Solve the Conundrum

[FElony]

I had /have my first new bike still, a Schwin Typhoon. Candy apple red and a single speed rear. I rode the hell out of that bike, my dad clocked me at 50 mph once. Its probly the reason my knees ache today! Felony I`m only three yrs older than you. I was gonna say did you ever have the slicks on you bike?

The "shop" that geared the Stingray for me was actually in the garage of the house next door. The dad there was a WWII vet like my dad. He did some light car mechanical for the neighbors, but he also worked on bikes and sold all the popular accessories. Not only sissy bars and springer fronts, but those die-cast Maltese crosses you bolted between the sissy bar's uprights, metalflake vinyl handlebar wrap, every banana seat know to man...

He did very good business. The problem with the slicks is they could not turn corners for shit because of the stiff, right angle edges. I stuck with the lighter, knobby style tires.

Back to the Charger; that beast had a high gear that literally made a growling noise when engaged. The uphill to school became an Olympic event going home. LAPD pulled me over when I was 12 or 13 for speeding, and let me off with a warning. Much like later years, it was a warning I ignored. I would give mucho bucks to get that that bike back.

Does anyone manufacture a realistic retro Stingray-style bike in grown-up size today?

P.S. This just popped into my head after all these years. The bike dad had one of those car wheel balancers that slid under a tire and motored it to speed. The idea was that it took the brake drum/disc into account, and gave a more accurate reading. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

[FElony]

Hadn't thought of bikes. The cool bikes you speak of were way before my time. I was born in 75. I did acquire a Stingray a few years ago, it  has a nut buster shifter like the pic Cory showed.I also have a brand new Goodyear slick for it. No time to restore it yet, but it is on the "to do list". Later, Travis

I actually have a '63 Country Sedan. Small world.

[MeanGene]

I can one up ya. my first new bike was a huffy rail. purple with a sissy bar & that bad ass red line slick. circa 1966 or 7. I was sofa king cool.  that was until it went into a death wobble at the top end & crashed. got a capped front tooth from that one. also born in 56. still have the bike though, & the tooth.

I also had a Huffy Rail- musta broke a dozen handlebar clamps from yanking back on the bars doing wheelies. Figured out how to loosen the friction clutch on the stick shifter so it would slowly shift up by itself as I rode, and told everybody it had an "automatic transmission" LOL
Got a black & white Polaroid Christmas Morning pic of it and my ugly ass somewhere

[427Fastback]

I also have a black and white polaroid of me sitting on my new bike in 69.That is how my brother got the bike identified by a collector a few years ago in Ontario..I always thought it was a Mustang but I was wrong...My brother had the Cougar shipped out here to BC and grabbed a NOS Marauder (small front wheel,double rear brakes and ram horn bars) for himself...

I wrecked everything on the bike when I was a kid but I don't remember ever banging my goodies on the shifter..

[country63sedan]

I actually have a '63 Country Sedan. Small world.    Actually FElony, I have two wagons - both nine passenger 63's. Combined they should make one good one. I was making decent progress, but life thru up a couple road blocks a few years ago. Still working thru the road blocks.

Talk about a small world - I spent a couple years in Phoenix 20 years ago. Went to tech school there. Lived at the apartments on 35th and West Dunlap for awhile then shacked up at 37th and West Sunnyside.   A few stories, but will save them.  Later, Travis

[cjshaker]

LMAO!! Cool post. It didn't cross my mind either, but since you put it that way, at a very young age, I owned (and still do) a Corvette and 2 fully restored 1934 Packards. The Packards are even a "his" & "hers" combo, complete with skirt guard (not on the "his").

[Tommy-T]

....and it ALWAYS had a drag slick!

[TimeWarpF100]

1963 or 1964 my dad bought a 1955 Wards Scooter like this one.

After 50+ years I still have it. Would like to restore it back how I remember it to be. It was a meter maid special order painted black with white fenders but this exact version. 2hp and 100 mpg

189.50 Brand new.  Only new pedal bike I ever owned was a Schwinn, do not remember model but a candy red with chrome fenders.

[57 lima bean]

First new bike was a JC Penny..Foremost three speed.Pit bike was a Rodger Decoster BMX with a three speed rear spoked in.The last one has been disassembled for my safety many years ago.