10 Things Your Motorcycle Wants For Christmas

Hey! There are less than 12 days left until the big C. Have you shopped yet for your favorite family member? 

That's right. You don't want to forget your bike this year. Bad enough that it has to sit in the garage while you feast by the fire.

So, what does your ride need this year? Taking a tip from our own shopping lists, we recommend: 


1. Custom Handlebars



 
If you don't already have them, you know your bike wants them. Plus, you get to spend some quality time together  during that installation process. 


2. Kickstand Plate




 
Has to be tiring leaning on that cold, hard floor all the time. But you can get your achy kickstand a cool ghost flame kickstand plate

 

3.  Luggage Rack


Its not just a rack. Its a promise that there will be an adventure  soon.



 4. Universal Phone Mount


Even a vintage bike can move into the technological age with a phone mount for the handlebars. (We don't recommend watching You Tube while you ride.)



 5. Trickle Charger


Lets face it. We wish they made these for humans to keep us charged up during the non-riding season. Show a little love for your bike with one of these and guarantee that if an unseasonably warm day takes you by surprise, a dead battery won't.




6. Indoor/Outdoor Bike Cover




What? Don't you like a blanket when its cold? 

Keep your motorcycle safe from outdoor weather, indoor dust, or just those annoying people who get their fingerprints on your chrome. 

 7. Detailing Kit

If there is even the slightest chance that you will be taking your bike out before spring, then you want your bike to be able to hit the road looking like the mean machine it is-not like you pulled it out of the attic. 

(You didn't, did you?)

8. Accent Lights

If you've been thinking about adding some new accessories, why not lights? Make your nighttime presence awesome, and your bike will thank you. (especially if, you know, all the other bikes in town have them.) 

9. License Plate Frame

If you your bike doesn't already have a custom plate frame, this is a good Christmas gift. If your bike already has a custom plate frame, then it needs a cooler one. Like this one, with skulls and bones. 

10. A New Friend 

Your motorcycle probably gets lonely sitting out there day after day. The end of the year is a great time to pick up a deal on a new motorcycle. 

If anyone asks something dumb, like why you need another motorcycle, just tell them you are being humane. 

Motorcycles are pack animals, after all. 

Happy Holidays from Two Wrenches! 

Buying Your First Motorcycle | Stuff You Need to Know

You've decided to buy your first motorcycle. What do you need to know before you make the deal?


If you are totally new to the game, then you need to know quite a lot. Whether you are looking at motorcycles because its been a lifelong dream or because you are hoping to save a little in transportation costs, here are some helpful resources to get you started.

Before You Buy a Motorcycle, You Need to Know: 

You Wouldn't Want to Ride Your Motorcycle Through This!

Renegade Bees in Oklahoma

What could possibly make you think twice about taking a nice, long bike ride on a perfect day? How about several thousand angry honey bees?

That is what motorists faced when a semi hauling bee hives overturned on an Oklahoma interstate today. That was bad news for the bees, and for agriculture. But it could have been really bad news for any unsuspecting riders zooming into the swarm.

If you want to see what you could have looked like after meeting with that force of nature, check out KOCO News' video of an OHP car being seemingly swallowed alive by bees. 


As always, ride safe friends! You never know what might be around the next curve!


[If you did ride through this, or anything just as wildly awesome, let us know!]

Worship The Great Outdoors

Share if you are looking forward to riding this weekend!

Easy Rider Motorcycle is the Mystery That Made History

The Most Money Ever Paid For One Motorcycle--The Captain America Bike

What is the most money you've ever shelled out for a motorcycle? Even if you broke the bank to buy your ride, chances are you didn't make history. However, on collector just did...paying over 1 million dollars for a single Harley-Davidson.

Not just ANY Harley-Davidson though. This was the legendary Captain America bike from the film Easy Rider. 

Those who embrace old-school motorcycle culture pretty much count this bike as the film's leading star--the familiar flag design has been replicated numerous times by fans and free spirits everywhere.

