Lucky 77

   Some time ago I bought a bargain T-shirt. It was on a close-out rack. I chose it because it was cheap. I paid no attention to the colorful illustration that was on the front, and I have worn it many times without noticing what it said.

   However a motorcycle buff  stopped me and looked closely at the illustration. "What model is that," he asked.

   I looked at the illustration as though for the first time.  Lo and Behold is was an antique motorcycle and the legend printed beneath it was Lucky 77. He said that it looked like a Harley something or other and asked, "Why was it called Lucky 77?"

   "Oh," I said, lying in my teeth, "I wear this shirt to try to keep the legend of old 77 alive."

   "I never heard that legend," said the would-be biker.

   "Lucky was a street bike, that the owner used to ride to hill climbs. Seventy Seven was the number he had painted on the side for competition. He went right  from street to hill climb without even taking off the license plates."

   "Was he called Lucky because he won a lot of competitions?"

   "Oh, no.  He rarely won anything. He was a street bike remember. He was called lucky because his owners were never seriously hurt.  He rolled down the mountainside more times than..."  I paused trying to think of a metaphor for things that rolled down mountainsides, but before I could my listener said, "Wow."

   I was on a roll myself and I made up some more of the  legend. "He was used by at least three owners for hill climbing.  Long afterother bikers had specially adapted bikes they brought in trailers with imported knobby tires and no license plates or rear view mirrors, Lucky 77 was ridden to the meet, then up the hill and rolled down, without breaking it's owners arms or legs. Few bikes could make that statement."

   When I finish here, I think I will Google Lucky 77 and see if the real legend is any better than mine.

 

Tags: Lucky 77, motorcycle legends