Ah, the trials of being a scribe possessing a camera with removable lenses… I have been drafted to do the writeup of our local Airhead tech daze. Don’t these people know that I flunked Freshman English and do “new media” for losing politicians? Oh well, duty calls, so here’s the crude copy:

Naples Airheads Hold Record Tech Days (I prefer “daze”, but we need to sound sorta organized)

A record 68 riders and fans of classic BMW Airhead motorcycles signed in at this year’s tech day (and a few folks know doubt snuck in too) at Roger Bush’s home and awesome shop near Naples, Florida.

(Insert photo of assembled masses here in case they don’t believe us)

In preparation for the expected horde, we made the obligatory supply runs to Costco. (Contrary to local rumor, we did not directly cause the beer shortage in southwest Florida that weekend.) (DO NOT insert picture of wrenches and beer cans laid on bench next to disassembled Airhead)

The action began thursday with the opening of a couple transmissions and thorough rebuild of a couple neglected airheads. (we actually started a couple days earlier with Roger helping me fix my trailer, but we don’t ‘fess up to trailer ownership in public) Roger even showed off his lathe to cut a groove for the missing circlip in one transmission’s output shaft. On friday we upped the pace with 7 bikes in various stages of repair at once, and the tech day hadn’t even officially begun. Meanwhile, more airheads rode in and established a tent city in Roger’s back AND front yard (wonder if the local zoning officials can google into this blog?).

Saturday dawned foreboding… Florida AM Kevin was under the weather, and if the exponential growth of bikes under repair continued we’d have to start stackin’ ’em in the rafters or something. But while seemed like twice as many folks showed up, most of their bikes needed no repairs, or at least none they’d ‘fess up to. So with tech day officially in session, we had 60 odd Airhead aficionados present and 8 bikes under repair at once.

(Insert picture of studious Airhead technicians lovingly wrenching on bike that looks too perfect to need wrenching. DO NOT use photos of us using multiple hammers and/or torches on bikes!)

After an awesome lunch catered by our able kitchen crew,

(Need names to give proper credit- no reports of food poisoning, so guess we can name the cooks now…)

wrenches were slowly downed as we dozed off to dreams of airhead riding.

Sunday… Ain’t this thing supposed to be over by now? The campers were still packin’ up, and the wrenches were still being twirled… We just don’t know when to stop! After  years of sleep Airheads roared back to life, and we finished up late in the afternoon. ‘Twas gettin’ late, so the final test ride was delayed ’til monday morning and the last Airhead rolled out of Roger’s shop around the crack of noon, giving Roger a chance to roll his own Airheads back in.

(place picture of airheads riding into the distance here, Do Not mention the centerstand bolts we forgot to tighten… Fortunately, that ended well.)

proofreading, additions, suggestions, etc. welcome… If the “comments” don’t work, just e-mail ’em to gearheadgrrrl@gmail.com !