THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO ALL BIKERS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND WORLDWIDE. TO ALL THE VETERANS, THOSE LIVING AND TO THOSE WHO GAVE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE; TO THOSE CURRENTLY SERVING AND TO THOSE IN THE FUTURE WHO WILL SERVE LONG AFTER WE ARE GONE, TO PRESERVE THE FREEDOM THAT THOSE IN THE PAST, WE IN THE PRESENT AND TO THOSE IN THE FUTURE HAVE ENJOYED, ARE ENJOYING AND WILL ENJOY, AS WE RIDE FREE AND ENJOY LIFE ON OUR CHOSEN MODE OF TRANSPORTATION: MOTORCYCLES.
REMEMBER: IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE PICTURE BIGGER, JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE!

Friday, July 15, 2011

A RIDE UP TO BANDIT'S PLACE 6-30-2011

       Thursday,6-30-2011, I rode up to Ryan Oklahoma, after making a stop in Byers Texas  to pick up TATU, to see BANDIT. BANDIT has a motorcycle shop and he was going to replace my handlebar bushings, replace my front brakes and put a new tire on my Harley. Scroll down and join us on this ride and REMEMBER: IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE PICTURES BIGGER, JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE.                            


                                     
It was a great day to ride. We had a blue sky, sun was shining bright and the temperature was 82 degrees at 7:30 a.m. The high today was forecasted to be 110-112 degrees this afternoon and that's why we made the early run to Ryan Oklahoma, so we could get back to Texas before it got hot.

I make a quick stop in Byers Texas and meet up with TATU. He is gonna ride up to Bandit's with me. BANDIT is the President of the RED RIVER CHAPTER-GUARDIANS OF THE CHILDREN, TATU is the NATIONAL REP for the RED RIVER CHAPTER-GUARDIANS OF THE CHILDREN and I am just a lowly member of the RED RIVER CHAPTER-GUARDIANS OF THE CHILDREN.

We leave TATU's house and stop by the gas station as TATU needs to top off his gas tank. Here he is at the pumps.


As I was getting off my bike, I guess I  accidentally hit the shutter on my camera and got this picture,. I thought it was unusual, so I didn't delete                                                                                               it.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                           
Both of our Harley's at the gas station in Byers Texas


We pull out of the gas station and head North up TX79. Here is TATU rolling North.


Another of TATU heading North up TX79.

TATU is enjoying the nice cool temperatures and smooth ride as he indicates with a thumbs up.


As we enter Ryan Oklahoma, I get a picture of this wooden sign as we enter the city limits. This is at the city limits if you are South bound on OK81                            



I park the Harley at the entrance to the shop as BANDIT gathers up the tools he will need for today's work.

First up are the handlebar bearings. My handlebars were moving back & forth approx. 3" and BANDIT was going to replace the rubber bushings with the red polyurethane bushings

One of the many bikes waiting to be serviced by BANDIT. BANDIT is very popular and well known throughout the area and he works on a lot of area bikes.

Here BANDIT is working on getting the right bushing free from it's location on the right side.

TATU is in a good mood today as he helps BANDIT with the change outs. My job is to be quiet, observe and take pictures. I do get to ask questions if they are doing something I need to know about.

BANDIT gets the right bushing removed.


TATU gives BANDIT the bushing already oiled and put on the sleeve.

The right side finished, BANDIT repeats the procedure on the left side.


The handlebar bushing finished, BANDIT moves on to the front brake. Here he has it removed from the disc.

As BANDIT looks for another tool to use, I take a picture of two of the other Harley's he is in the process of servicing.
Bandit removing the old brake pads.

It was getting hot fast and TATU sheds his colors and puts them on the luggage rack of my Harley..


TATU shows the two brake pads. The an one is the new pad while the black one is the old pad.


Now a side view. I am embarrassed to learn that the brake pad taken off has little to no brake pad left..

TATU looks on as BANDIT replaces the pads back into the housing.

BANDIT makes some final adjustments and reattaches the front brakes to the disc.

Next and the final job on my bike today is getting a new front tire. Here my bike is partially raised. We are now looking for a small shop jack to raise the front of the bike off the ground.