So, this collector is really lucky, isn't he? Wouldn't we all like to have an extra couple of million in our pockets to buy such an iconic piece?

Truth is, he may not be so fortunate. There seems to be a little question of whether or not this is the real deal--since the same seller auctioned of another bike years ago that he also claimed was the one and only Captain America. The buyer may have actually blown that much money on a really good replica.

The mystery doesn't end there. Reportedly, four motorcycles were used for the scenes in Easy Rider. Three of them were stolen, and the fourth one (the one supposedly auctioned) was wrecked and rebuilt.

So, which is the real Captain America? No one knows for sure. Were the other three really stolen, or were the stashed away to be sold so many years later in high-dollar auctions?

Conspiracy theories are great, but we like to think the other three are alive and well and just waiting for some lucky soul to find one for sale in someone's front yard.

For less than a million dollars, hopefully.

Motorcycle of the Day--Orange Harley-Davidson

 

Found this bike soaking up some sunshine. Loving the orange pearl paint, and that seat wins the Most Interesting Bike Seat of the Month award.

Two Wrenches Is Hitting the Big Time!

Damn! Look what happened while we were out riding? Our little blog just hit the big 4000. That sounds a good reason to celebrate.

Lets Ride to That!

Honda Goldwing 40th Anniversary | The Many Colors of the Honda Goldwing

Sporty yet comfortable.

Has it been 40 years already? For the die-hard fan of this luxury tour bike, it may seem like only yesterday that the first of its kind was debuted in October of 1974.

The Goldwing was created specifically to provide comfort, power and convenience for long distance travel. Today, it still provides that, along with some new bells and whistles.

Although, we haven't seen any 2015 Goldwings on the road yet, there were quite a few at last Saturday's Fallen Heroes Ride. Check out this colorful selection of Honda Goldwings in celebration of their anniversary:

Now that gets your attention.

What better color for a Goldwing than gold?

Looking classy in black

Even a purple Honda Goldwing

Also spotted two blue Goldwings and one in white.

Quick Facts About the 2015 Honda Goldwing

Here are some of the things you can look forward to seeing on the anniversary edition Goldwing:

• Two color choices--candy red or black
• Heated seats and backrest
• Foot warmer
• Anniversary badges

All this as well as other niceties such as heated handgrips, XM radio, satellite navigation, cruise control and an airbag option.

Price range? Anywhere between $24,000 and $30,600.

What Color Is Your Goldwing?

Fallen Heroes Poker Run | Oklahoma Motorcycle Event

 

Two Wrenches Bike Shop | Fallen Heroes Ride

 Bikes and BBQ

This Saturday was the 6th Annual Seminole County (Oklahoma) Fallen Heroes Memorial Ride. This local tradition draws bikes from several counties (and sometimes states). Every year there is something different to look forward too--this year it was a BBQ cook-off at the end of the ride.

The chance of rain seemed to have scared away many would-be riders--no doubt bad memories from the first year, when close to 300 bikers nearly drowned in an unexpected downpour. Rain or no rain, there were plenty of familiar faces, many of whom have ridden or worked behind the scenes since the very first event.

Two Wrenches Bike Shop | More motorcycles at the Memorial Park in Wewoka, Ok

The faces might be familiar, but some of these bikes were "never-before-seen-footage". Check out the Can-Am Spyder!

We aren't sure whether or not we would ride one, but it was definitely an attention-grabber. Below are more bikes and one of the BBQ contestants.

This Victory is also a fresh face in the crowd.

Victory

However, here is one that is as familiar as any old friend. See where it was featured as one of our "Bikes of the Day" photos last year.

You can see motorcycle pictures from last year's ride here. Or you can check out these cool facts about Poker Runs if you missed them the first time around.

Biker Math

Okay ladies and gentlemen of the biker world. Summer is almost over, and that puts a lot of us in a bad mood. We know you aren't going to let those bikes get rusty during the cold months, so why let your brains get rusty either?

