Porsche Owners vs. Motorcyclists

[Jeff Higgins]

We have a new venue in town, known as "The Shop". It follows what is apparently a familiar model emerging here in the U.S., patterned after one developed in Europe. Essentially, it is a "gearhead destination" spot, featuring a restaurant, cigar lounge, and as far as the "gearhead" part, long term car storage for your toys. It even has lifts, tools, and a paint booth, so you can work on your cars there.

I have been to several events that they have hosted for our local PCA. Our Pac West chapter of the R Gruppe even got in on a pre-opening tour and dinner. I have had breakfast, lunch, and dinner there in conjunction with Porsche related events. Good food, although kind of spendy. Nothing out of the ordinary. Until I showed up for a motorcycle event.

A local event known as "Backfire Moto" started in Ballard, a Norwegian fishing suburb of Seattle several years ago. It celebrates the Cafe Racer scene, and the home built rat bike cafe theme. Some Harley guys show up, including the local HA and Bandidos charters, but it really wasn't about them or their bikes. Kind of a different bike gathering.

Well, last year, it moved from Ballard to The Shop. The Shop's stance is that it "outgrew" Ballard, but us regulars know better - they simply bought it. Kind of pissed off a lot of us regular old timers. Oh well, I held out for awhile, but finally went last month to their "opener" (it used to be year 'round, rain or shine...). Different crowd - the Ballard rat bike cafe guys must have found something else. No matter, I stayed to check it out.

I went into the restaurant to get a bite to eat. The lovely young waitress asked for a credit card - before taking my order. I was a little taken aback, but recovering quickly, I said I was going to pay in cash. She said I still needed one "on file" before ordering. Hmm... this never happened when I was there for Porsche events...

So I responded that I was unable to qualify for a credit card since getting out of prison on my last murder rap. I offered to pay cash, up front, for my bowl of mac and cheese. She was visibly upset, but told me that was fine, and I didn't have to pay until after I was served.

The whole thing kind of put me off. Seattle yuppies trying to be "hip" and attract a biker crowd, then nervously adopt that kind of policy with them. I'm going to have to find out where the real Backfire crowd wound up.

[LakeCleElum]

Jeff....You got to get out of the $hithole liberal area.....Come over this way when they would not hesitate to take a check from a stranger.........Let's meet up for a VME MC eve at Slim's this summer?........Lots of bike and good crowd there.........

[Rick Lee]

They have them in most of the big cities in Germany and they are pure gearhead heaven.

[911boost]

Very cool picture Rick.

Jeff, I tend to avoid the PCA events as they are during the week and I am traveling or going to sporting events. I am going to one next Sunday since it has been a few years since I have attended a PCA "sponsored" event. This one is more driving oriented.

As it relates to the biker event, that is sad. I can't see the HA or other 3 patch club guys going to a place like that, but I could be wrong.

Which bike do you ride to it?

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Jeff....You got to get out of the $hithole liberal area.....Come over this way when they would not hesitate to take a check from a stranger.........Let's meet up for a VME MC eve at Slim's this summer?........Lots of bike and good crowd there.........

Absolutely, Bob, I would love to do that. I have not been to a VME meet since they left Georgetown. Give me some details - I would love to meet you there.

Originally Posted by 911boost

Very cool picture Rick.

Jeff, I tend to avoid the PCA events as they are during the week and I am traveling or going to sporting events. I am going to one next Sunday since it has been a few years since I have attended a PCA "sponsored" event. This one is more driving oriented.

As it relates to the biker event, that is sad. I can't see the HA or other 3 patch club guys going to a place like that, but I could be wrong.

Which bike do you ride to it?

I rode my '93 Ducati 900 Super Sport hot rod.

And you are right, no club guys at The Shop, except for some Hombres, a low-level Bandidos support club. Plenty of patch holders at the original venues in Ballard, from a number of clubs who don't always see eye to eye. Kind of a neutral ground, with no one looking to get all territorial and start trouble.

Like I said, a whole different crowd since The Shop barged in and "bought" Backfire Moto. A safe, sanitized, Yuppie "biker lite" version of the original, trying to be "edgy".

[911boost]

I know what you mean about club guys not getting along. There is an event here at a local bar called the Nut Run, since the food is rocky mountain oysters. I was able to make it last year after a while of not going (last time i went on my BMW GS) and was surprised by the clubs there not brawling.

[LakeCleElum]

Jeff - 1st Wednesday each month - Slim's In Georgetown....I watch the weather and try for May or June and give you notice:

https://www.vmemc.org/

[Ayles]

Backfire was a lot of fun in the early days. A great event to see really rare and unique motorcycles. I have only been once since it moved. Just not the same vibe. I really enjoyed the organic feel had in Ballard.

Check out The Wick/Motoshed just off Nickerson. They are doing events and rides that seem more in line with old backfire days.

[jhynesrockmtn]

Too bad to hear about what's happened to Backfire. I used to enjoy the Ballard events. Pics from the last one I attended before I moved to Spokane. We have a small group of vintage bike enthusiasts that gather monthly in season here. When I say small, we get 20-30 bikes.

The last one is me and my /2 with my friend MC. He has a very cool KZ1000.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Ayles

Backfire was a lot of fun in the early days. A great event to see really rare and unique motorcycles. I have only been once since it moved. Just not the same vibe. I really enjoyed the organic feel had in Ballard.

Yeah, I really liked the vibe it had in Ballard. You just never knew what kind of cool old, or home built bike you were going to see. The whole "block party" kind of atmosphere was really cool too. The people were the best part, though, with some truly unique individuals really adding to the character.