Here is the new tire that is going onto the bike. BANDIT prefers the Pirelli Routes because they are softer rubber than the Dunlop Harley Davidson tires and get better traction, in his honest opinion, of course. So, I said why not. I'd try it out and if I didn't like it, I'd go back to Dunlop's on my next tire change.

Her is BANDIT cranking the shop jack up so the front end will raise up and he can get the front tire off and the new tire on.

BANDIT removing the valve stem covers.

BANDIT back at his work bench looking for an item

The right hub removed so BANDIT could remove the axle.

As TATU cranks the shop jack up, BANDIT gets the front tire off.

Almost every motorcycle shop I have been to has either a dog or dogs or a cat or two running around. Here is one of BANDIT'S shop cats. This one is meowing because he wants his ears scratched. So, I oblige him.
BANDIT breaking down the old tire from the rim.

It is by now, very hot out and I shed my colors and hang them on the gate to the shop.


TATU shows the difference between my old tire with little tread left as opposed to the new tire.
BANDIT and TATU working on getting the old tire and tube off the wheel
This is the air tank in BANDIT'S shop.
The old tire off and the new tire & tube on.
TATU has to leave and head back to TEXAS and get ready for work. I walk him to his bike. I love the art work on his bike. Here he stows his colors in the saddlebag as it is close to if not over 110 degrees and a leather vest would be too ho to wear..
TATU'S bike with the great color scheme..


This is BANDIT'S Harley, parked out front.
Another picture of BANDIT's Harley. This will be the final picture for today's post. When I got back to the shop, BANDIT had the front tire back on my bike. I talked for a few minutes, put my colors in my saddlebag, thanked and said goodbye to BANDIT and Set out for TEXAS and home.

It waS good to see BANDIT today and, as always,good to see and ride with TATU. I look forward to our next ride, whenever it occurs and where ever it takes us.

Scroll down for more rides, runs and events and don't forget to click on the "OLDER POSTS" at bottom of each page or underneath the last post on the page,

Continue to pray for ALL of our troops both in and out of Harms Way; especially for Che Whitaker, Chris Drage and Fred Hughes, all of whom are serving in the Afghanistan Theatre of Operations and  for Pattie Jackson who has been deployed to Qatar..                                                                                             

 Until next post, ya'll be careful out there, keep the rubber on the road, keep your head on a swivel, and most importantly of all.............................RIDE SAFE.......................JOHN 

Thursday, July 14, 2011

ALL AMERICAN HAWG SERVICE 6-28-2011

On Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011, I took a ride over to Wichita Falls Texas newest biker owned/biker operated business, ALL AMERICAN HAWG SERVICE. It is owned by Mike & Gloria Toney, friends of mine for the last 3 or 4 years. You frequent viewers of the North Texas Bikers blog series, should have no problem remembering who they are, as they have been on many, many rides with us and have been on many posts. So, scroll down and join me on this visit and REMEMBER: IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE PICTURE BIGGER, JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE..                                                                                 


ALL AMERICAN HAWG SERVICE is located at 3905 Wayne in Wichita Falls Texas. Wayne is located off of Midwestern Parkway (across from Sikes Senter Mall) 1 block East of Kemp. This is the business store front.
The business sign  with the business phone number, which is: 940-386-9100. You may call them if you have any questions about the biker apparel or accessories or types of services done on motorcycles.


This is the store hours and if I hadn't taken a picture with the reflection that I did, you would've seen the times. So, here are the business hours:  Monday-Friday  10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday 9a.m.-2 p.m.

Here are the store hours and some of the services ALL AMERICAN HAWG SERVICE provides. Here is a rundown of what ALL AMERICAN HAWG SERVICE offers:  Full Service on V-twins; all bikes serviced-(American, Metric or Custom, old or new, big or small), Batteries, Chrome, New Tires mounted & balanced and oil changes. They also have Motor Clothes, Hot Leathers and have Bikers Choice Custom Chrome. They also have accessories like sunglasses, bracelets, gloves etc.                                          

Meet Gloria & Mike Toney, owners of ALL AMERICAN HAWG SERVICE. Again, feel free to call them if you have any questions about their motorcycle services and apparel/accessory items. If they don't have an item or can't get it, they will try to find out where you can get it locally. Mike & Gloria have been in the North Texas/Southern Oklahoma area a long time and have ridden their bikes all over the area also. There isn't too much out there in the way of motorcycle shops, that they don't know about. Gloria also rides her own Harley.


