Taking a break on the Blue Ridge Ride. Some people spend years, and lots of their parent’s hard earned money, getting their college degree so they can wear a suit and sit at a desk all day long.


t seems nowadays when people ask “How are you doing?” that it’s hard to just say “Fine.” It’s usually more like ‘I’m doing fine…just super busy.” But for me, I like it busy as long as I can keep everything under control and complete the most important things on time. It works out most of the time.
     An example of some things I’ve been doing the past few months include going on Drag Specialties’ 2nd annual Dealer Ride, this year to the Great Smokey Mountains area of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. The ride was based out of Ashville and turned out to be a great event that was well organized from the moment I arrived until it was time to head for home. In my opinion, anyone who is a Drag Specialties dealer or vendor should already be asking for info about next year’s ride, wherever it is to be. See our report on page 58 about this year’s event and you’ll see what I mean.
     Meanwhile, my friend Steve Huntzinger has been pretty busy himself working on my Indian 648 Big Base restoration project (See this column in the last two issues of Drag Specialties Magazine if you don’t know what I’m referring to). Steve is doing the mechanical work and my job has been hunting down some the last bits and pieces we’ll need to complete a very accurate replica of the Indian 648 raced to victory at Daytona by my father, Floyd Emde, in 1948.
As seen in the photos below, everything is in a million pieces at the moment as Steve goes through the motor with as much care and detail as if I was actually going to race it myself in the Daytona 200. He said he didn’t know any other way to go through a bike, even if it is just for show. And that’s exactly why I wanted him to do the job.
     By the time the next issue comes around, I should have some photos that show the bike finally starting to come back together. Plans are still on to have the bike at Daytona in March to honor and celebrate the 60th anniversary of my dad’s win there.
     Oh, did I mention that we still need to get a magazine produced? We hope you enjoy this issue. Lots of great products, projects and other event reports. Proof that I’m not the only one who is busy nowadays!

Ride safe.





Parts Magazine
Volume 14 #9

Parts Magazine Index