Jeff

[SteveBarber]

Hey Cory,

It's hard to read black & white text and hear my sarcasm. Im just trying to lighten the mood here.

My insinuating that Joe's Grey Ghost is a candy coated piece of sheet is nothing more than a joke. I dont think that and never did or will. I hope he sees the picture and laughs. That was my intention, nothing more.

I could get mad that Jeff said 15 HD's are cheater bikes or that Joe said people who ran clincher tires and no front brake were inexperienced and had something to prove. Who cares. It's just their opinions and nothing to get upset about. I had a great time on the cannonball and we all did it our own way.

[junkyarddog]

Steve
I have never met you, but I am gaining respect as you try to take the edge off of the post.
Great job on your cannonball run.
The rules were pretty much run what you brung, so I don't understand any problem.
Would some one clue me in to where the M&M's got in this.
I don't want to watch the Jeff videos again. He sounded like he was in an echo chamber to me & didn't understand 1/2 of what he said.
Happy Holidays & Trails to all
Jim

[c.o.]

Steve! I guess I did misinterpret your words in black and white. It flew right over my head.... Your intentions to lighten the thread were a good one. It does appear that a lot of you folks on the Cannonball did it your own way, as it should have been. Great job by the way on your accomplishments on your '15. I'm sure the old boys long gone were looking down on you with a smile.

[SteveBarber]

Thanks Cory,

There's no doubt I had some help from my father upstairs looking down on me. I can only wonder what the previous owners of my 15 had to say as I crossed the finish line with a perfect score. I gained a whole new perspective on life and my motorcycle business after watching many of my fellow Cannonballer's work their asses off just to go for a motorcycle ride. It was simply amazing to see Shinya rebuild his bike by flashlight, to see Pete Young true flywheels on the tailgate of his truck, to see Jon Szlay make his single run again with a forklift connecting rod, to see Ron Blissit use a .020 piston after taking a .030 out and run her hard the next day and so much more. I can go on and on with the accomplishments of each rider. It was simply amazing. Most of us didnt get a trophy but we all left with badges of honor. No one did it wrong, we all did it right.

[45OZ]

[QUOTE=Buzz Kanter;104402]Interesting idea. But please note these bikes did not have 6 or 12 volt electrics. Pre-1916 motorcycles had magnetos and acetylene lights only when new.

Buzz You did miss the point I know all about mags. & the source of electrical power in pre 16 bikes, the point was the argument about modifying for the reason of reliability it had nothing to do with the actual age of a bike, it was meant as an explanation of the origin of this discussion & how it would be continuing forever, But thanks for your input.

[Slojo]

Joe said people who ran clincher tires and no front brake were inexperienced.

Out of context.

I did not imply inexperienced rider skills. My implication was in reference to lack of clincher tire rider experience nothing else. Steve for the benefit of all the readers give us a recap of your near death experience clincher tire failure and what it would have meant if it happen under different circumstances such as at greater speed, on a narrow cliff, without a guard rail and a few other riders in close proximity.

Jeff I wish you no harm. Time tempers many issues this is one of them. With a similar blend of ages my old world bike building incorporating modern materials equipment and technology is similar to your casting of old world subjects using modern materials equipment and technologies. We really are not the far apart, except I have an appreciation for your art and it doesn't appear you reciprocate. That is ok you don't have to like my work just show a little respect for the effort that goes into such a project.
Side by side comparison depict, aside from the candy coating, our two !914 HD twins are not that far apart judged by the common eye. We also share the same concept of using a single speed machine for the challenge. By the way my pistons valves and valve springs were not made by Harley Davidson were yours? Was the United States Motorcycle Tire Company brand on your tire sidewalls. Furthermore most of the content in my bike not made by HD was made in my shop by my own hands.

With nearly 5000 miles on the clock absent of a Mercedes support team I will continue riding my candy coated feces filled "Goldwing" (aka Gray Ghost). By the way the ingredients of my "Goldwing" are as follows: original quality HD parts, experience, research, design, engineering, development, advanced materials, metallurgy, heat treat processing, accurate manufacturing, sweat, labor, time, and then stir. Just as Harley Davidson did 96 years ago. I did not incorporate feces or a bunch of hollow castings (sorry for the jab).

