tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268201692024-03-13T09:35:24.593-04:00Honky-Tonk Dragon"We're our own dragons as well as our own heroes, and we have to rescue ourselves from ourselves."
- Tom Robbinspunkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.comBlogger1082125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-86653783956776922892010-04-04T14:45:00.002-04:002010-04-04T15:01:13.138-04:00Pics of the new scootAs promised here are some photos of my new (to me) 2005 Piaggio BV200. Not a lot of modifications to this beauty yet. Lucked out, and we had OEM side-cases, a wind-screen, and a top-box in stock.The windscreen can be adjusted to two different heights, and has two parts to the shield, so that buffeting is reduced. The screen was pulled off a crashed bike, and required some sanding to remove punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-7339401839740991642010-03-13T02:07:00.004-05:002010-03-13T02:44:44.284-05:00New Scooter!Here's to my new-to-me scooter, a full dress 2005 Piaggio BV200 I picked up for next to a song and some sweat equity. It's deep blue with sidecases, a topcase, and windscreen. 16" wheels, front and back disc brakes, and a liquid-cooled, carbed, 200cc single cylinder four-stroke engine. Power outlet and light in the underseat compartment.Straight Eurotrash pimpin, y'all!While I was troubleshootingpunkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-8186292911200820812009-12-05T00:22:00.002-05:002009-12-05T00:39:08.316-05:00Mike Meyer RIPI worked with Micheal Meyer for several years at Art Outfitters in Little Rock Arkansas.Mike and I were instant, and irrefutable friends. He was an old school punk guy, I was an old school punk guy, we work together,, we had many friends and acquaintences together, we went to the same art openings, we shared an easy an instanteous friendship, which I for one took too much for granted.And now he punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-76073576465761180472009-11-24T19:07:00.000-05:002009-11-24T19:08:49.088-05:00Muppets Bohemian RhapsodyBest thing I have ever seen on Youtube.punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-47166444973361958762009-11-06T22:14:00.002-05:002009-11-06T22:22:55.369-05:00More Proof that Vespas have ClassA couple weeks ago, the New York Times ran a story about Tom Boissonnault, a technology teacher at Eastchester Middle School in Eastchester, N.Y.Mr. Boissonault, it seems struck upon the brilliant idea of teaching kids about design and engineering through the hands-on project of restoring a 1966 Vespa Allstate. Not just any barn find, this classic Vespa had been dredged from the bottom of a lake!punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-31312615828091594942009-11-05T12:19:00.002-05:002009-11-05T12:26:10.407-05:00New Blogging DutiesSo I rarely have the time to devote to this blog these days, and it looks like that is only going to be increasingly true over the next few months.HOWEVER, I will be blogging all sorts of Power Sports goodness at the new Branchville Motors & Vespa Ridgefield blog.Check it out!This way I can blog about cool scooter and motorcycle stuff during the down times at work, without violating my Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-66212575154711564552009-08-19T00:16:00.002-04:002009-08-19T00:24:39.726-04:00The Devil is RealI was watching "Walk the Line" with Zoe the other day... and the scene where Johnny is talking about playing Folsom, and the record execs are telling him his church going audience won't approve... And the man in black says, "Well then they ain't real Christians." I've been thinking about that, and about how my Mama has always claimed religion would be alright if more Christians were religious thepunkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-55509210378725935012009-08-16T01:24:00.002-04:002009-08-16T01:43:49.222-04:00Take the Skinheads Bowling and discuss Mod HistoryI guess parenthood has made me tragically unhip... I had no idea that Camper Van Beethoven had gotten back together, but here they are, performing that late 80s college radio classic "Take the Skinheads Bowling"Schweet!and along a similar vein, I recently found this info graphic, which illustrates the history of Mod culture in the US. While it doesn't specifically mention scooters, or SHARPS, it punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-45893478667245065632009-08-16T01:19:00.001-04:002009-08-16T01:20:31.700-04:00"socialism for life's needs, and capitalism for life's wants"I know I haven't been blogging lately, but I ran across this on Reddit tonight, and thought that it was meme worth spreading.punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-23247461816341642652009-04-14T07:37:00.002-04:002009-04-14T07:42:51.671-04:00Rules for the Cult of CapitalismRecently, my buddy Klint renamed his Technoccult blog, Renegade Futurist, and his focus for the blog seems to shifted some.No worries, though, he's posting some awesome stuff like this "Rules for the Cult of Capitalism":3. When the government charges for its services (taxes), this is theft. When private enterprises charge for food and rent, this is just. 4. Theft is the worst crime known to man. Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-52910155476949397602009-04-13T23:28:00.002-04:002009-04-13T23:38:56.706-04:00Triggering Traffic Lights on a Scooter.Every scooterist has faced this at one time or another, those damned traffic light sensors that your scooter can't trigger.I've seen discussion of this on several scooter forums, but really never expected to see it addressed in the mainstream media. But apparently, the Columbus Dispatch has tackled a story that other papers have been afraid to touch... perhaps out of fear of losing the punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-67176465494827708902009-04-13T22:26:00.003-04:002009-04-13T22:43:26.982-04:00American Scooterist: Issue # 54/55 Scooting to the BeatSomehow, I got the latest issue of American Scooterist today. My dues for Vespa Club of America must have expired two years ago, and I never changed my address with them when you changed coasts.Not that I'm complaining.If like me, you are interested in the history of American counter-culture, the Beats, and scooters, you owe it to yourself to get a copy of this issue.Proving there is nothing new punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-14077297656748813742009-04-12T01:37:00.003-04:002009-04-12T01:50:42.063-04:00Dave Arneson has Left the