Because we care about your brains, we are offering up some biker friendly math problems to lift your spirits and keep you as sharp as your ride. Just think of them as WD-40 for your thinking gears: 

• 1. If  Earl weighs 225 pounds, and his girlfriend weighs 120 pounds, and Earl's back tire has 40# psi of air, how long before they hit a hidden pothole the size of Crater Lake at 85 mph? 

• 2. Ned paid $10,000 for his used bike. His neighbor paid $23,000 for a new bike. If Ned's neighbor rides his bike home on a Thursday at 3:00 pm,  how many minutes before Ned mentions to his wife that he is considering trading for a new model too?

• 3. You are leaving for a 750 mile road trip. Your right saddlebag holds approximately 15 pounds worth of items. Your left saddlebag holds approximately 30 pounds. How many miles from home will you be when your kickstand malfunctions?

• 4. Tim and Buster have ridden 106 miles from home. If Buster's bike needs an adjustment, and Tim has a 5/8 wrench, an 11/16 wrench and a 7/8 wrench. What are the odds that he will need a metric IF they are 15 miles from a parts store at 5:59 pm on a Sunday?

• 5. If a motorcycle holds roughly five gallons of gas, and gets 45 MPG, and the rider travels an average of 85 MPH, how long before he meets a cop?

• A motorcycle club holds a fundraising ride. If there are 310 bikes, and 3/4 of those have two riders, and the bikes leave in groups of five at 70 mph, how many miles will they travel before they get behind a car doing 35 mph in a 75 mph zone? 

• The same motorcycle club stops for lunch at 12:30 pm. They are supposed to be back at the starting point, which is 150 miles away by 4 pm. They start back at 1:25. If it is 112 degrees, and the pavement is approximately 200 degrees, what are their odds of  having to inch through 25 miles of construction for 2 hours?

 Have a great day, and if you know the answers, don't give them away!

20 Reasons and Excuses To Go Riding Today

This is July. The sun is out. The roads are hot. This is summer. Please don't tell us your bike is garaged. Why aren't you riding? Do you need a reason? An excuse? A little motivation?

We can give you all that and more! Here are 20 more than great reasons and excuses why you should be on the road, and 3 reasons why you shouldn't :

Why You Should Go Riding Today: 

1. There is something you need from the store.

2.You need to fill it up with gas.

3.You just need to listen to the engine.

4. Everyone else is doing it.

5. There is someplace you need to be.

6. You just need to get a little fresh air.

7. You can get there quicker.

8. Parking is easier.

9. You need a happy thought.

10. You promised someone.

11. There's nothing better to do.

12. Why not?

13. Because the road is out there.

14. Because you just found a great new riding song

15. You are already dressed for it.

16. It is a shame to waste good riding weather

17. Because you want to.

18. Because it is Sunday. Or Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

19. Because you have a bike.

20. You are alive.

3 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Ride Today

1. Your bike is busted.

2. You are in the hospital.

3. You are dead.

(And really, those are 3 pretty lame excuses.)

Biker Photo of the Day--Spring Has Sprung!

Finally! The snow is gone, and we have had our first taste of 80 degrees (our sympathies to bikers living in areas still getting blitzed with blizzards). This week, we've seen more and more bikes shedding their winter coats and trickle chargers and getting their wheels back where they belong--on the road.

Check out this custom paint job we found sunning itself on a hot piece of pavement.  Midnight purples with a ripped skull design. Too cool.

Just a friendly reminder from the Two Wrenches Bike Shop: although we enjoy fixing bikes, we don't want to see this one, or any other bike, in a bad road accident.

Vehicles: Please watch for motorcycles!

Riders: Ride safe! 

Everyone: Share the road and have fun in the sun!

Motorcycle Pics and Humor to Warm You Up

How we have felt for three months...

Damn You, Dirty Snow

Great news for bikers in some regions--the weather is promising to warm up for a bit. We might even see some temps in the 60's.  Sure, there are plenty who still get out there and ride when it is 0, but probably not so much when the snow and ice are up to the handlebars.

It may be a few more days before the last of the ice disappears, but until then, here are some motorcycle themed memes and photos to give you  a laugh, (or just get you in the mood to ride.)

