Tax season!

[Rick Bennett]

.....Or how my wife is getting to know my Penton buds one at a time.

While working away this morning putting on some drywall mud in the laundry room, my good wife Donna began the yearly task she dreads. Yes, it is income tax season. Now, being normal Americans, this job gets put off until the last minute. So...while I began smearing another coat of mud on all the joints, she began entering my checkbook into the computer. We each run our own business, so we have separate accounts, and our financial paths only cross during tax season. This means she rarely knows what I am up to and I like it that way.

Oddly enough, questions arise during her entering my checkbook and trying to make sense of my yearly spending habits.

Now you have to understand...I don't go at any project half heartedly, so there are more than a few Sportcycles out in the barn/basement/workshop. This leads me to having to find parts and pieces and some of you have been good enough to further my addiction by selling me parts.

Sooo, now you can see where this is heading...

"Who is Buehner Supply Company?" she asks? ......No sense in stalling, I give her the whole story on my buddy Al B., and his being the drug for my addiction. I assure her all is good andI am just adding to my 401k.

"Who is Larry Perkins?" I come clean again knowing it will cost me some lovely dinners out or something shiny.

Good thing a few years back I brought home a 72 Honda CL350 and when confronted, told her it was her new motorbike. After a quick rebuild, and getting her license, she now rides with me, especially if breakfast is involved.

Sooo, one at a time Donna is learning your names.

Life is good...

Heading out to work on my Vintage 1000 Berkshire while the plaster dries.

[wfopete]

A while back my wife had a get together with some long, lost friends of hers.  As the chats unfolded there was more than one story of husbands, cheating, drinking, drugs, abuse...you get the idea.

My wife came home with a bewildered look on her face and said; "If having a bunch of old motorcycles keeps you at home and out of trouble, well that's cool with me and I can't think of a better hobby for you.

I think she considers it part of the investment for a happy marriage.

Pete Petrick
175 Jackpiner
Slow but Good

[Bill Campbell]

When I met my wife I had two bikes. A Hare Scrambler and an MC5. I started to collect more from the year 2000 on. It great to see you have a hobby and you will meet new people. I figured it took me 18 months to finish a project and yes I was "kept off the Streets" and I did meet some lasting friends a plenty of interesting people. And yes I too bought plenty of parts, albeit small ones, from Al. And a few from Andre. And a few from my new mates. As the collection was progressing I would say I would like to rebuild a (next project) and she would say sure go for it. It keeps you at home and you have met some decent people. Life was good.We were making a reasonable income and I could buy parts when I needed them.

My mates were always telling me that they had to hide bikes or bring them in in parts so there wives would not know how many were really in the shed. I would just laugh and say my wife says go out and buy it.

Sometime around 2012 I had enough parts lying around I could very easily create another bike so out popped a sort of 76 125 MC5. This was about my 9th bike in the shed. Moving on to 2016 and life was a little tougher. Business wasn't as good and we were paying more tax than we used to. Or so it seemed. My purchase for that year was a 175 basket case. This time I had to ask for permission to get it. I think it became a birthday present. The next year we sold the business and received a satisfactory payout. My present from the sale was an almost new Triumph Tiger. First non KTM since 1975. That made 16 bikes in the shed and I was flabbergasted to here Gracie say "no more bikes"!!!. What, how can this be? "If you want another bike you will have to sell one" How can I part with one of my friends. Which one? After all these years the limit had been reached when I always thought it was n=(n+1).

I have a 6 Days because I always wanted one. Same with an early 400. The 175 completes a semi series of 125,175,250 & 400 MC5s. The problem is my mate has a 420 in bits I would like to get my hands on. I also have a spare Sachs engine lying around that I reckon would be good in 75 125 laydown frame with 35mm Cherries. I also have a 250 crank that could be the start of a 75 GP to bridge the gap between the HS and the MC5.

Life is still wonderful. Gracie has met all my mad KTM mates. I even dragged her to Cleveland when unfortunately the Penton gang was not home. We did see Al's place and met Dale so all is good.

I'm not sure how the next project will eventuate. I probably will have to stop paying the Gov't income tax which is very hard as over here they take it out of your pay each fortnight.

Anybody got a 75 125 laydown frame lying around.
Ps also got another 175 motor and the Sachs motor came from a Dalesman enduro frame. The things you pick up!