Curt Haring's restored 1970 Triumph TR6C.  

At about 16 I badgered my dad into letting me buy a used CZ 125 two-stroke, then soon a 1965 Honda CB160. I rode that bike for a couple of years, then joined the big boys club when I bought a 1961 BSA 650 A10 Super Rocket. I hung on to that Beezer through a stint in the Air Force and an all expenses paid trip to Vietnam courtesy of Uncle Sam. When I returned to civilian life I entered college, met my wife and got married. Unfortunately, the BSA was an asset that was turned into cash as we started our new life together.

The demands of starting a career and raising a family took precedence over my motorcycle yearnings, so it wasn’t until my youngest graduated from college that I began to think about getting back on a motorcycle. Coincidently, in 1973 my brother-in-law traded a pickup for a chopped 1970 Triumph TR6C. He put it in his barn and there it sat. We both remained off the road for the next 34 years. My wife, knowing how long I had yearned for another bike, and knowing I was considering buying and restoring that Triumph, bought it for me as a gift in 2007. I spent the next two years restoring it, but with a great deal of help and advice from two long-time British bike enthusiasts, Bill Chedeville and Chuck Davis.

 
The Triumph TR6C before restoration. 

I’m quite happy with the way it turned out. It is my first restoration, but may be my last on such a scale — I guess I never believed experienced restorers when they told me, “You’ll spend more money than it will be worth when you’re done.” Turns out they were right! But it was a great experience and I enjoy riding it whenever possible. Nevertheless, it seems that one bike is not enough; I’ve just picked-up a 1982 Honda CB900F Super Sport, which I became attracted to after seeing it featured in the November/December 2010 issue. It’s not the prettiest example out there so I’m prepared to do a mini-restoration (more like a spruce-up) this winter.

Read more about the motorcycles mentioned in this article: 
• 1981 Honda CB900F 

As you can see, these photos are pretty old. They show my mom (Mary Lee Bowen) and dad (James Beverly Bowen) with U.S. Army Harleys somewhere around 1942-43.

Dad ended up with rank of 1st Sergeant with HQ Company, Provost, Columbia Army Air Base. So, these pics show the earlier ranks and therefore I can guess the years. I not only followed in his footsteps as a motorcyclist, I also did my U.S. Army Basic Training at nearby Ft. Jackson, in 1970. Dad, who lived off base, said he occasionally commuted on the base Harleys.

From reader Will A. comes an old photo and a question:

"The other day my sister reminded me of how our dad had mentioned riding an Indian Motorcycle when he was young. He didn't own one but I suppose it belonged to a family friend. I also knew an old local blacksmith who said he rode bikes in the old days. I don't recall what he rode.

While going through the old family photo albums I ran across the attached picture. Unfortunately the original was lost and this is a scan of the copied, damaged original.

I'm wondering if somebody might be able to identify what his bike is. The picture was taken on the family farm in Princess Anne County (now Virginia Beach), Virginia."

Do you know what year, make and model the bike in the photo is? Our best guess is that it’s a Harley-Davidson from the early 1900s. Could it be a 1911 Harley-Davidson Model 7D?

Leave your answers in the comments below!