First Ride...

Here, in no particular order. and not of very good quality, are pictures of my 38U. Note the makeshift seat, removed from an African Bicycle called a Black Mamba. Hey, it let me ride...

My first impressions - it's WAY more powerful than the 45", and it's a fair amount heavier. The magneto has no means of retarding it to start, and once in a while it kicks back. Starts pretty nice though. Seems to handle pretty well - no wierd steering issues like the VL in NM, and feels a lot faster...

First order of business was to move the front brake handle back over to the left, to match the 45". Don't much care for the suicide clutch. It kind all or nothing, and with the power of the 74" all is enough to almost throw me off the back. I have most of the parts to return the rocker clutch; that will be my next project, along with installing a borrowed panhead seat and post from Nate, and making an improvised taillight - more on that tomorrow...

The motorcycle is not very clean, but if I look beyond the dirt, I think it's from being ridden - a lot! The cylinders and cases are in pretty good shape, with no broken fins. The number on the laft case half is in really nice condition - no evidence at all of ever being messed with.

Some of the Cossacks have the same brass cover on the carb throat. It has no filtering at all (well, okay, it might keep a sparrow out!). The carb is a stock Linkert M-51.

The two chain linkages really need to go - just not my thing. It's getting late, so I think I'll stop blathering for now.

All in all, seems to be very rideable. I like it!