History is history recreation is not creation we all work with the cards we have been dealt. The Ghost and I complied with the rules of the event it is what it is no more no less and nothing was concealed in the build process. See the facts at http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/bbo...n-ball-request (contents included). Keep up the good work and remember we are all in this little boat together.

Joe

[jurassic]

Jeff's Response

i should keep my mouth shut.
i forget when i am talking to one guy with a camera, i am talking to who know's how many people.
i was jealous of those smart guys who prepared and took advantage of modern technology.
i half assed this race, ran out of time and money, and tried to justify it in my own mind.
i was in awe of every rider.
that interview took place the day before i left, i was scared and aware of my lack of preparation.
lately, a few different interviews have opened my eyes to how a knee jerk comment can hurt so many feelings.
sorry guys, you are the last community i want to offend, you are the group i love and respect the most.
jeff decker

[jurassic]

jeff sent me his response to this thread a few days ago. i didn't post it because i did not think he needed to apologize to anyone for anything. not because i agreed with most of what he said ,but because he didn't see the unedited version of this thread. its quite easy to remove nasty comments from a post,yet the comments are made just the same.

[Slojo]

Lonnie
Jeff
The "nasty" removed comments were e-mailed to me from an AMCA enthusiast that is currently unable to post. Although much of the comments were factual (some opinionated) they were unnecessary to make the point. I reluctantly posted them and quickly removed them as I to believed them to be harsh.

Lonnie Jeff's video comments were of the same quality as the "nasty" removed comments.

I can appreciate Jeff's new above post and understand what it is like interviewing with a camera pointed at your face, intimidating, not easy. Good luck with your future endeavors Jeff and keep up the quality art work, all is well.

Joe

[jurassic]

its cool , we'll do it again when we can all afford to.

[exeric]

As someone who often talks first and thinks later, I can admire people with strong opinions and the courage to express them. Both Joe and Jeff are creative artists who follow their own instincts. That is a good thing and you would be un-true to yourselves if you modified that behavior. You can pick up the pieces later but you have to follow those instincts.

[Paquette]

I should probably stay away from this thread as I choose not to have audio on my computer. That said, I know many of the Cannonballers as friends, and many more by reputation. Buzz Kanter, Steve Barber and others I know by sight, Joe, whom I have never met, I know by his posts about the progress of his "Grey Ghost" project and followed it on this forum. He in my opinion is one of the greatest machinists and motorcycle men I have ever seen. As back in the day motorcycle speeds on the old roads might not have matched those of modern roads, I see no problem with updating the Cannonball rides to make it safer for the rider. I know many magnetos failed there were other problems, but my bottom line is that I salute all those that did the ride, stock for whatever year be damned. All of you will have my envious endorsement--Michael--6671

[Slojo]

I sent a personal e-mail to Jeff and a true gentleman he is. His quick response cleared all the confusion and left me with the knowledge that he and I share more in common than previously expressed. All is well no bad blood between us. Jeff was not aware of this forum therefore he was not privy to the conversation. Visit his interesting Blog at .http://jeffdeckerstudio.blogspot.com...1_archive.html

Thank you all who have tolerated this mess and those who have offered positive comments of both Jeff, myself and the work we do.

Joe

[Slojo]

As someone who often talks first and thinks later, I can admire people with strong opinions and the courage to express them. Both Joe and Jeff are creative artists who follow their own instincts. That is a good thing and you would be un-true to yourselves if you modified that behavior. You can pick up the pieces later but you have to follow those instincts.

Eric

"Brevity is the sole of wit", Eric you nailed it. If I were that eloquent in my verbal dexterity my article would not bore so many readers.

Joe

[Slojo]

The Cannonball event was colorful because we had so much color in it's content with many different interpretations of what a Cannonballer bike should be. The assembly of unique individuals is what makes our world go around.

Joe