Memphis Belle Tribute 10

is currently being restored at The National Air Mike Simard the artist. Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. The Memphis High Rollers Custom Motorcycle Parts out of Belle airplane is not on display at the museum Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, for the parts and because she is not fully restored yet. So, they motor with special thanks to Greg Ambrosie and had to make special provisions for us to get on Colleen Harris. the restricted airbase. The staff at the museum Gray Owl Motorcycles out of Spruce Grove, worked wonders to get us in to see the Memphis Alberta, for the electrical with special thanks to Belle. We were also fortunate enough to meet Jim Brancannier (owner), and David Scott. the chief of the restoration division on the base Sue Meyer for all her help with travel and pictures who is in charge of restoring the Belle. He was as well as support throughout the journey. a fountain of information and very passionate Jeff and Theresa Meyers for their help with travel about the Memphis Belle. He gave Bob a badge and planning and Jeff for driving the motorhome. and a sterling silver coin that only the people that His mother Marjorie for her love and her worked on the restoration of the Memphis Belle mapping skills. received. It was definitely to our surprise when he gave Bob an actual piece of metal from the original Memphis Belle. It was very generous of him. bike and left Bob stranded. The bike had to be It was a momentous and emotional trailered back. He had to hurry to find a new time to see the bike and the plane switch and install it before they left. Fortunately, finally together. One that none of he found one and they were on their way. Bob us will ever forget. and Sue left for Manitoba with only 25 miles on We left Dayton August 18th. Jeff the bike and Sue’s car trunk full of tools, spare and I purchased an enclosed trailer parts, and fuel. The tank on Mathew’s bike only while in Dayton and Bob trailered holds around three gallons. This would allow Mathew’s bike for the rest of the him to travel approximately an hour before he journey back to Manitoba except had to refuel. Around North Battleford Sue for the odd day ride. We stopped saw something fall from the bike when Bob went in a town just outside Chicago to over a railroad track. So, she stopped to check meet a young man named Vegas it out. In the process of checking it out the two that Mathew and Tony (Mathew’s brother) got BIKE INFORMATION got separated. As soon as Bob noticed that Sue to know through a car club. Vegas is a tattoo Owner: Bob Morrison wasn’t following he pulled over at the nearest gas artist and earlier on in the year Cheryln (Mathew City: Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada station and tried to shut off the bike and realized and Tony’s Mom) got a tattoo from him. Bob GENERAL the key was missing. He also had no cell phone wanted to get the same tattoo in memory of his Fabrication: Bob Morrison, Low Class and only twenty-seven cents in his pocket. He son. We then carried on from there and made Year/make: 2012 Custom Bobber did manage to call me, his sister, Theresa, collect our way across the country to Rapid City, South Model: Bike from a payphone and I contacted Sue and told Dakota. We took in some of the amazing local Assembly: Bob Morrison her where he was. They were reunited and Bob attractions and Bob rode Mathew’s bike around Time: 1 year discovered that it was the key that fell at the the area and up to Sturgis before we all headed ENGINE tracks and Sue amazingly found it. back to Manitoba. We arrived in Manitoba Year/Make: 2012 Altima The rest of the journey out to Carberry was August 25th/2013. Displacement: 113 cu. In. fairly uneventful except for Bob’s numb hands Bob and Sue stayed in Manitoba for a couple of Ignition: Altima By Theresa Morrison-Meyers So, a tribute bike to the Belle it was. Building this tribute bike was Mathew’s vision and sore body from riding a rigid. The hourly days before they headed back to Spruce Grove, Cam: Altima • Carb: Altima and it was his father that made sure that his stops were needed. The only other event that Alberta. The entire journey was physically Bob and Mathew started building the vision was completed in his memory. The build happened is that they ran into rain just past the and emotionally grueling for Bob. He logged Mathew Morrison and his father took many hours of hand sanding, wiring, fitting, Manitoba border. By the time they arrived in approximately 3200 miles/5150km on the TRANSMISSION Bob Morrison wanted to build a bike bike July, 2011. ordering parts and painting to complete. It was Carberry they had traveled through hours of a bike, in good weather with a bit of rain, many Year/make: 2012 Altima Unfortunately, we lost Mathew to a car accident truly a labor of love. torrential downpour. Bob was soaked and glad rough roads, sometimes struggling to keep the Shifting: 6-speed th together. Mathew was very interested October 25 2012 just days after his 22nd The first ride was July 25th 2013 in Spruce Grove, to have made it that far. He and Sue rested up rigid bike on the road. Astonishingly, the stick PAINTING birthday. To honor Mathew’s memory, his father, Alberta. It was an interesting ride to say the in Carberry at his Moms, sisters, and brother-in- he picked up at the beginning of the journey to Painter: Mitch Peacock in the story of the B-17 Flying Fortress Bob Morrison, set out to complete the bike his least. The suicide shift and rigid frame was a laws place, until they all left for Dayton, August support his foot peg was almost all there when Type/color: Army green son and he had started. new experience for Bob. It kept him on his toes. 10th. Bob lead the way and his girlfriend Sue, he returned home. The poignant completion of FRAME bomber named the Memphis Belle The Memphis Belle’s story is that of a love He did remove the suicide shift and converted Mother Marjorie, brother-in-law Jeff, and I the project and uniting the bike with its object Year/make: 2012 Altima that flew in World War II. He found story between her pilot and a young lady. She to the conventional shift for the journey. The followed in our motorhome. It was a rough and of inspiration, provided healing to our loss of Type: rigid frame is depicted on the nose art of the B-17 Bomber. unveiling of the bike was July 26th 2013. Many long ride for Bob with some minor hiccups. Just Mathew. It was an amazing journey on which ACCESSORIES a photo of a bike in a magazine and During WWII, a time of great loss and despair, friends and family came out to see the bike for the as we got into the United States Bob picked up a we saw beautiful scenery and met some great Bars: Springer type ape hangers people were searching for hope. Anything that first time. These were some of many milestones stick to put under one of his foot pegs to make it people. We know that Mathew was with us the Headlight: Motel T Ford Type that was his inspiration. When Bob would give them a sense that the war hadn’t taken that happened during the build and journey of more comfortable for him. On our first stop we whole time, showing us the way. Gas tank: 3 ½ gallon Sportster tank all humanity from them. A symbol of strength Mathew’s Memphis Belle bike. met a gentleman that was actually in Memphis Seat: Mike Simard asked him what he wanted the paint and love as well as a tribute to the men and The journey to Dayton, Ohio to unite Mathew’s when they flew her home. It was pretty neat to FRONT END women she helped to protect. They found that theme to be, he replied a tribute to the Memphis Belle bike with the original Memphis hear his rendition of it. We had a few mishaps Bob would like to send a special thanks out to the Make: DNA Springer in the Memphis Belle. The creation of this bike Belle, B17 Flying Fortress from World War II from the motorhome tire to small oil leaks and many people who made the building of the bike Memphis Belle. When he was asked and her journey to be united with the original started in Spruce Grove, Alberta, August 2nd 2013. missing bolts on the bike. All were repairable but and the journey to the Memphis Belle possible. WHEELS Memphis Belle in Dayton, Ohio has also been Bob and his girlfriend, Sue Meyer, who followed did slow us down a bit. We arrived in Dayton He is eternally grateful. Tires: Metzeler why the Memphis Belle, and he said a quest for hope, and a tribute to a young man in her car, traveled to Carberry, Manitoba. They August 15th. We traveled 1244 miles/2003 km Jus Cuz Customs out of Edmonton, Alberta, Brakes: DNA that had the maturity and compassion to know travelled 756 miles/ 1217 km and arrived there in five days.

Load more