AMCA Forum is a backwater of the internet

[MikeW]

I fully agree with you about Facebook. It's more a quickfire conversation platform (and a vehicle for selfies of people on their holidays) than a place for more, dare I say, thoughtful exchanges. I'm not on Facebook myself. That said, the Forum doesn't have to be boring and earnest. I'm as happy as the next man chewing the fat about old bikes.

Thank you for the response about Bosch magnetos. My question was really about the year stamp you would expect to find on the base-plate of a factory fitted Bosch magneto on a 1921F H-D. My theory was, as the 1921 model motorcycles were assembled in Milwaukee in 1920, they couldn't have been fitted with magnetos manufactured in 1921, If the stamping on my magneto (photo below), ED 21 V4 means that it was made by Bosch in 1921, then it's really a year too late for my 21F machine which should be fitted with a magneto stamped ED 20, or even earlier. I know that it's not a big deal but thought it was one of those intriguing little puzzles which crop up from time to time, and to which I thought an AMCA judge of J models would have the answer.

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[exeric]

I whole heartedly agree that the AMCA forum is of great value because past information can (with some effort) be accessed. It's a pity that so many old bike people use facebook which is like a bottomless pit of one sentence comments. I see no value in facebook as an information tool.

I thought I responded to your inquiry about the correct magneto for a 1921 J, but that might have been one of those conversation I had with my imaginary friend. . . Sad getting old. I think H-D preferred the Bosch magneto, but I've heard from many sources that customers could specify magneto brands, and that export motorcycles were subject to a variety of magneto brands for economic, and location reasons. Photographs, of post WW1 H-D, F models are usually seen with Bosch mags.

[T. Cotten]

You are right, Mike!

Even living in the heart of the USA, there's no way I can ante up for the logistics of attending meets at opposite ends of the country.

When I suggested years ago that judging go virtual, I was sniveled at...

We lost precious Time, and there is little chance the judging system cares to adapt.

....Cotten

[MikeW]

If I can make a comment or two from New Zealand. The Forum was the reason I joined the AMCA 6 years ago. With retirement imminent I wanted to get my H-D 21F restoration moving again. I am a member of the NZ Vintage Car Club which,in theory caters for motorcycles as well as four-wheeled vehicles, but with only 8000 members, most of whom are automobile drivers,motorcycles are very much the smaller interest in the Club. Some of the 36 branches have a decent motorcycle presence, others have not. Where there is a motorcycle presence, British machines dominate.

In my renewed internet search for information and suppliers to help the restoration I came across the AMCA Forum and, in particular, the J/JD Technical Discussion section. I went back to the first posts in this section and, over a short time, read them all. I copied some especially helpful posts and still have these in a folder in the workshop, I then decided to join the AMCA for two reasons: I wanted to be a Forum member so I could ask questions and engage with people with a shared interest and deep technical knowledge. And I confess I felt uncomfortable about being a 'free rider" and thought that paying the sub was the right thing to do.

In brief:

- My experience of the Forum has been almost universally positive. My questions in the J/JD Technical section have been answered helpfully and courteously.

- If I can't participate in AMCA events due to distance, the Forum helps keep me engaged and interested. Surely their must be many members within the U.S. similarly isolated for whom the Forum is, or could be, another important link to the Club.

- I tend to to be a bit long-winded in my posts, and often post pictures. The reason is that I regard the Forum as a kind of permanent repository of information and I ask myself "what would be helpful to someone, in a similar position to where I was 6 years ago, who might be looking for information in a few years' time?"

- In the same vein, I have decided that it's worth asking a question or offering a view on the Forum as the responses might help someone other than myself.

- The Forum has put me in touch with "Tommo" who has helped me in many ways with my restoration.

- I think it's important to take time to thank those who have taken the time to respond to questions.

- As expressed in some earlier posts, I too am surprised that the Forum hasn't been marketed more through the club magazine.

- Also as expressed previously, I am mildly surprised when a question sits unanswered. For example, I asked a question in the "Judging" section about age-appropriate Bosch magnetos for early Harley-Davidsons, which I thought any judge of J (or F) models could answer, but have received no reply.

- I am now at stage of my build where, increasingly, matters of detail crop up. (Are the fixing screw and nut for the rear chain guard bracket on 1921 H-D J Models plated or parkerized?) Now I could clutter the Forum with a myriad of questions like this but this is where my one, significant disappointment with the AMCA comes in. All that time, effort, research and developing knowledge which has gone into the process of judging "factory finish" motorcycles and,(irrespective of the debates and occasional criticisms), one of the most important "points of difference" between the AMCA and other motorcycle clubs, remains hidden and inaccessible to most members. My plea, is for an electronic file of detailed photos of motorcycles which have achieved "winners' circle" standards in AMCA judging to be accessible to members. I'm sure that this would complement, rather than displace, much Forum discussion.

-Yes, the technology seems a bit clunky and at times counter-intuitive, but I can live with that, The people and the content are what matters,

Thank you to the Forum moderator and all the members who have helped me to date.

Mike

[T. Cotten]

Do Peter Pan shoes make it feel like your bike is flying?

Craig

Not without an airfoil, Craig!

airfoil.jpg

....Cotten

[Dablaze]

Do Peter Pan shoes make it feel like your bike is flying?

Craig

[Bob W]

I once knew a woman ugly enough for that cover

[T. Cotten]

PS: Back to dressing like a biker....

So . . . what is the consensus:
Was the bike helmet the original "man purse"?!?!?!?

Only if it was chrome, Paul!

Helmets and handbags are easily confused...

Bag man 1.jpg
.

...Cotten

[PaulCDF]

PS: Back to dressing like a biker....

So . . . what is the consensus:
Was the bike helmet the original "man purse"?!?!?!?

[T. Cotten]

Wait, wait, how do you increase the font size? I went to my settings but could not find a way to increase the size. I'm not tech savvy and need a little help. Thanks.
John

With most browsers, John,...

There a reply box at the bottom of the page with 'Upload Attachments" and 'Upload from URL" beneath it, and a string of bewildering buttons above it. I have no clue what the first button does but the second says "Font" (if you want to get fancy) and the third says "Size", which always takes a few tries to get it the way you like.

(If you just want to view it larger on your monitor, start by right-clicking on the open desktop and choosing 'properties', and hope your operating system makes it simple.
But if you are on a phone, I would be lost too.)

Hope I helped,..

....Cotten
PS: Back to dressing like a biker....

commando ultimate.jpg

[swolf]

Wait, wait, how do you increase the font size? I went to my settings but could not find a way to increase the size. I'm not tech savvy and need a little help. Thanks.
John

[joe fxs fxr]

I am starting to see a lot more traffic on the site. "New Topics" often goes a full page or more per day.

[kustomizer]

I am often supprised to see posts that sit without a single response for a long time, once they get one then more folks chime in, kinda like a bunch of kids afraid to answer as they may not have the perfect answer. I would rather get an opinion that is one persons "reality", "perspective" or whatever as sometimes I just need that one tiny bit to open my eyes and get me going again. By the same token I, as many others may read something and get the entirely wrong understanding of what the OP is trying to say or ask and may spit out a response that in the end has nothing to do anything the OP wanted, Damn the luck, but if we pull up our big girl panties and keep trying we may help someone by accident one day, none of us know everything about anything.

[T. Cotten]

You mean I don't have to play dress up to be a biker?

It helps, Chuck!

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....Cotten

[chuckthebeatertruck]

Screw that stuffy History crap, Folks!

Gimme Lifestyle!

(Gonna miss motorcycles.)

....Cotten

You mean I don't have to play dress up to be a biker?