"Laconia '80 was a treat for just about everyone...." That's a direct quote from former STC editor Bob Clark, and by the looks of his event coverage, he wasn't kidding. Ten pages-most of them color-were dedicated to the East Coast run in 1980, so you know it must have been a worthwhile event. "Riding the streets up and around Weir's Beach, one could find just about everything, from some of the finest tattoos to some of the wildest dressers." From what Bob reported, the locals had just as much fun as the visitors did, and the "unpleasant incidents" were few and far between.
Speaking of motorcycle events, Sturgis is where STREET CHOPPER came across Allen Peterson's custom Sportster. He sent the alcohol-burning '73 V-Twin engine to Axtell Sales in Des Moines, Iowa, to be completely rebuilt. The rest is handmade by Allen, including the rear fender, all the linkages, the faceted gas tank, and even the kick-starter. "Schnapps and suds may not have been the only alcohol that got burned up in the Black Hills during the annual Sturgis Run, but Allen Peterson's high-performance bike was the hottest thing going." We bet at least few geniuses tried to dip into the gas tank after the beer ran out.
Another hot little Sportster featured in the October issue was Ralph Perry's '72 "Sundancer." An Arlen Ness rear fender and rocket tank got some special attention from none other than industry veteran Dave Perewitz more than 25 years ago. Perewitz's Cyclefab also supplied the "X-rated" motor mounts, while Ness pipes exit the exhaust from the otherwise stock engine. We wonder what Dave would think of his paint job more than a quarter of a century later.
"Masterpiece on Wheels" by Van Scooten showcased a fine-looking '47 knucklehead. The detailed rigid was painstakingly customized by Henry Mikus. He raked the neck 1 inch, and installed special mounts welded for the oil cooler, drag pipes, and king/queen seat. At Walt's Harley Repair the knuckle's heads were ported and polished, and a K4 knuckle cam was added, as well as 1/8-inch oversize valves and a Drag Specialties beltdrive. After Henry molded the frame and neck, he had several coats of candy-apple red applied and a topcoat of urethane for depth.
In case you wanted to get caught up in some conspiracy-theory adventure while in the bathroom or taking a break in the garage, Eric Mottner brought some motorcycle fiction back to the magazine with his two short stories, "War Against Bikers" and "Forget the Past." On a technical note, Joe Hunt provided a step-by-step breakdown of a Lucas Magneto overhaul for a healthy dose of tech, and Diane Covey covered the International Drag Bike Association's fifth Spring Nationals.
We're sure plenty of our readers have some Laconia stories that could rival the ones generated by our event-coverage photos-even some from 1980. Maybe this will inspire you pull out the incriminating photos or tell a few stories to those who haven't heard them. Until next issue!