Prime Material PlaneAs is my wont of late, I am late in this post in observation of the late Dave Arneson, who failed his last saving throw versus Cancer earlier this week.This means that the two main minds behind the origins of Fantasy Role Playing Games, have left us.I know there were some issues about Dave not feeling he got his due credit for his role in the creation of Dungeons & Dragons, though for me punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-23071863374696391542009-04-01T21:57:00.004-04:002009-04-01T23:20:46.123-04:00Scooting Again!And Hello again!Well, I have to plead fatherhood for the umpteenth time on my lack of posting recently.But it is Spring, and I have a new (to me) scooter.It's a 1992 Honda Elite 80. This little beauty came into the shop as a trade-in on a new Vespa, and I just couldn't bear to see him go to the wholesaler. So, I sold my Honda Magna 500, and bought this little guy. Probably the best downgrade of Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-12856926473910837812008-12-20T17:05:00.002-05:002008-12-20T17:12:09.061-05:00Jello Biafra's Advice to ObamaIf you are up for some in depth reading, I suggest you check out this open letter to Barack Obama from Punk-Rock-Patriarch Jello Biafra. It's the sanest thing I've read in some time.IRAQ – TRY THIS!The closest thing to a solution I have heard was offered clear back in April 2004 by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (www.oic-ico.org). The OIC is comprised of 57 Islamic countries ranging Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-20117708329310901142008-12-04T21:12:00.006-05:002008-12-04T21:42:52.035-05:00Life Imitates the Illuminatus TrilologyI just have no idea what to make of this story.In the months prior to 9/11, Israeli Art Students with loose links to Israeli Ecstasy traffickers attempted to infiltrate DEA offices; visited DEA agents at their homes; and lived near the 9/11 hi-jackers.If you think this sounds like the ravings of that guy on the bus who smells like stale milk and wears mismatched shoes, I don't blame you. But I punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-33353132838895778972008-11-30T11:44:00.007-05:002008-11-30T12:08:53.545-05:00Retro-Futurist BikesFor your Gernsbackian delight, Well Medicated blog has a post up with 45 covers of classic pulp science magazines. Check out the title link for all kinds of groovy domed houses, jet-packs, and flying cars. I have of course selected all the cycle related covers, for your immediate edification.via bOINGbOINGpunkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-53889126925082318302008-11-25T07:52:00.002-05:002008-11-25T07:58:53.673-05:00Solving Motorcycle Parking ProblemsA Kent County man who got fed up with the run-around his requests for two-wheeler specific parking received from the local council, took matters into his own hands and painted the lines for a cycle parking spot himself. This story just made my morning.He painted a space for one motorcycle and carefully added the letters ‘MC’, only to realise there was no way he could park his bike in it. “It punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-57568116951584974442008-11-24T21:29:00.005-05:002008-11-24T22:55:10.356-05:00Marcus Dairy PrintsSince moving to Fairfield County, I've heard a lot about Marcus Dairy, a local diner which is something of a biker Mecca. "Will you be at the Dairy Sunday?" is the local motorcyclists' version of "See ya later." I hadn't really gotten a chance to go, until Oct. 12, which just happened to be the last "Bike Show" there. No scooters in attendance, but there was plenty of target practice for shootingpunkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-39495305374979865002008-11-23T23:22:00.003-05:002008-11-23T23:24:27.884-05:003D CT Animation of Unhelmeted Rider's HeadCheck the title link for the most compelling argument for wearing a helmet you'll see this week.Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-63165678064137470562008-11-23T22:29:00.003-05:002008-11-23T23:12:48.012-05:00Nissan's EV StrategyThis article on Nissan's plans for moving towards electric vehicle and zero-emissions vehicle production, and their maneuvering for the creation of infrastructure necessary for such a proliferation, is pretty damn interesting:Nissan is bringing the first of their electric cars to market by 2010 in many locations around the United States. According to Alan Buddendeck, Nissan’s VP for North Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-48348074258323420622008-11-19T21:43:00.003-05:002008-11-19T21:46:27.774-05:00Chainless BicyclesCNN has a story up about some new bikes coming to market, which utilize a belt, much like most scooters, instead of the traditional chain...kind of interesting...Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-36490141794887879672008-11-12T20:53:00.005-05:002008-11-14T23:10:26.451-05:00The Dragon's Unexpectedly Cute SpawnYes, I know I promised to keep the baby blogging to a minimum, but I've got relatives crying for blood over the lack of baby pictures.Besides, just look at this cutie! I know drag queens who would kill for those lashes.Amongst the overwhelming flood baby shower gifts, and even enough hand-me-downs to cloth an Appalachian village of infants and toddlers, was a 10 mega pixel DSLR.One of the other punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-12103189986055065132008-11-11T00:29:00.003-05:002008-11-11T00:38:01.828-05:00T C and Me: A Little RockumentaryYet another documentary on the coolest little music scene you've never heard of, this one about the Rockingest of the Little Rockers, TC.I can't wait to see this one, TC is one of those characters that once you meet him, he's burned into your psyche. He changed the way I looked at Metal (the man is like a Man-O-War song made flesh) and the way I look at shoes. Plus in the above preview, there areHonky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-31473375644196217542008-11-10T23:59:00.004-05:002008-11-24T23:57:49.470-05:00War of the Worlds II: The Steampunk SequelI just got a report on a new animated movie co-written by David Abramowitz, and using the voice talent of well, most of the cast of Highlander the Series, as well as Adam Baldwin, from Firefly. Sounds pretty cool.The Dragon's Highlander correspondent reports:War of the Worlds: Goliath that was co-written by David Abramowitz and is voiced by Adrian Paul, Adam Baldwin, Peter Wingfield, Elizabeth punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0