Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/714189
69 www.thunderpress.net THUNDER PRESS nSeptember 2016n fashion, I chose the rustiest part of his rear fender, ensuring that my John Hancock was a mess of paint fl akes and completely illegible. Shit. Well, I tried. Around the time I shamefully handed the blade back to Oily, a dirt bike incongruously started up, announcing the start of the Ives Brothers Cycle Globe of Death perfor- mance. In the spirit of cheating death, the Ives Brothers would be showing off their riding chops simultaneously inside their steel "globe." Missing each other by mere inches, they even man- aged to hold hands while rocketing around their confi nes. A fellow spec- tator told me they'd earlier performed with an audience member inside, even managing to snatch the sunglasses off her head before replacing them on the fl y. Man, I miss everything. Thoughtful, balanced curat- ing is something of a tradition at the Museum, and the Drag Racing: America's Fast Time exhibit is no exception. Building on the well-known origins of the NHRA and drag-racing car culture, this exhibit showcases the heroic exploits of two-wheeled speed practitioners and the sleds they clung to for dear life. Skillfully blending drag cars into the mix, the exhibit chronicles drag bike racing from birth to present. From broken connect- ing rods to a chrome helmet etched by the great Von Dutch, the exhibit skillfully tells its tale in fl ammables and alloy alongside cartoon ink and jacket patches. From Clem Johnson's "Barn Job" 1947 Vincent (with only two original components left) to Chet Herbert's Harley-Davidson, "The Beast," drag-racing culture is explored in a wonderfully meandering way. Chuck joked that the museum must have gotten a zoning variance to fea- ture Terry Vance's and Byron Hines' twin-engine Honda CB750 drag bike —a clearly invasive species, though the manufacturer's name and engine designation were curiously absent from the exhibit card. As afternoon matured and cans of Lite grew low, the crowd thinned a bit, especially after the show winners were announced. One by one, crew by crew, everyone abandoned their oil markings and made tracks for after-parties and friendly garages. One last wave amidst a bluish haze and that was that. Chuck and I allowed a last can of beer, found a peaceful spot on the curb and began tackling the philosophy portion of today's itinerary. "That was pretty cool," Chuck said. "I had a blast, minus the lack of High Life," I replied. "Jesus, those drag bikes…" Chuck offered. "F**k, I spent two months building a shit AHRMA racer and I got an hour and a half of track time out of it. These guys get less than 10 seconds at a time." "Simple math. Same fun you had, but all at once. Sort of a time saver, right?" "Maybe." The last Knuck fi nally puttered away, leaving just us fi nishing our beers and the staff striking the tents. "Wonder if that math applies if you own a Knuck?" I asked. "Nah," Chuck answered. "Own a Knuck that runs and you have all the fun you want." 4 Love the oddballs—air-cooled, 2-stroke parallel twin RR-250 Road Racer photo by Cormac Kehoe Some cool "trophies" were awarded for the Knuckhead Reunion, including these for Best of Show and Best Stock Knucklehead Old iron and pride Behold the original patina on this fi ne Knucklehead photo by Cormac Kehoe photo by Cormac Kehoe