"Then Came Bronson" movie on Speed Friday.

[Valker]

Lost Drive In on Speed has "Then Came Bronson" on Friday night at 7PM(Central). For you youngsters out there, this is a great old bikers' movie.

[OURide2]

Isn't that also an old TV series?  I used to watch it religiously every week back in the 1969-70.  Kind of like "Route 66" but on a motorcycle.

[Valker]

I used to watch it also. I have VHS copies of every episode. Some are pretty weak, but I remember why I loved it.

['KC']

There was the movie, maybe a pilot. Then there was the TV Series. I too used to watch it all the time.

MANOMAN!!!!.......I was in high school back when "Then Came Bronson" was on starring Michael Parks.   I was motorcycle crazy even in those days around 1966.   I watched it RELIGOUSLY!!!!

I thought it was sooooo cool to get on a motorcycle and travel with no destination.   I graduated High School 1968, bought my first new motorcycle in 1971......a 3 cylinder 2 stroke 500cc Kawasake Mach 111........almost immediately I headed out from Houston by myself and headed west on the back roads, seeing some great sights and getting my first view of one of my most favorite places in the world....THE GRAND CANYON.....not many bikes on traveling back then and when I would drop in to a local motorcycle shop they were amazed at my trip on that particular bike.  Bike never missed a beat......I still travel on my motorcycle trips are that way even today.....no destination, just east, west north or south....it's amazing what you can stagger into.

[Pistolchamp]

Yes, I too watched the old series.  Heck I feel old, I was married and long gone from school when that was running.

Watch out for Digger, he's tough, can you imagine going all the way from Houston to Utah on a Kaw 500 ring-ding... ouch!

I was 20 yrs old, single, and had a TREMENDOUS DESIRE to do the trip.    I look back......manoman.....coming back I needed a  rear tire and pulled into Albuquerque and spent the night.   I went in search of a dealership and stopped at a red light.  A new BMW pulled up next to me and was an older man.   I asked him if he knew where I could find a dealership to buy a tire....he said "yeah....follow me....I own the place".....I followed him and he pulled into a motorcycle dealership just as they were opening the bay doors and he motioned me into one of the bays.  I pulled in and he got off his bike and told the mechanics "This man is traveling long distance and he is a rolling advertisement....put him a tire on and get him rolling."    I went inside and he gave me a free t-shirt from his dealership......really nice guy....and I never have forgotten his hospitality.

[rodeo1]

back in 70, i was on my way from denver to san fransisco on a 450 honda. i blew a chain right out of wells nevada.

after pushing the darned thing into wells i was greeted by two very nice young deputy sheriffs who gave me a ride down to the courthouse where they promptly arrested me for vagrancy ( i only had a thousand dollars in travelers checks with me) after a few hours they released me with a stern warning that people in nevada did not like "bikers" coming into their towns.

i was a young police officer then and took this rather hard. so i went back during the day to have a little talk with the police chief about the way i (a brother cop) was treated the night before.

he was nice enough to give me a ride to the county line, drop my bike out of the truck and wish me well, cop or not, "they didn't like bikers causing trouble in their town"

i still cringe as i pass "around" wells nevada today.

Good Lord!!!!!  I can't believe they would do that to a fellow cop.   Manoman......did you tell them not to let you catch them or their kin in your territory?   .... ha

Things have come a long ways since then.  The younger bikers don't realize that back in the early 70's not many people traveled by motorcycle.   Motorcycles still had a bandito type image back then.    If they don't believe you tell them to watch
"Easy Rider"........ha

[rodeo1]

well,  i spent 20 years hoping a wells nevada cop would drive through my town over the speed limit.

i would have let him go just to show him i could. then called his supervisor.

oh well, forgive and forget is the Christian way, right ?

dennis

[OURide2]

Forgive, but never forget.

But back to the subject of "Bronson".  Ever since watching that TV program I always wanted to get on a bike and travel to anywhere.  Back in the 70's while in the Army I had a street/dirt bike that was my main mode of transportation..didn't do much traveling with it.  Last summer, my Montrose trip was the closest I've gotten to that "Bronson" feeling.  Riding alone, stopping when and where you want, and meeting some interesting people along the way.  Maybe when I retire I can do it fulltime!

[Pistolchamp]

Way back in 1962 I began making road trips by bike.  The first ones were on an old Triumph trophy twin and they were an experience.  Just keeping enough oil in that beast was a challenge.  What it didn't burn it leaked!  I often had to add a little at each gas stop.

Graduated from there to a Honda SL-350.  Not bigger, but, a better bike.  Fitted road tires and did at least six states on that one.

Then a Honda CL-450, CB-750SS (WOW!), various kaws (the 1300 inline 6 cylinder was amazing) and hogs (none were amazing) and now a Valkyrie... a lot happens in 43 years and I'm not finished.

I leave this morning from Texarkana to Dallas, Austin and finally San Antonio this evening.  Then Sunday to Corpus Christi, Laredo and many points in between.  Did I mention that my Valkyrie is also my business coupe?  Yep, I use it nearly everyday (God Bless Texas) making sales calls on oil companies and refineries.  Most of my customers have long since decided that I am a wierd duck and just take me as I am... there's really no other choice.  If I show up in my truck they figure I know something about the weather that they don't.

Well Pistolchamp, I can see how you run up the miles......I just don't enjoy riding to work, too much traffic with too many cars ziging in and out around me.....I feel out of control of my situation.  Besides that I have a company truck.   I'll occasionally ride in to work, 32 miles one way.  

Sounds like you had a pretty good desire to travel too back in the 60-s and 70-s..........on a 350 honda....manoman.

['KC']

I know that this is probably too late, but "if anybody happens to record this one."
I just found out that is is not going to be on here till 9:00, and I will be leaving for work at 10:00. I also just found out about three days ago that my VCR went belly up. It won't power up, so I am currently dead in the water.
Thanks All.

[Marc S]

Got a chance to watch the movie on Sat. night.  Good stuff.

Marc