Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Blind Lizard Motorcycle Rally 2012

Blind Lizard Rally 2012

For several years, I have been trying to make the Blind Lizard motorcycle rally. Every year it is held in Minneapolis on Father’s Day. I’ve either forgotten or slept through it the past few years, but not this time.

Blind Lizard Rally 2012

The gathering was started by the Blind Lizards Motorcycle Club which was founded in 1975. They meet exactly one day a year, and this is that time.

Blind Lizard Rally 2012

There was a about 250 bikes by the time I rolled up at 10am on my Super9. I ended up parking one bike away from my friend John, so we walked around and looked at bikes together. We had planned to meet up, but had arrived at separate times. I didn’t notice his bike until I got off mine.

Blind Lizard Rally 2012

It is a smaller event than the monthly First Thursday’s at Dulonos. There were lots of cool bikes to look at and people to chat with. Each year they design a new t-shirt. I had to get one.

2012 shirt

These are some of the bikes I liked. If you want more, explore the full flickr gallery.

A Norton

Blind Lizard Rally 2012

A Bultaco

Blind Lizard Rally 2012

Nice sidecar scooter.

Blind Lizard Rally 2012

Ancient Harley.

Blind Lizard Rally 2012

Bimota.

Blind Lizard Rally 2012

Love the welded screwdriver on this one

Blind Lizard Rally 2012

The mowercycle! I couldn’t find the power-take-off to run the mower though…

Blind Lizard Rally 2012

Cool scooter and trailer combo.

Blind Lizard Rally 2012

The contents of the trailer. Very smart thinking for a hot day.

Blind Lizard Rally 2012

Ducati reminds me of some golden arches…

Blind Lizard Rally 2012

Interesting shifter on this one with the clutch lever combined.

Blind Lizard Rally 2012

It was a good time looking at bikes and chatting with friends. Perhaps I’ll see you there next year!

11 comments:

  1. Chris, those are some pretty cool bikes. You gotta love the Hamms Beer tapper handle for the shifter! The old Harley looks familiar, maybe Dulono's?
    I'll have to try for the First Thursday in September.

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    1. Yea, i think the harley is the same one i've seen at dulono's. There cant be that many floating around in a running state.
      Hope to see you there :)

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  2. There are some pretty cool setups there and I like the graphic on the t-shirt. The scooter/sidecar rig looked pretty nice. I can't figure out a good reason for the shifter in the last photo beyond "why not".

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    1. Indeed some neat bikes. I like the shirt design too. They change each year. The shifter was interesting.

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  3. That is a lot of really cool bikes in one spot.

    For some reason the pic of the scooter with the sidecar strikes me as funny. It is neat looking, but the checkerboard above the headlight has a bolt (I think) on each side which gives it a decidedly ummm..... feminine look. The scooter looks like it's 'headlights' are on.

    Yeah, I know, I'm weird.

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    1. Nice catch on the scooter "boobs". I didn't notice it until you pointed it out!

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    2. Rofl! Wow i wished you lived closer trob. Hilarious. I didnt see thay until you pointed it out. Now that is all i can see.

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  4. I like the t-shirt. And, Trobairitz does have a great eye. I didn't see it either and, now like you Chris, it is all I can see when I look at the photo.
    ~k

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    1. thanks. I like the shirt too. They change each year. the previous years had a lizard mixed in somewhere.

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  5. I'm always either teaching an MSF class or doing Father's Day stuff or, some years, test riding a motorcycle (the Super Ten for 2012). I would have like to go, just to hang with Andy and a few other friends for a bit. Maybe next year.

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    1. yes, classes can get in the way of lots of summer time fun. it is a good thing they are fun themselves.

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