March 28, 2010
Stemco stood looking out over the yard chewing something. What it was he didn’t know. All he knew was that every once in a while some thing he didn’t know, would enter the space he was in and fill the…he didn’t know what, with stuff he ate. Was it good? He didn’t know. It was simply something he was compelled to eat.
Stemco had no sense of fenced in pens or how the thing would move and pass the barrier that kept him from going farther into the yard. Once in awhile, a smaller version of that thing that moved around and entered the space would come out and utter sounds that he didn’t understand and touch him on the head. It kinda smelled though he had no idea what those smells were. That smaller thing once left a space in the barrier that he simply walked through. He walked around the yard and ate something that was in what a human would call a laundry basket but he didn’t have any concept of what that was. All he knew was that a large thing came out and starting making loud sounds. That thing hit him with something and pushed him back into his area and the space in the barrier was gone. He never had a clue was that was about.
Another time, the small thing came into the area he was in and moved toward him. He put his head down and tried to butt the thing. The thing made a loud sound and moved away quickly. When it was gone there was something laying on the ground which kind of smelled like the thing but kind of not. Stemco looked at it and then ate it. Part of it was kind of hard, part of it was stringy and some of it was chewy. He didn’t know if he had ever eaten anything like it before because he had no particular memory of anything. He just ate it. Later a larger moving thing came out and looked around and then made some loud noises. If Stemco had any concept of language or shoes he could have told the thing that he just ate one.
While Stemco stood there thinking about nothing, Hammer walked up next to him and uttered a gutteral sound. Humans might think it some kind of goat language but it was just a noise to indicate that he was there. Stemco could recognize the sound as being from Hammer since different goats sound different. Stemco did not of course associate that sound with Hammer, just with another goat. Goats know nothing of names, wouldn’t understand them as other than sounds if they ever heard them.
Sometimes, perhaps a couple times a day (though they didn’t know what a “day” was) the moving thing would come into their space with something they could eat. The thing would make a sound, then a movement and there would be food. They never knew what the sounds or movements meant other than afterward there would be food. Sometimes there would be food, sometimes not. They didn’t really know or care what the sounds or movements were because they could smell the food when the moving thing showed up.
This occurred during a time when Stemco and Hammer could see things and activity around them. Sometimes they couldn’t see very well. They had no idea why they could see better sometimes and not other times. When they couldn’t see very well, they closed their eyes. Sometimes when they opened their eyes they couldn’t see at all, sometimes they could sort of see and sometimes they could see quite well. They did not know why this was and they didn’t care.
Stemco and Hammer simply ate and waited. Sometimes they got thirsty and drank water, though they didn’t know what water was, all they knew was that they were compelled to drink it once in awhile. Once in awhile they would walk around and wait some more. Sometimes they would feel compelled to climb up the wooden ramp to the top or jump up on top of the little house that was in their space. They didn’t know what wood ramps or little houses were, they simply felt compelled to use them. Occasionally they would smell something that would compel them to locate the source of that smell which was always a female goat. For reasons unknown, they would seek out the female to satisfy that compulsion. They didn’t know why that happened and they didn’t care. They had no control over it.
Humans think goats know stuff. Goat know nothing. Humans know nothing…about goats.
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March 16, 2010
Ah, the good old days. Remember when “you meet the nicest people on a Honda? ” The nineteen sixties were a formidable time in many of our lives. It wasn’t a time of all hippies and Viet Nam war protests. It was not all sex, drugs and rock and roll. In fact, the majority of people in the sixties weren’t protesting anything, weren’t against anything, did not drop out, tune out or turn on. Many were living pretty well back then.
The sixties for many meant surfing movies, skateboards with metal roller shake wheels, clam digger pants, madras shirts with “fruit loops”, penny loafers, Converse All Stars and mini bikes. If you were lucky maybe your family had a small motorcycle. The one the Hondells were named after and sang about in the song “Little Honda”.
“It’s not a big motorcycle
Just a groovy little motorbike
It’s more fun than a barrel of monkeys
That two wheel bike
We’ll ride on out of the town
To any place I know you like”
That motorcycle was the Cub 50, the most produced motorcycle of all time and was recently voted the “Best Motorcycle of all time”. It is still being produced today.
The Honda 50 AKA, Cub and Super Cub was the first motorcycle imported into the US by Honda in 1958. By the early sixties it became very popular and started to evolve into what would later become the Trail 90. According to legend, a certain rural Honda dealer in the west (probably California) was selling a huge number of Cub 50s. Honda was curious why a small motor bike intended for scooting around town was selling so well in a rural environment. When they checked they found the dealer was taking off the leg shields, installing a large rear sprocket for better climbing and adding knobby tires. This instantly became a ranch, camping and trail bike.