No matter how cute you are, you can't run a stop sign.

Best mobile business idea.

Bugs taste better at high speed. 

Not all bugs though...

You will still be young enough to ride when Spring gets here.

If not, then improvise.

Second best mobile business...

Have you planted your bike seed yet?

And road legal. 

Meanwhile, behind the scenes...

We want to work there!

Thank God for Swiffer.

Or at least send us a free sample for a week or so. 

Biker Photo of the Day--What Arctic Blast?

Couldn't resist snapping this shot of true biker love. The temps that day were 21, with a windchill that "felt like -9". Meaning COLD. Period. 

Yet this brave dude is out and about on his bike, armed only with a jacket and a cup of coffee. We might not be quite that adventurous these days, but we still admire the spirit. 

New Year's Resolutions for Bikers

And of course...Ride Safe! Happy New Year's!

Happy Holidays and Some Winterizing Tips from The Two Wrenches

While we were out and about, we caught up with The Man In Red. According to his predictions, there is going to be some cooooold weather moving through, and he wanted to get in one last ride before he has to trade in his bike for his sleigh.

Since this is Oklahoma, there are still going to be some random warm days that are perfect for catching a quick ride, so many of you probably won't completely winterize your motorcycles. These cold snaps are the perfect time to bring the bikes to the shop though for those little jobs you've been putting off all summer. (yeah, we don't want to be parted from our rides during the warm weather either!)

If you do plan on storing your bike all winter without riding it, here are some tips for winterization:

1. Take one last ride.

2.. Top of your fuel tank with high quality gasoline

3. Run some fuel stabilizer through the tank.

4. Change the oil and filters.

5. Change primary fluid and transmission fluid.

6. Make sure your tires are inflated to the correct pressure

7. Thoroughly clean and polish the entire bike.

8. Place battery on a tender or smart charger

9. Cover with a breathable cover. Not a plastic tarp.

10. Park in a covered area away from a direct heat source and sunlight.

11. Move bike occasionally to change pressure points on tires.

12. Occasionally fire it up and let it run a few minutes. (This last tip is heavily debated. Use your own instincts!)

If you choose to ride on icy roads, remember to clean any road salt from your bike immediately!

Happy Holidays, and Ride Safe!

Motorcycle Toy Drive and Christmas Parade

Here is something new that has been going on in Oklahoma! This is a great idea to make sure that all kids have a special toy at Christmas. Anyone in the area is welcome to ride in or watch the parade. 

Honoring Our Vets!

Flag Flying over Fort Thunder Harley-Davidson

Taking today (and every other day) to remember those who have served and those who are serving still.

The Babe Bike Is Done!

1975 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1000

This bike was a M-E-S-S when it came in! It came in with a typical complaint; "won't charge, won't run." Didn't take us long to figure out why! 

Anything and everything that had to do with the wiring was...scary. A quick peek revealed what looked to be about 17 different types of wire (including old stereo wire) spliced together to create the wiring harness. No piece of wire was longer than a few inches by itself. Yeah, it had that many splices. 

To really ensure that the bike would never run correctly, there was only one circuit breaker to handle all that "wiring". The whole bike had to be completely rewired. Every inch. 

Other Issues 

The wiring wasn't the only problem we discovered. The charging system was blown too. And the forks had NO oil in them. Here is everything we did: 

• Rewired entire bike
• Replaced charging system
• Replaced alternator
• Replaced voltage regulator
• Repaired shifting linkage
• Adjusted clutch
• Adjusted front wheel and spacers
• Repaired oil leak
• Mounted exhaust
• Added fork oil
• Rode it.

Custom mirrors

This was one of those projects that created a new issue each time an old problem was fixed. Sure was a great day when it started and an even better day when it was able to be ridden for the first time. This really is a cool, custom bike. Way too cool to not be out on the road.

Biker Photo of the Day--New Friend Found at Fort Thunder Harley-Davidson

This is why we love going to Fort Thunder. You just never know who you will meet.