Time again for Thunder Beach!

[wfooshee]

Hey, I think I'll post some pictures!!!!!!

It was thunder beach weekend again this week, the semi-annual cruiser gathering here at Panama City Beach. not my crowd, but I do like walking the parking spaces to see what I can find. There's usually a stunt show of some kind at one of the venues, too. Here's a selection of what I saw:


Anybody seen Bob hanging around???

Silver Wing GL500. Sorta.

4-valve pushrod 80-degree V-twin

I see a tag, but I don't see no tail lights....

Insanely fast bikes

The Kwak is GREEN!

Anybody who knows anything about motorcycle style knows that the helmet must match the bike.
And if there's anyone who knows anything about motorcycle style, it's this guy!

Triumph Thunderbird LT, with some extra finishing work

Classic Kawasaki Vulcan, stepped seat

Current Vulcan. The times, they are a-changin....

Now there's a good-lookin' bike!
(I need to get that seat fixed, though.....)

Suzuki's big bike, with the ultra-dollar bags and stuff.

When renting a plain scooter just isn't up to your "coolness" standard......
(Seems like they could have made that empty space under the frame useful, like a cargo box or something....)

Aw, man.... somebody bought one of these things! That's only going to encourage Honda....

You know that guy with the big house up the street, then someone comes and builds a house next door almost exactly the same but with more stuff?

This was interesting, in an Arsenio Hall sort of way... (things that make you go Hmmmmm)
Local constabulary on a Victory Cross Country, and it had the Florida yellow government-agency plate....

From back when they had to tell you they were DOHC

Seriously. Just how much chrome do you need on a motorcycle????

Speaking of things I just don't understand........

Two bikes that cost way too much!

If you haven't fringed your fender, you haven't fringed your bike!

Saw this bike at two of the venues. No clue who it is.

No description necessary....

Wait, what?

Motorrad for the road

Orange you glad you got a KTM?

Now there's a classic look!

Scout Sixty. Water-cooled, transmission in the engine case, all modern and stuff!

No clue.... It's a scooter. No foot controls, just the boards, and a brake lever on each handlebar. I found no name on it anywhere.

Those pipes tho!

 

[wfooshee]

Taking in the ramp jump show, I got this idea..... My camera doesn't buffer enough frames to go past 8 or 9 when shooting continuously, so I set it to JPEG instead of RAW, and reduced the resolution to 4MP. I ended up able to get about 20 shots before it started coughing.

Hold the camera still and shoot continuous during the jump. In Photoshop, stack the images as layers and align them, because you can't actually hold the camera still. Pick one to use for the background by deciding where it's best to have the crowd looking, and on all the other layers, delete everything that is not the bike. If there's overlap, do some careful selecting and deleting so stuff shows through the wheel if it needs to.

In this one and the last one, the overlap actually obscured the stunt, so I just used every other frame.

And I took some tight shots as well.

 

[stose85]

Great looking photos except for the Fringe. DEAR GOD THAT'S TOO MUCH FRINGE!!!

 

[Tiger_993]

Wow - nothing like sending the ace reporter out to cover the gig. Great photos and commentary!

 

[Chiefblueman]

Really great photos. I have actually performed a couple of the stunts myself. Unfortunately, my separation from the moto was a lot more than momentary and we didn't land together.

Really enjoyed your post, thanks!

 

[Mihalis fjr]

Great photos!!!Thanks for sharing wfooshee!!

 

[gapiob]

nice, thanks for sharing

 

[gapiob]

nice, thanks for sharing

 

[Madmudder]

Wow - nothing like sending the ace reporter out to cover the gig. Great photos and commentary!

+1

 

[Viper Pilot]

AWESOME! Makes me wish I was there. Thanks for sharing and great comments as well!

 

[Keep Up]

That would be my blue FJR with the Leesure Lite camper on the back of it. Brought it along in case anyone in my club got crazy buying stuff and needed the extra hauling capability.

 

[Tiger_993]

That would be my blue FJR with the Leesure Lite camper on the back of it. Brought it along in case anyone in my club got crazy buying stuff and needed the extra hauling capability.

Was the trailer attached when you were scrubbing off the chicken strips on your rear tire?

 

[wheatonFJR]

Wow Walt. I will never go to one of those shows...but thanks for going and making it interesting. I enjoy your quips and your master photography.

 

[Uncle Hud]

GREAT photos and commentary. (See? Now I don't need to go.)

Couple of questions, wfooshee:

1) Your bike's on the side stand in sandy Florida turf without a pad/BigFoot? Are you a magician?

2) The B2Cool chopper ("things I just don't understand") appears to be resting fully on its frame, without a kickstand. Yes? (Note to Momma Yama engineers: make this happen for Gen5 FJRs, please.)

3) Can't see any blue lights or markings on the motor officer's Cross Country. You think he was having a test ride? I'd love to see Victory making police bikes ...

4) How did you get those photos of yourself jumping from ramp to ramp?

Gracias por sus respuestas, amigo.

 

[stose85]

GREAT photos and commentary. (See? Now I don't need to go.)
Couple of questions, wfooshee:

1) Your bike's on the side stand in sandy Florida turf without a pad/BigFoot? Are you a magician?

2) The B2Cool chopper ("things I just don't understand") appears to be resting fully on its frame, without a kickstand. Yes? (Note to Momma Yama engineers: make this happen for Gen5 FJRs, please.)

3) Can't see any blue lights or markings on the motor officer's Cross Country. You think he was having a test ride? I'd love to see Victory making police bikes ...

4) How did you get those photos of yourself jumping from ramp to ramp?

Gracias por sus respuestas, amigo.

Uncle Hud the police are already using Victory's as police motorcycles. Check it out!

 

[wfooshee]

GREAT photos and commentary. (See? Now I don't need to go.)
Couple of questions, wfooshee:

1) Your bike's on the side stand in sandy Florida turf without a pad/BigFoot? Are you a magician?

2) The B2Cool chopper ("things I just don't understand") appears to be resting fully on its frame, without a kickstand. Yes? (Note to Momma Yama engineers: make this happen for Gen5 FJRs, please.)

3) Can't see any blue lights or markings on the motor officer's Cross Country. You think he was having a test ride? I'd love to see Victory making police bikes ...

4) How did you get those photos of yourself jumping from ramp to ramp?

Gracias por sus respuestas, amigo.

1. This lot is dense grass, not loose sand. Most places. I did see this a few years ago:

2. Pneumatic rear suspension, it just sits down on the frame, pumps up to lift for riding. Perfect thing to have fail on the road.....

3. Didn't see lights, but it had the state yellow tag that police cars get.

4. The ultimate art of the selfie!

 

[wheatonFJR]

^^^^

Hey kids, it Bozo the Clown mcy ( with a bit too much to drink).

 

[LittleJon]

No clue.... It's a scooter. No foot controls, just the boards, and a brake lever on each handlebar. I found no name on it anywhere.

I think it's a CF Moto. I have a similar machine for my wife as her first bike. It is marketed as an "Automatic Motorcycle". It's a scooter.

 

[wfooshee]

That exhaust is the same, for sure, as are the front wheel and brake.

*Googles*

Oh. Canadian. There ya go, eh?