Honda recognized the attraction and came out with a trail version called the CT50. “CT” being the trail designation by Honda. Main features were a high exhaust pipe and a luggage rack. This bike evolved into the CT55 (54cc) and then the CT200 AKA Trail 90. The CT200 featured a 87 cc engine for more power (about 6.5 hp) and a dual rear sprocket that could be changed from road to trail use. The model designation from 1966-1968 was known as a KO. By 1968, the CT200 designation was changed to CT90, had a slightly larger displacement (89cc) and continued to be known as the Trail 90.
The larger engine on the CT200/90 also made them motorcycles as opposed to mopeds or unlicensed motorbikes. Most bikes over 50cc need motorcycle licenses and insurance to ride on the street.
Note the air filter on the down tube, the small rack and the dual rear sprokets on the CT200 above. A large chrome rear rack was bolted over the small CT200 rack as shown below on the CT90 but otherwise the bikes were the same.
Later in 1969, Honda brought out a redesigned CT90 which featured a different air filter, luggage rack, fender, front forks (telescoping vs. trailing link) and rear shock design. This model also introduced a dual range transmission which featured a lever that switched the standard 4 gears into a real low range for climbing steep trails. They advertised it as having an 8 speed transmission. It too is a K1. though it is unofficially known as the K1b version since the first ’69 model was the old style and the second K1(b) the new style. It is used to differentiate it by owners from the earlier 69 model. Note the reflector on the front fender. That reflector was only on the new style K1 and a good indicator of that model.
My two CT90s. A yellow K1(b) and an all red K6 with old style handlebars. Note the larger headlight which started with the K2 in 1970.
Below…note the silver/gray plastic side mounted air filter below the seat. The K1b is the only model with this type of air filter box. Note the lack of the fender reflector on this bike. Correct air filter box, wrong fender. There are many, many parts bikes out there.
These early bikes did not come with turn signals. Signals became standard on the 1973 model as shown below. The addition of turn signals also added an emergency off switch on the handle bars. Also note the change in the air cleaner box. This type ran a snorkel up under the rear rack starting in 1970 which continues to this day in the CT110s made for Australia and New Zealand. The ’73 is known as the K4. The K designation ran until 1975. Note the reflector on the fork arms.
The K4 also introduced a neat accessory in an auxiliary fuel can which hooked to the left rear fender under the rack and carried .6 gallon. It was not connected into the fuel system. It was to be removed and poured into the regular tank which is hidden under the seat.
Trail 90s came standard with rear foot pegs for passengers but not a rear seat. A popular option was a “buddy seat” which bolted to the rear rack. Over the years various features changed slightly. Headlight buckets were black on some models, as were handlebars and wheel rims.
The CT Trail 90 was discontinued in 1979 and replaced in 1980 with the CT Trail 110. The 110 featured 15 more cubic centimeters of power for total of 105cc compared to 89 cc for the CT90. This translated into about half a horsepower increase from 7.0 hp from the CT90 to the 110. The CT110 was imported into the US until 1986. One noticeable change in the CT110 was the flat rear rack and the elimination of passenger pegs. Apparently riding two up on these bikes was no longer safe.
It should be noted that for some reason the 1983 CT110 did not come with the dual transmission. All other US imported CT110s did. Apparently Honda thought the increase in horse power meant the dual range transmission was no longer needed. People like the low gears and that feature was returned. As noted the CT90/110 was discontinued in the us in 1987. Some people surmise the the introduction of the ATV by Honda in the mid to late 1980s doomed the trail bikes. ATVs became very popular during this time and sales greatly overshadowed the somewhat dated CT trail bike design.
The CT110 however still lives. The Australian Postal Service has been using CT110s for decades. That CT110 version does not have the dual/sub transmission, though a “farm bike” non-street legal version with the low gear is available.
The postal CT110s are known as “postie bikes” and are sold to the public when they reach a certain number of miles. “Posties” are the most popular motorcycle in the land down under and a whole subculture has grown up around them. To the delight of Aussies, Honda just announced in 2010 that they will start importing CT110s for direct sale to the general public.
CT110s are popular in Oz (New Zealand) as well. Both the farm bike and basic CT110 are street legal and available to the general public.
Since new CTs have not been available for a couple decades in the US, Americans tend to restore the old ones and ride them for nostalgic reasons. In contrast, Aussies and New Zealanders tend to build their bikes for adventure riding in the outback. They often throw long range gas tanks and a ton of equipment on them and ride across their country.
While no new bikes are available in the US, used bikes ranging from basket cases to fully restored and everywhere in between are readily found on Ebay and Craigslist. These tend to range from a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars. There are still lots of parts available and your local Honda dealer can still provide many of them. Ebay is also a good source and Beatrice Cycle AKA DRATV.com among other online sources can provide just about anything or everything else.
