

I applaud his efforts and look forward to seeing more tidbits about rare bikes like the Roper in the future.

BOB CUSICK CYCLEWORLD.COM

BRITTEN AS ICARUS?

I can add a bit to Kevin Cameron's conversation with John Britten (Race Watch, May). About 10 years ago I was talking with Erik Buell for one of my “too Bike Buys” columns for Sports Car Market. We were talking about the Lightning and his ingenious ideas (oil in swingarm, gas in frame, wheel-rim disc brake, the underengine exhaust, etc.).

I asked Erik if he'd ever met John Britten. "I spent hundreds of hours on the phone with him, but we never met," he said. "He wanted me to take over his motorcycle operation. I asked him, ‘Why would you want me to do that?’"

"I think I’ve cracked man-powered flight," he said.

PAUL DUCHENE CYCLEWORLD.COM Duchene is an occasional contributor to C W and a longtime writer on both car and motorcycle subjects.

MASTER’S CLASS

I remember our family doctor telling me that most people get one master teacher during their lifetime. For him it was a doctor who taught bacteriology in medical school. He and others drove too miles from Toledo to Cleveland during the 1940s just to take his class. Kevin Cameron is our master motorcycle technology teacher. His latest article on metal creep (TDC, May) is a case in point. Thanks, Kevin.

DREG PAPPAS CYCLEWORLD.COM

Regarding Kevin Cameron's article on lacing your own wheels in the "HandBuilt" issue, it does seem this work is a lost art. But it would be really hard for even the puzzle fanatics to get the procedure down correctly if they're told that the "inners" spoke ends are both "less bent" and "more bent" in the same sentence! The outers ends are, in fact, more bent as they have to bend around the hub to return to the rim. I realize this was a typo, but it had me shaking my head for a moment saying, "Huh?"

Many years ago, before the advent of cast wheels and tubeless tires, lacing wheels was part of a bike mechanic’s job.

I thought lacing wheels was fun, what with figuring out and laying the spokes in the cross pattern you wanted. The truing process was the hardest part, but with a little patience and time, you got the method figured out and got her done.

JIM MADRID LANCASTER, CA

Comments? Suggestions? Criticisms? Write us at intake@cycleworld.com.