A trip to Indy in advance of MotoGP

the Ferret

Road warrior
Thread starter
Had a great day. Met forum member dUh over in Indianapolis and he showed me a good way to get into the track for the MotoGP race on the 10th hopefully avoiding traffic and construction. 315 miles round trip on the freeway and it was 59 degrees when I took off so the ST call the call for me. Rick was waiting for me when I pulled into the meeting spot.

dUh and his ultra cool 13 CB 1100.. notice fairing, side covers and cool 4 into 2 titanium Moriwaki pipes that sounded too good.



while at the track he suggested we visit the Museum..it was great! Notice the cool T shirt ;) (must be a racing year for me..I have visited Indy, Bonneville Salt Flats and Pikes Peak this year)

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/indyscout018_zps270346cd.jpg.html]

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/indyscout019_zpsa95ab83a.jpg.html]

I was surprised that the Indy car racers has disc brakes in 1959 since we didn't get them on street bikes until 1968. Long time for that technology to trickle down I thought.

At one point I am pointing out some Rube Goldberg looking steering set up on a French racing trike and said something like "wonder what engineer came up with that?" Then I said "oops, hope you're not an engineer". There was a moment of dead silence from Rick. I could hear crickets chirping it was so quiet. I thought "uh oh". Then I said "what DO you do for a living?" and he said "I'm a mechanical Engineer" aarrgghghh open mouth insert foot Mickey!. We had a good laugh about it and found out he works for a company that does a lot of engineering business for the company my wife works for. Small world.

anyway....

Here is the 1909 Indian that Cannonball Baker won one of the first motorcycle races at Indy with in 1909

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/indyscout030_zps4e9bac91.jpg.html]

we also took a lap around the track (no, they wouldn't let us take our bikes, they made us take a bus :( but it was still pretty cool)

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/indyscout011_zps8c553b98.jpg.html]

after the museum we went over to pick up my parking pass for the MotoGP race, then headed over for some awesome BBQ for lunch

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/indyscout040_zps995e8846.jpg.html]

Then Rick led me back out of Indy and pointed me in the direction home. By mid afternoon it had climbed to 84 degrees and it was a beautiful ride back to Cincinnati.

dUh at speed leading me out

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We had a great time, Rick is a fun guy, laughs easily, smiles a lot, easy to get along with. I invited him over to ride the curves in Ohio/N Ky. Hope he takes me up on it.

Thanks again Rick and I will see you on the 10th at the MotoGP race when the forum members get together..
 
Great post! When you get a chance, pm me the tips and tricks to getting in there on race day. I'll be there all three days so maybe I'll figure it out by then anyway, but will take any advice.
 
Thread starter
DAC will pm you tomorrow.
 
That is a great looking museum. And I'd love to wrap my laughing gear around that BBQ. Didn't someone once say (croon) "Such a lot of world to see".

Cheers, and cool bike Rick.
 
Thread starter
ST sounds like George Jetson's car

For the record, I never saw dUh with a backwards hat on..or any hat on for that matter.
 
dUh!_imp said:

The ferret_imp said:

Are you two ganging up on me? Lads, I've got nothing against the WRX, per se; they are fast, reliable and very sturdy. In fact here in Australia they are, without question, the premier vehicle of choice for the discerning ATM ram-raider. dUh, this is in no way a slight against you - they normally use other peoples WRXs and often forsake the baseball cap (backwards) in favour of a balaclava.

However, getting back to on topic. More good photos of the museum. There must be some real gems of motoring history around the walls and on the floor of that place. Another place in the States I would like to have a look at is the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. Pickering OH I believe so it probably isn't far from your place ferret, or Indianapolis for that matter. There is a small exhibit there dedicated to a man whose history has always held an interest for me, one Harvey Mushman by name (sometimes). Home town Indianapolis, rough beginnings, some flaws, made good, motor and (real) motorcycling enthusiast and rider. A real bloke gone before his time.

Cheers, and no using Google.
 
Thread starter
Lol no ganging up, the only thing I remotely remembered about the wrx conversation was the hat on backwards comment lol.

Can I use my reference books on your Harvey Mushman cause with my faultering memory he isnt ringing a bell. i have a feeling its a nom de plumb or something.

Been to the AMA museum in Pickerington many times. Its relatively right up the road (about 100 miles) and more up my alley than a car museum, however the Indy museum was not just a car museum, it was a collection of race winners showing a real spectrum of racing technology. Col stuff
 
OK. Clues: Born 1930 - Died 1980. Born Beech Grove, Indiana. Boys home (correctional) in California. Marine - poor record initially (ill disciplined), then came good and assigned to presidential honour guard, honourable discharge 1950. Went on to another life. Harvey Mushman (his nom de motorcycle racing) raced in many top off-road races on the West Coast, including the Baja 1000, the Mint 400 and the Elsinore Grand Prix. In 1964 on a Triumph TR6 Trophy, he represented the United States competing for the Silver Vase award in the 964 edition, held in Erfurt, East Germany of the International Six Days Trial, an off-road motorcycling event. His competition number was 278. Kicked in $300,000 to the making of "On Any Sunday". And he was an amateur, spent the rest of his time just looking cool.

Cheers, come on man, think!
 
Thread starter
Steve MCQueen ...now its ringing a bell. That's the name he would sign up under so others and maybe the studios wouldnt know he was racing. Good one and clues were great
 
Fantastic nom de plume!

Good report Ferret and Ric. It's good getting together with other forum members. Although that Pterodactyl ...
 
I went and even graduated from Beech Grove High School. Never knew Steve McQueen was born there. Very interesting

I didn't know there was an AMA motorcycle museum in Ohio. I have visited the Wright Patterson Air Force Museum multiple times. There is just so much to see

http://www.indianapolismotorspeedwa...ound-the-motogp-course-at-ims/?redirect=false

Lap around the IMS Track. Unfortunately it's not me

Didn't mean for it to be interpreted as picking on you Pterodactyl, sorry about that.
 
dUh!_imp said:
I went and even graduated from Beech Grove High School. Never knew Steve McQueen was born there. Very interesting

I didn't know there was an AMA motorcycle museum in Ohio. I have visited the Wright Patterson Air Force Museum multiple times. There is just so much to see

http://www.indianapolismotorspeedwa...ound-the-motogp-course-at-ims/?redirect=false

Lap around the IMS Track. Unfortunately it's not me

Didn't mean for it to be interpreted as picking on you Pterodactyl, sorry about that.
Don't worry mate, I love it. Apart from that I've got a hide like a salt water crocodile ;).

Cheers
 
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