It is likely that a large percentage of CT90/110s currently running in the US are made up of parts from many bikes. Finding one complete and correct for it’s year of production may prove to be difficult but not impossible. There are still thousands of these bikes in garages, sheds, and barns around the country.
A new trend is to rebuild the old CT90 with a new Chinese Lifan engine. The Lifan is a close copy of the horizontal Honda engine. It is made in displacements from 100cc up to about 150ccs. It is pretty close fit on a CT frame and adds considerable performance gains for a moderate amount of money. Unlike the old Honda engines which were 6 volt with points and condenser, Lifans are 12 volts with CDI (capacitor discharge ignition) and is much more reliable. The disadvantage of the Lifan swap is that it does not have a dual range transmission. In addition, it has a conventional clutch like other motorcycles where the CT90/110 has an automatic clutch (no clutch lever). Some say the additional power of a bigger Lifan engine makes up for the dual transmission and auto clutch. Lifans range from about $300-600.
In an era when a new moped/scooter/minibike commonly fetch $3000+, a good trail bike with a new, more powerful engine can be built for around $1000. Not a bad option. Below…A CT90 with a 143cc Lifan
So, how good is the Honda CT 90/110? It has remained virtually unchanged for over 40 years. I suspect my great grand children will still be riding mine in another 40 years. It is a true classic.
Sources of information and forums.
http://ct90-ct110.com/
http://hondatrailcts.yuku.com/
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/ct90/
Sources for bikes
www.ebay.com
www.craigslist.com
Parts
http://www.dratv.com/
http://www.theatvshop.com/.sc/ms/cat/Honda%20Trail%2090%5E2F110%20Parts
http://www.oldhonda.com/plct90.htm
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February 26, 2010
Edwin Markham (1852-1940)
Markam was an educator and poet that few know of or remember today. His prose is simple and direct. His most famous poems are ‘The Man With The Hoe’ and ‘Lincoln, The Man of the People’. Markam’s Lincoln poem was chosen and read at the dedication of the Lincoln memorial.
Excerp from ‘Lincoln, The Man of the People’
| And when he fell in whirlwind, he went down |
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| As when a lordly cedar, green with boughs, |
50 |
| Goes down with a great shout upon the hills, |
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| And leaves a lonesome place against the sky. |
More from Edwin Markham…
There is a destiny that makes us brothers:
None goes his way alone:
All that we send into the lives of others
Comes back onto our own.
He drew a circle that shut me out–
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in.
For all your days be prepared, and meet them ever alike. When you are the anvil, bear – when you are the hammer, strike.
We have committed the Golden Rule to memory; let us now commit it to life.
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January 13, 2009
If you work with your hands, as opposed to your brain, feet, lips or other appendages, you have probably had the need to shed light on whatever you are working on. Then again, if you want a shed light, just go to Home Depot and buy one. The problem with busy hands however, is how are you going to use your hands to illuminate the work when your hands are busy…uh… you know..working? You could use the sun provided you were working in the daylight. You could use the moon though it is difficult to see in the daytime and not always present at night.
The solution of course is some sort of a hands free light. Hands free as in “look Ma, no hands!” The Germans say, “Look Ma, no Hans”. Anyway, there are many types and kinds of hands free lights. We already mentioned the sun and the moon (yeah, I know the moon isn’t really a light) but there are others ( lights that is, not moons, there is only one moon) as well. There are head lamps which are usually some form of light on an elastic band that fits around one’s head. Flashlight holders that hold small flashlights on one’s hat or on a band around one’s head. Your thirteen year old could hold a flashlight for you if he/she is not too busy playing video games. Heck, you may as well duct tape a Mag-Light to your head or hold a candle in your teeth than try on depend a thirteen year old kid to help you. There are also lights that clip onto the bill of one’s cap. The latter, in my opinion, being the most practical unless you don’t have a cap, or a bill, or a light.
If however you are like me, or even if you just like me, or don’t like me, I don’t care. I have a low cost solution for all you light challenged individuals. The solution of course is the happy fun hat light. It is cheap, easy to make, looks cool in a geeky sort of way and most importantly it sheds light on all your inadequacies.
Here is how to make one…
Get yourself a hat (steal it from your worthless kid when he/she is playing video games), a light, some scissors, and some hook and loop sticky tape stuff. I can’t say VELCRO because VELCRO is a specific copyrighted and trademarked brand. The hook and loop stuff is similar to VELCRO, in a hook and loop sort of VELCRO way. Oh, for Pete’s sake, if you want VELCRO just buy VELCRO!
