A great adventure riding a1969 BSA Thunderbolt

[soonerthunder22]

....across country. I bought a rebuilt Thunderbolt several years ago and decided to visit every state in the Eastern United States. It took eight months to get to every state(except Michigan). For some reason, I completely missed that state, but had a blast working my way*across the country up in to New England and then back south as the weather began to get a little nippy.

The only things that gave me a problem was a broken clutch cable that I snapped in Pennsylvania (I carried extra clutch and brake cables)and a flat tire in S.Carolina that was easily repaired with the cold patching kit and little air pump that I took along...just in case.

Excellent adventure. I recommend it to everyone.

 

[Warrior102]

Not on a stock seat i hope

 

[Camp]

Wow, brings back memories. I never had or even remember riding a 650 Thunderbolt but I did big cross country miles on a 89' 650 Shadow. Only averaged about 350 miles per day before I would need to shut down and rest up. I easily do bigger miles on the HD. So, what was your average speed and miles per day. My speed on the 650 ran about 40-45 mph counting the rest stops and such. Sometimes even lower when taking the back roads and checking out the small town and middle of nowhere bars.

 

[soonerthunder22]

Not on a stock seat i hope

Oh, yeah! It wasn't really all that bad, as I remember. Of course when you are having fun, you tend to overlook some of the negatives.

 

[soonerthunder22]

Wow, brings back memories. I never had or even remember riding a 650 Thunderbolt but I did big cross country miles on a 89' 650 Shadow. Only averaged about 350 miles per day before I would need to shut down and rest up. I easily do bigger miles on the HD. So, what was your average speed and miles per day. My speed on the 650 ran about 40-45 mph counting the rest stops and such. Sometimes even lower when taking the back roads and checking out the small town and middle of nowhere bars.

Hi, Camp. It's been a while ago, but I think I averaged around 55 mph and close to 300 miles per day. I spent several hours each week looking for work (remember the old "Then Came Bronson" TV show?) I'm pretty proficient at washing dishes, working in motorcycle repair shops, laying and smoothing concrete, driving a fork lift and policing parks for trash.:
There are some really nice people still left in the world who helped me along my way. When I was being eaten alive by giant mosquitoes in Stuttgart, Arkansas...the nicest lady gave me a can of OFF to keep them at bay. People who have a skewed attitude about the goodness of this beautiful country should get out and see the real America.

I'm really glad you had a nice bike trip. Not too many people will ever experience that kind of liberating freedom.

 

[pismoe]

I did a Bronson type ride in 1969 - or 70 and I was riding a month old 1969 or 1970 Triumph TR6C on trial universal tires . Funny that Michigan is mentioned because I left from the U.P. of Michigan and headed south on about May 15th . And Yeah , Bronson was on tv at that time . I was headed to Meadville Pennsylvania and I spent time in Meadville and headed back to the U.P. in late August . I slept on one of the picnic tables in a deserted waterworks park in the Meadville area every night and I ate lots of bread and potato chip sandwiches . I went back to Marquette through Buffalo N.Y. and then through Canada to Sault Ste. Marie Canada and then back up to Marquette Michigan and my parents house . It was a good time and at that time both in Canada and the USA I'd just pull over and sleep in a little hidden spot along the highway . I went cross country in 83 on a 81 Zuke GS1100 , did about 350 to 500 miles a day on a it at any speed that was comfortable . Now I ride a 2008 Triumph T100 [scramblerized] but I'm not really going anywhere but local riding and playing around .

 

[pismoe]

1969 Thunderbolt , nice machine , still classy looking and a year or 2 before the oil in the frame BSA's . Chrome tank I think , I had a 1971 brown Thunderbolt but I never really liked the style , also had a 1972 Lightening that I bought used . Both were good bikes that got me to work everyday but they weren't as classy as the pre 71 , think it was 71 .