Over the weekend of the Barber Vintage Festival, I had a few goals: to show off a few bikes, hang with friends, and race my 1960 Harley-Davidson pan/shovel (or “dirt shovel”) in the cross-country race. This race was usually reserved for the likes of Hondas, Yamahas, Husqvarnas, OSSAs, and Pentons. Needless to say, I was the odd man out and loving it.
Most of my fellow riders would be on sub-300-lb bikes. But my dance partner of choice was a 600-lb, 1200cc Milwaukee gorilla. Oh, and did I mention it was the early stock rigid chassis? Even at registration, they asked me repeatedly, “Are you sure you wanna go through with this?” They obviously didn’t know my reputation for throwing this thing down fire roads, power line trails, ice lakes, and flat tracks every chance I get.…