By the way, Pete’s suggestion for a light is this little LED key chain light from dealextreme.com . http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1253 They are quite bright and you can get 10 of them for less than $5.00. Use one for your hat. Put the rest on all your key chains. Give them to friends and relatives. Don’t forget Pete, he needs one. Give one to Hans as well if you can find him. Maybe he is out in the shed. Hand them out at Halloween if you want, why would I care? Or you could just use the duct tape and Mag-Light.
Dealextreme.com is in China and ships by the proverbial slow boat. Plan ahead and make sure all your dark projects are done during the daytime or in well lit areas while you are waiting for that slow boat from China to arrive. By the way, they are available in a variety of designer colors.
In the mean time, cut your hook and loop fasteners into little pieces. When you get your light, stick one of the hook pieces on the light and the loop pieces on the hat. If you are in Australia, put the hook piece on the hat and the loop on the light. I personally like to place my lights under the rim to protect them from rain, snow, meteors and the like. You can just stick yours anywhere you want like on that thirteen year old bum in your house.
The end result is a happy fun hat light at a bargin price which will enlighten your perspective, help you find Hans, cure warts, and make you devilishy attractive to moths.
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January 12, 2009
MBBM started out as a discussion with my daughter who was sixteen at the time. We were discussing the concept of esotericism in philosophy. Yeah, she had just read a book.
The conversation was one of those long, sometimes silly episodes of banter across the dinner table. What does esotericism mean? What is considered esoteric? MBBM is somewhat of an esoteric contrivance itself. Then again isn’t that the case of many philosophies?
I am fortunate that my children put up with me asking them what they think. I have had some very entertaining discussions with each of them at times. Somewhere during our wild tangensity monkeys crept into the conversation and then into the boxes.
Thus, the concept of MBBM. Does it mean monkeys fighting each other? Does it mean monkeys are filling boxes twice? Could it mean that monkeys are putting other monkeys that are boxing into boxes? Could it be monkeys putting monkeys into boxes who are putting other monkeys into boxes who are putting still other monkeys into boxes? Could it be that I have too much time on my hands?
Imagine MBBM as an endless sequence of images such as a mirror reflected in a mirror. Monkeys boxing boxing monkeys boxing monkeys boxing monkeys on into infinity. Thus is where the truth resides.
MBBM could in fact be the essence of all there is, the ying and yang if you will. The alpha and omega. It is the balance of the universe and the “is what it is or what it should be.”
MBBM! If I have to explain it, you wouldn’t understand.
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January 11, 2009
One of my favorite rifles is the Ruger 10/22. I have a number of them and they are fun to shoot. I am not however one ot those who am willing to spend hundreds to make it into something it is not. On the other hand I do like to tinker with them on occasion.
I had one of my 10/22s out the other day and was showing it to my wife and 18 year old daughter who was home from college for the weekend. One thing I noticed is that women are retarded when in comes to holding firearms. The other thing (and possibly the reason they have problems) is that the length of the stock from the butt to the trigger was too long for them. I’ve noticed this on previous occasions and it struck me that I could fix the problem with a saw and a plan (although I have fixed other things with a hammer and an expletive).
The plan was to cut the stock down to fit women and children. I have often thought that a straight stock 10/22 would make a handy little carbine. A straight stock allows one to adjust the length of trigger pull by sliding one’s grip hand up or back on the stock. This is similar to choking up on a baseball bat.
With that in mind I started digging around for one of my spare stocks. These were all take offs that people sold on Ebay. I found a birch wood stock with a couple ding and nicks in it. A couple minutes with a saw and I have the following. .
The blue painters tape is mark my cuts and also prevent more dents and dings to the stock.
I then took a belt sander and clamped it to my work bench. The stock was held against it and shaped to my general plan. With that completed I now have a lot of hand sanding to do to smooth out the bumps.
You can see how much thinner the grip is…
And how much shorter. I still want to thin out that fore stock and make it more tapered to the end.
You can see that with the shortened stock the whole rifles is only 3-4″ longer than the original stock. I think the bottom of the fore stock is still too chunky looking so I will be thinning it out. There are also some ridges and bumps and stuff I am going to have to work on.
Come back soon as I update this project and show the completed rifle! Cheers!
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Ok, I am back. I decided that the stock looked too chunky and decided that it needed a trim. I always liked the english style straight grip and the schnauble type fore stock. Took the stock to the sander to see what I could come up with.
That black mark at the end of the stock is the point of no return. Didn’t want to go past that point with the sander.
Nice and trim now.
Compare the before thinning and after thinning pics.
Before
After
Lots more sanding and some shaping to do. Haven’t decided what to do about the finish on the stock.
This is a work in progress so stay tuned.
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