Mike and his Harley in the shop area.


Gloria takes care of things up front and usually, her bright smile is the first thing you'll see when you enter the business. ALL AMERICAN HAWG SERVICE'S MOTTO IS: ACCESSORIES FOR YOU AND YOUR BIKE. SERVICED WITH A SMILE.
Another picture of Gloria behind the front counter. Shown are some helmets and bracelets. You may also contact ALL AMERICAN HAWG SERVICE by email at this email address: mike@aahawg.com or you may visit their website (still under construction) at: http://www.aahawg.com/



Some of the accessories on the back wall.

                                      
Some of the apparel offered by ALL AMERICAN HAWG SERVICE. I bet,. as the biker community lets Gloria know what their wants and needs are in motor clothes, that the apparel section will expand. I would like to see them get patches for our vests. There is no business in town, other than RRHD, that carry patches and RRHD's selection is small.

These sunglasses crack me up. Not only are they skull's, but they light up as well.


Some of the t-shirts carried by ALL AMERICAN HAWG SERVICE.


The Custom Chrome sign above a front bay door.
Here is Mike and head mechanic, Boyd, out in front of the business.                                                           

One of the Harley's waiting to be serviced in the service area.
Boyd was telling me that the little mini bike looking bike can do about 50 mph and that is with Mike on it. That is something I HAVE GOT to see...Also, that American Flag is a sign and that motorcycle is attached to it. All that is needed is a tall pole out front and it will be mounted to it.                                                                                                                                             

This is Boyd's Harley. He is in the process of customizing the bike and he told me it is for sale,. I had all the info but I lost my notebook a couple days later when I totalled my bike, so if you are interested in buying this bike, call Boyd at the shop. The number is: 940-386-9100                                                                           

Boyd's Harley and my Harley soaking up the sun. Temperatures were 105+. We have had two months in a row of 105+ temps so far and we are also in the middle of a drought that hasn't been seen since the 1930's..


A left side view of Boyd's bike


Boyd and his Harley.


Another picture of Boyd and his Harley                                                                                                

Here is a picture of me and Lance. Lance is good friends with Mike & Gloria and was visiting them today also.
As we were talking, in walked Bo, a friend of mine for 30+ years and a former co-worker.


Bo was in a pretty good mood today. He and his wife, Laura, both own and ride Harley's.She has a Harley Heritage STC and Bo, I think,currently rides an Ultra Classic.
Mike & Bo out in front of ALL AMERICAN HAWG SERVICE.
Another picture of Mike & Bo. These two guys are characters and are fun to be around.
Here is a flyer for ALL AMERICAN HAWG SERVICE with most of the info that I have put on this post.

If you are in the area on Saturday July 16, 2011, stop in and check out the GRAND OPENING of the ALL AMERICAN HAWG SERVICE. It will be a good time and if Mike is doing the BBQ'ing, then you are in for a treat because that man can flat out BBQ..

Last picture of the post is of  front of the ALL AMERICAN HAWG SERVICE business, Wichita Falls newest biker owned/biker operated business. I hope the biker community in the area supports this business because it is here for us. I have seen too many biker businesses go under due to no support and I hope that changes with the opening of ALL AMERICAN HAWG SERVICE. We need this business, the few other businesses that are biker oriented and even more biker businesses to open and be supported by the local biker community. It sure would be nice to be able to buy patches, leathers, shirts, whatever and get the bikes serviced locally and not have to ride 50-100 miles to find something.

I had a good time today seeing Mike & Gloria and meeting Boyd. It is always a pleasure to see Lance & Bo, two very good friends of mine.                                                                                                                  

Scroll down for more rides, runs and events and don't forget to click on the "OLDER POSTS" at bottom of each page or underneath the last post on the page,

Continue to pray for ALL of our troops both in and out of Harms Way; especially for Che Whitaker, Chris Drage and Fred Hughes, all of whom are serving in the Afghanistan Theatre of Operations and  for Pattie Jackson who has been deployed to Qatar..                                                                                             

 Until next post, ya'll be careful out there, keep the rubber on the road, keep your head on a swivel, and most importantly of all.............................RIDE SAFE.......................JOHN