I've only been to The Shop's version once, so maybe I'll give it another chance. It really just wasn't the same, though. Lots of high dollar "billet barge" Harleys and "that kind" of rider. You get the feeling their Ferrari is parked inside somewhere.

Originally Posted by Ayles

Check out The Wick/Motoshed just off Nickerson. They are doing events and rides that seem more in line with old backfire days.

Thanks, I'll have to check it out. I've heard my old friend Dave Roosevelt (former owner of Ducati of Seattle) is doing something out of Seattle Used Bike (his new business) as well.

[Chocaholic]

Envious. We live in a rural lake community. No such facilities or events around here. And not willing to penetrate Atlanta traffic on a vintage bike for a yuppie bike gathering at a trendy Buckhead fashion bar.

But I was able to fix the clutch on my 54 this morning with nothing but an M8x1.25 bolt from the hardware store and a little modifying on the grinder. The thrust bolt on the clutch arm simply wore down a bit over the years. No longer pushing the clutch rod in enough to separate the disk from the pressure plate. Just a small dose of gratification on a Sunday morning. Now, back to the topic at hand....with more pics please...

[jhynesrockmtn]

Thanks, I'll have to check it out. I've heard my old friend Dave Roosevelt (former owner of Ducati of Seattle) is doing something out of Seattle Used Bike (his new business) as well.

Such a small world. Dave helped me diagnose my 900SS carb issues long distance, mailed me the right parts and helped me get the bike right a couple of years ago. Great guy. I've been to his new place a few times since he opened. Seems like he is doing well there.

[Zeke]

WTF is the deal with the CC? Never, ever had anything like that occur.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Zeke

WTF is the deal with the CC? Never, ever had anything like that occur.

Yeah...I like Jeff's response but if anyone ever did that to me, (or someone I was with), I'd get up and leave. I spend WAY too much $$ eating out to be disrespected for my trouble, (and $$).

[speeder]

Originally Posted by jhynesrockmtn

Too bad to hear about what's happened to Backfire. I used to enjoy the Ballard events. Pics from the last one I attended before I moved to Spokane. We have a small group of vintage bike enthusiasts that gather monthly in season here. When I say small, we get 20-30 bikes.

The last one is me and my /2 with my friend MC. He has a very cool KZ1000.

Cool photos, I like the turn of century house in last one. Could even be slightly older. The description of the events in the past and these photos really remind me of Minneapolis, which has a huge motorcycle scene and culture, with lots of large gatherings.

There is one called, "First Tuesday" which always met at a pizza joint on the first Tues night of the month in the Uptown area of Minneapolis. I'll try to dig up some old photos from a few years ago. Truly unbelievable variety of motorcyclists coming together from the Harley crowd to guys w rare vintage 2-stroke race bikes to Vincent Black Shadows to old and new Ducatis to boys in the 'hood w customized Goldwings to *you name it* w everyone having a great time and getting along just fine. Amazing scene on a summer evening.

[911boost]

Which pizza place Dennis?

[Bill Douglas]

I had a good laugh in a cafe/bar the other week. The gorgeous young chick asked for my credit card in advance as we were sitting at the outside tables.

I said I didn't have a credit card and paid in cash. She said "Then can I have you phone number." I said "Definitely, maybe we could go out on Friday; somewhere Italian."

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Zeke

WTF is the deal with the CC? Never, ever had anything like that occur.

I haven't had it occur at a place like that.
I have been to bars and restaurants at resorts where they want a credit card on file in case you wander off without paying. I'm thinking Cancun and St Johns in particular, where you can wander from one property to another fairly easily. Moving parties spring up and the poor waitress has to either ask for cash for every drink or try to keep track of where her patrons are and catch each one if they try to leave.


As in Bill's story above. If you're in an unsecured venue where you can drink and dash, they want some way to make you pay.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Envious. We live in a rural lake community. No such facilities or events around here. And not willing to penetrate Atlanta traffic on a vintage bike for a yuppie bike gathering at a trendy Buckhead fashion bar.

Getting to The Shop requires that I battle the worst traffic in the Seattle area. The old venues in Ballard were much, much easier for me to get to. And yes, The Shop is very much a trendy yuppie venue, where the two taverns that used to host Backfire, The Shelter Lounge and The Bit Saloon were eminently suitable dive bars.

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

But I was able to fix the clutch on my 54 this morning with nothing but an M8x1.25 bolt from the hardware store and a little modifying on the grinder. The thrust bolt on the clutch arm simply wore down a bit over the years. No longer pushing the clutch rod in enough to separate the disk from the pressure plate. Just a small dose of gratification on a Sunday morning. Now, back to the topic at hand....with more pics please...

Ah yes, the beauty of vintage equipment. I buy a lot of parts for my old Sportster at Home Depot.

Originally Posted by jhynesrockmtn

Such a small world. Dave helped me diagnose my 900SS carb issues long distance, mailed me the right parts and helped me get the bike right a couple of years ago. Great guy. I've been to his new place a few times since he opened. Seems like he is doing well there.

Dave is good people. We became fast friends when I bought my Super Sport from Kai, of Red Label Moto fame. He knew the bike long before he knew me, having performed the build for the original owner. Dave sure got royally screwed by the guy who bought Ducati of Seattle. Really, really raw deal in the end.

Originally Posted by Zeke

WTF is the deal with the CC? Never, ever had anything like that occur.

No kidding. It really torqued me (but I was hungry). Especially having been there for Porsche events, where I ate as well, and was not treated that way. Just us dirty bikers, I guess.

[Por_sha911]

I would have said I'll provide you with the cc but I require follow you and watch you run the charge and then you must give the card back to me. If she questioned whether I trust her I would say that apparently you don't trust me.