Easy Rider - May 1989
Wymond Walkem, Georgetown, Ontario
1983 Harley-Davidson FXBS

As far as Wymond is concerned (and we're quoting), -The only way to do it is to go all the way. That's the simple philosophy of this respected bike builder and owner of Walkem's Cycles, a Canadian shop which accurately boasts of Precision Harley-Davidson engines.

His bike was photographed in August of '87 at the halfway point of its maiden voyage. In late July, after a humdinger of a shop party, Wymond had battened down the hatches and hit the great highway headin' south-by-southwest, to Sturgis and all points west.

But right after passin' the syrupy "Have a Good Trip" sign on the Canadian side of the Ambassador Bridge to Detroit, Michigan, he caught a whiff of the undeniable scent of a melted belt - Fried City, and not more than a coupla hours from home.

It was tough findin' someone to help (they don't call Detroit the Murder Capital for nothin'), but some true bros from Motor City Harley-Davidson appeared and got him fixed up with a new front belt that evening.

It was a lollipop putt the rest of the way (no walkin' for Walkem). Sturgis was puss, and so was the ride through Montana, Washington, Oregon, the Nevada desert, and the West Coast. He shut'er down in Morgan Hill, California, to say hi to John Reed and Len Cruse at CCI and tighten up his road warrior. Next thing he knew, he was strollin' through the halls of Paisano in good ol' A-gory, Californy, home of Easyriders, V-Twin, et al.

His state-of-the-art 1980's custom blockhead, double-belted and double-disc-braked, made it home in a breeze. Two years later, he reports she's got 18,000 miles on 'er, with plenty to go. Oh yeah-Wymond, always the thinker, ventilated the belt housing, allowin' for airflow and reducin' the chances of another ball-bustin' meltdown.

Wymond wants to take the opportunity to thank Ron at Axtell, Elaine and Woody for his leather cable covers, Klaasje for makin' his seat, and the Motor City H-D men for bein' there when he needed a brother.

-Buster