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View Full Version : You just never know : )



atc007
03-11-2013, 10:48 AM
Shortly after opening my shop in 88. A "newer " neighbor to the area had me tune and work on his saws. Usually carb problems. A real " character" for sure. Short,a little hunched over,funny and fun to be around,sometimes rode up on a Honda Passport sometimes his Nissan truck. But,,sent customers to me from here there and everywhere. More than I wanted. Ed says your the man to tune this !! Take it to Bill ! He told us! One thing led to another and soon I was boring a cylinder or two,,porting,,finding old outdated sled parts for him etc.. The years go by and I begin to realize ,this earth shattering sound I hear once every early February is a racing motorcycle flying up and down my hill. I realize it's Ed. Final tuning for Daytona.. YEARS after I've been tuning these things for him. He would bring guys in and show them how it was " No accident" Dad and I put the windows in the shop where we did. For the sun to shine in as workbench light and warmth etc..

Time goes by and he buys BOTH old garages in our "town" . Next thing I know,,there's a huge Bike collection.. Way out of my league and knowledge base. Indians,Nortons,Harleys,Vincents,,on and on.. We really get talking now! Well,, seems ol Ed was playing Possum with me all those years,,maybe ASSUMING ,I knew who he was. I didn't :(.. He was a Factory rider for Indian after the War. WW 2 That is !! He served in the war,,and told me stories of racing his Pony out into forbidden territories at night. Just a real gem !! We then get talking about his Yamaha,Indian,Nissan dealerships.. How he just returned back home from Jay Lenos,,and the Harley sidecar he just imported from Australia,,etc,,etc,, And he had made ME feel like I was the hero all these years! Ed was put in the Motorcycle Hall Of Fame in 2002. He is on his way home from Daytona as I type this. He still runs vintage races all across the country. Like everyone,he has had a ton of ups and downs. He needed a hip replacement a few years back,,,but still ran Daytona,,he said,,help me on the damn thing.. And catch me when I pull back in the pits ! He is a true go getter. They don't make a lot like him anymore,and it has been my pleasure to have him as my neighbor ! I know at least one member here knows him. You just never know do you :)

http://motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=171

MRSOUND
03-11-2013, 11:16 AM
I stopped in at your suggestion after leaving your place last summer. Super nice guy and was all about showing and telling me about his collection. Looking at the outside you would never know what lies in wait behind that garage door. Lots of cool vintage racers with lots of history along with just some rare models. Although he told me about racing some of them himself he never let on that he was influential enough to be inducted into the hall of fame. What I thought would be a 10 minute walk through checking out a couple of bikes turned into an hr long show and tell. Hell of a nice guy and very open to someone he never met before. Class act for sure.

dustrunner
03-11-2013, 11:20 AM
awesome , love to hear stories like that bill....thanks for sharing....small world we live in...

atc007
03-11-2013, 11:37 AM
Never a clue in the world who you were talking with did you Mike? Very humble. I purposely don't look up results now, so I can get them straight from the horses mouth ! As long as he stays up on two,it's all good. Lol,, Hall Of fame is the least of his accomplishments in my eyes. lol...Not real flashy up here are we Mike !!??

ShaftDrive225dx
03-11-2013, 11:57 AM
Wow thats crazy and amazing! Good to know theres still good people left out there in this crazy world!

tri-Z ripper
03-11-2013, 12:00 PM
THAT'S Awesome. Sounds like a great person to have a conversation with. Its true you just never know who people may be if they don't act cocky humble is a scarce thing these days.

jays375
03-11-2013, 06:09 PM
His doctor was pissed because he was riding a bike to his cancer treaments.I have a autographed poster to retrieve that is from the Laconia race.Got one of those Bill?

atc007
03-11-2013, 07:57 PM
I actually don't bug him nearly enough... I don't have any autographs at all from him.. Funny huh !? He's just " another neighbor"... Hip replacement ,bad cancer,bike wreck,chimney fire. He's had his share the last Century..

jays375
03-11-2013, 09:13 PM
Old racers don't wreck.They fall off.

atc007
03-12-2013, 08:28 AM
Actually,,you would probably know better than me. Because it was awhile ago. He and his Wife,,1st wife ?? Were riding on a back road, up here,darn near log road.. And got hit by a oncoming car. Ed escaped ok,,his wife lost her leg and eventually her life. I have to assume he just ran out of room. Again,this "road" is little more than a trail,but nonetheless open to traffic. Susie is an absolute sweetheart..