1952 Vincent Black Lightning

[warrprayer]

aka The Ballad of Red Molly. Red hair, black leather, speed and death.

almost forgot - to me the song is about empowerment...

&list=FL4hcMwXTqtn32u2RzBaS8qw&index=49

[HarveyDarkey]

1. When I was in college, one of my professors was restoring one in his living room

[warrprayer]

2. I believe they set a land speed record

with one, the guy rode in a swimsuit.






One hot bike for an Outlaw as per the song!

[HarveyDarkey]

4. I understood they never knew how fast the ones off the showroom floor could go

They always pegged out on the speedometer (it only went to 140)

[warrprayer]

7. that is a whole lot faster

... than I would ever, ever want to go on a motorcycle. I don't believe modern Harleys are anywhere near that fast. If you tried putting unleaded gas in her she would probably spit it back in your face

[ConcernedCanuk]

10. Must be gettin good vibes offa that back fender!!

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[Tuesday Afternoon]

3. watch out dumbass you are gonna shoot off her chin. careful where you point thing

blasted fool!

[warrprayer]

5. LOL

Pulp fiction rules!!!

[Tuesday Afternoon]

6. for realz

[warrprayer]

8. Mad Dogs

... and Englishmen Forever!

[Tuesday Afternoon]

9. Monday was just on the phone with me

about it all ...

on edit: look at the cost of those tix !!

[MiddleFingerMom]

11. That's an incredible song by and incredible artist, but...

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... "Red hair and black leather is my favorite color scheme" -- makes me think there should
be a "Genius Song Lines Hall of Fame". That line shows particular brilliance.
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[warrprayer]

12. You are correct...

the song was written by this guy....

[In_The_Wind]

13. Awesome!

[warrprayer]

14. My hat's off

... to you!

?w=600&h=600

[MiddleFingerMom]

15. Is that yours? It's incredible.

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I started riding at 13 and, once I got past my 14-yar-old idiot phase where I was hitting speeds
as high as 100 without a helmet, I realized that no one with any real sense denies the need for
a helmet.
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I was waiting at a stoplight at 2AM (I had long before stopped drinking on the bike) in 1981 when
I was slammed into from behind by a drunken 18-year-old doing 55 in Mommy and Daddy's station
wagon -- deciding to blow the light and not noticing I was stopped between him and the intersection.
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I was wearing a full-faced helmet and, afterwards (I survived, btw), you could see where I hit on
my face and the several layers of metal mesh that were gone would have been my jaw (or more).
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I quit riding for about 25 years because of that accident, but was fortunate and smart enough to
get another bike around 6 years ago or so. I was wearing a little biker shorty helmet when some
asshole pulled out and made a right-turn at a stoplight right in front of me in the cross-street.
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I dumped the bike, falling to the left to avoid traffic behind me -- I also fell backwards (not so
much intentionally) and felt my helmet do what it was supposed to. My head slammed into the
asphalt, but it felt like I was laying my head back into a pillow. Real chance it saved me from a
fractured skull or worse.
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Needless to say, I'm STILL a firm believer in helmets (although I had to stop riding about 4 or 5
years ago.
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[warrprayer]

16. Hello, MFM!

I am honored to hear from a venerated denizen of the lounge! Sorry my reply is so slow, but my time on the computer is limited, and your post appeared after it ran out!
Anyway, the helmet is not mine, but an image I selected to be an amusing response to ITW.
Back in the day when I owned a bike, my own helmet (required at the time in my state) was black to match the bike. I couldn't afford a Harley, even being a member of U.S.W.A. (oh the irony) and bought two Honda CB 450 basket cases of 70's vintage and built my own bike. This is close to what it looked like...



except mine still had the swingarm frame which was chopped and channeled. Since I did chrome plating, I chromed the swingarm which looked pretty cool.

In the interest of self preservation, I decorated the babk of my black helmet with a Maltese cross made of orange reflective tape, which was cool in that if seen at night at a distance from behind, looked like this Iron Cross floating in the air...

As for helmet rules, I believe it should be the choice of the rider. I personally saw too many times how utterly stupid cagers (car drivers) can be, it would be my choice to wear one, and mine did save part of my scalp once.

Sorry to hear you can no longer ride, I have followed your threads and am aware of your situation, and wish you always the best of health!