bdn3d
1974 Honda CB 360T
First, I must admit that I did not expect to see or experience the magnitude of what transpired yesterday. The hospitality and the overall generosity of the Carter Bros was over the top.
Now to the good stuff, the plan for the day was to ride out to the countryside and see some cool vintage bikes. An amazing ride it was, with lots of twisties and great landscapes. I pushed the little 360 as hard as it could go, and although not as fast as some(you know who you are [
]) it hung in there. The map took us to the deep country. A place with lots of land an very little concrete.
Riding along a dirt road and having to maneuver around manure was a first, but the small obstacles were no match to the huge reward. When we arrived to the Carter Bros Garage, we had no idea what was in store for us.
It was like we had discovered something. Kind of like the stories you always hear of a barn full of untouched vintage exotics, but instead this time the Ferrari's were vintage race bikes. BSA's, Norton's, Triumph's, and even a Ducati.
I was like a kid in a candy store, and yet it really did not sink in where I was until I went to take a piss.
You always know you are in the right place when a pair of clubmans are used to hold toilet paper[]. It was at that point that I realized how special this place truly is. This is a place you always read about or you hear about from a friend, but it is never a place in our world as we know it today. The world of big commercial builders or shops with some guy that has an endless budget, a blow torch and the mystic of Hollywood pushing every build. No this was not that kind of place... this was a place you heard about from a friend of a friend, who knew a guy, that was friends with your dad and back in the 50's this was when this " type of place" existed. A place where real bikes are made. Real sweat is poured and vintage was a reality. This is what the Carter Bros Garage did for me. It brought me back in time to a place that existed before I was even born.
Everywhere we looked their were vintage bikes being worked on with the actual tools that were made at the same time as the bikes.
The way everything use to be done. As the Brits say, "This is how you build a proper bike!" No fancy CNC machines, just two brothers putting heart and soul into every build. Take this ground up restoration for example.
A rare Norton that looks like it came off the showroom floor. It was shiny all over and I am sure it was even quicker than the day it was born. From wall to wall there were bikes you only dreamed of having. The big difference though, this was not a museum these bike are ridden or being built to ride.
They provided burgers, hotdogs and cold beer out of their "Big Tits" KEG Fridge.
As I said, their hospitality was unmatched. I felt welcomed, it was as if I were with family. We heard them tell stories of how a tornado almost demolished the place... Stories of great builds... and I can attest that a few of us including me never wanted to leave.
Unfortunately though the schedule did not permit an overnight stay, but I'm sure it would still have been welcomed. I left with a feeling of nostalgia, and a sense of purpose. A purpose to keep the past alive, and rightly so, The Carter Bros do it everyday...
Thanks to all who came out, Also a BIG thank you to the Carter Bros. We can't wait to come back!
-On a side note, If you have a project or need some help The Carter Bros do some amazing work. Feel free to call them if you need any help. You can reach Mike @352-242-7501.
http://www.meetup.com/Cafe-moto/
Now to the good stuff, the plan for the day was to ride out to the countryside and see some cool vintage bikes. An amazing ride it was, with lots of twisties and great landscapes. I pushed the little 360 as hard as it could go, and although not as fast as some(you know who you are [
]) it hung in there. The map took us to the deep country. A place with lots of land an very little concrete.
Riding along a dirt road and having to maneuver around manure was a first, but the small obstacles were no match to the huge reward. When we arrived to the Carter Bros Garage, we had no idea what was in store for us.
It was like we had discovered something. Kind of like the stories you always hear of a barn full of untouched vintage exotics, but instead this time the Ferrari's were vintage race bikes. BSA's, Norton's, Triumph's, and even a Ducati.
I was like a kid in a candy store, and yet it really did not sink in where I was until I went to take a piss.
You always know you are in the right place when a pair of clubmans are used to hold toilet paper[
]. It was at that point that I realized how special this place truly is. This is a place you always read about or you hear about from a friend, but it is never a place in our world as we know it today. The world of big commercial builders or shops with some guy that has an endless budget, a blow torch and the mystic of Hollywood pushing every build. No this was not that kind of place... this was a place you heard about from a friend of a friend, who knew a guy, that was friends with your dad and back in the 50's this was when this " type of place" existed. A place where real bikes are made. Real sweat is poured and vintage was a reality. This is what the Carter Bros Garage did for me. It brought me back in time to a place that existed before I was even born.
Everywhere we looked their were vintage bikes being worked on with the actual tools that were made at the same time as the bikes.
The way everything use to be done. As the Brits say, "This is how you build a proper bike!" No fancy CNC machines, just two brothers putting heart and soul into every build. Take this ground up restoration for example.
A rare Norton that looks like it came off the showroom floor. It was shiny all over and I am sure it was even quicker than the day it was born. From wall to wall there were bikes you only dreamed of having. The big difference though, this was not a museum these bike are ridden or being built to ride.
They provided burgers, hotdogs and cold beer out of their "Big Tits" KEG Fridge.
As I said, their hospitality was unmatched. I felt welcomed, it was as if I were with family. We heard them tell stories of how a tornado almost demolished the place... Stories of great builds... and I can attest that a few of us including me never wanted to leave.
Unfortunately though the schedule did not permit an overnight stay, but I'm sure it would still have been welcomed. I left with a feeling of nostalgia, and a sense of purpose. A purpose to keep the past alive, and rightly so, The Carter Bros do it everyday...
Thanks to all who came out, Also a BIG thank you to the Carter Bros. We can't wait to come back!
-On a side note, If you have a project or need some help The Carter Bros do some amazing work. Feel free to call them if you need any help. You can reach Mike @352-242-7501.
http://www.meetup.com/Cafe-moto/
