There are times, when in the cosmic scheme of things,  two seemingly disparate situations intersect in an unsuspecting way, creating a favorable end result.

Such was the case in our household recently:

SITUATION 1: Ever since Polaris gained ownership of the Indian Motorcycle legacy and introduced the first truly new Indian in decades (2014), I have been fascinated by the look and construction quality of the new Indian Vintage. Mind you, as I find myself well into my second motorcycle childhood, owning or riding a bike weighing north of 800 lbs has not been on my prime bucket list. Not, that is, until my buddy Bill Hayes literally forced me to visit the new Indian dealership in Round Rock (www.dreamMachinesIndian.com ).  Just seeing these beautiful machines in the flesh, and actually sitting on one, convinced me that 800 lbs maybe isn’t all that much after all.  The cushy natural leather seat sits deep within the unique cast aluminum frame, situating the rider in a very stable, low center of gravity position.

SITUA...

No! Don’t tell me you missed the greatest motorcycle exhibition in Austin for the SECOND YEAR?

The Handbuilt Motorcycle Show has been staged for the past 2 years on 5th Street in East Austin, in conjunction with the MotoGP Motorcycle Grand Prix event at the COTA racetrack.  No, this is not your typical “chopper” display.  This show (FREE by the way) features the cream-of-the-crop handbuilt cycle examples from top shops around the country, as well as a wonderful group of antique and classic bikes.

But, don’t worry,...

Let’s face it: April is always car-guy month in Central Texas. And this April is no exception.

Here is a partial lineup:

MotoGP at Circuit of the Americas

Watch the world’s fastest bikes (up to 200 mph!) right in our own back yard!  Friday, Saturday, Sunday April 10-12.  General Admission Tickets as low as $59.  Even if you are not a biker, you’ll enjoy the sights and sounds of this international event!  Additional features:  Cheap Trick performs post race on Sunday; Aerobatic Demonstration, Trials Demo, Street Freestyle Demo, and a display of Evel Knievel photographs.  Don’t Miss It!

Handbuilt Motorcycle Show

See some of the nation’s most spectacular handbuilt and vintage bikes on display in East Austin.  This event is FREE and is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday April 10-12.  1100 East 5th Street, Austin, TX 78702

In addition to these mouth-watering fantastic bikes, a number of artists print and media works will be on display, including the national tour of the Oil & Ink Motorbike Print Expo (a few examples below):

Austin Alfa Romeo Club Spring Bluebonnet Tour

Club member Dean Mericas always comes up with an outstanding and organized driving tour, and this year will be no exception.  Saturday, April 11.  Along with an enviable assortment of classic Alfas, there are always a number of other interesting cars on the tour.  And the always-inclusive Austin Alfa group heartily welcomes any car enthusiast, regardless of marque.  Come on out and join this fun drive.  Click on the image above for full details on the Austin Alfas website.

14th Annual Lonestar Rod & Kustom Round Up

What good is a Texas event if there can’t be at least one “K” in the description (Koffee Kup, Kuntry Kitchen.. you know the drill!)?

Hot rodders and custom car and bike owners come from literally all over the world to participate in this growing event (last year I met a couple from Australia who had shipped their 1951 shoebox Ford to California and then drove it to Austin!).

Ground central for this event, held on the weekend of April 17-18, is the Austin Fairgrounds, but the “main” show is frequently eclipsed by other connected events, such as the all night long vehicle cruise down South Congress on Friday and Saturday nights.  Arrive on Congress early, grab a ‘Rita at Guero’s, then set up your chair right on the sidewalk to view some of the most beautiful and outrageous vehicles on the planet.

And, for you true gearheads out there, you don’t want to miss the Round Up Garage Crawl, which will visit a number of hidden yet spectacular garage shops in the area:

Round Up Garage Crawl
6:30 AM to 12:00 PM
(A free event) Meet at “Gordo’s Tortas” located at 9601 Hwy 290 West in Austin. Depart at 7:30 sharp for the first stop. There are 4-6 stops. After the last stop there will be a caravan to Dell Children’s Hospital, then on to the show grounds.

Cars and Coffee – The Oasis April 12

This informal gathering of automotive enthusiasts just keeps getting bigger every month (always on the 2nd Sunday).  Held now in the parking lot of the Oasis on Lake Travis, you will want to get there well before the opening bell (10 AM – 1 PM) to get a good parking spot for your garage queen.  There is always something new to see.  Come on out and join the group.

Austin Auto Dealers Show April 24-26

Austin Convention Center is the place, Friday – Sunday, April 24-26 are the dates.  All the new cars will be on display, as well as a number of top notch classics.  A good place to keep abreast of everything new and exciting on the automotive scene.

If you are visiting this blog, then chances are you are a car or motorcycle enthusiast.  Appropriately then, you most likely own one or more classic or exotic vehicles.  If that be the case, then you’ve probably yearned for a space for that next classic on your bucket list.  Such was the case with the three principals of Austin’s newest facility, the Petrol Lounge, Jack McCauley, Randy Whitten, and Glen Nordell.

This trio o...

Put 2 car guys in a vehicle in pursuit of yet another car, and only good things can come of the adventure!

Such was the case when I mentioned to my friend Bill Hayes that I had purchased another car via eBay, located in Minnesota, and intended to fly up to Minneapolis, take possession of the car, and drive it home back to Austin.

Many of you younger car enthusiasts scarcely remember the era of the overdrive transmission, but in the 1950’s and 60’s its use was ubiquitous in a number of American cars, dating as early as 1934 for Chrysler’s Airflow, and extending to 1972 as installed in Ford trucks.  Other makes included Nash, Rambler, Studebaker, Hudson, Lincoln, and Mercury.

To my knowledge there is no vehicle in production today that offers a transmission similar to the Borg Warner.  I personally have owned 3 different vehicles with that same transmission (a 1951 Hudson Hornet, a 1950 Studebaker truck, and a 1953 Nash-Healey Lemans Coupe), and have found them to be a delightful enhancement over a standard 3-speed transmission.

These units are v...

Come late September each year, owners and aficionados of British cars and motorcycles begin salivating in anticipation of one of the best collective car shows in the central Texas area:  The annual Texas All British Car Days show.

There is most likely no other place in the states that offers the beauty and diversity of back country roads that rivals the Texas Hill Country.  Central Texas driving enthusiasts here have an incredible selection of roads to explore, many well maintained yet remote and sparsely traveled.

At least once every generation there comes a technological breakthrough so significant that it brings the world’s attention.

Such was the case in the motorcycling community when, in 1979, Honda introduced its CBX 1000 Supersport. This bike slammed all competition with its double overhead cam, 4 valves-per-cylinder 6 cylinder engine. The engine got its roots from Honda’s very successful 6 cylinder 250cc Grand Prix bike.

Honda’s goa...