f6gal
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Posts: 6882
Surprise, AZ
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« on: November 02, 2022, 12:19:50 PM » |
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I just received news that Chet Walters, the original Rattlebars, has passed away. I don't know the details, other than he hasn't been well for a couple of months. My last contact with him was about a year ago. I will update with more details as I receive them. God's speed Chet!  |
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« Last Edit: November 02, 2022, 02:51:30 PM by Willow »
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f6john
Member
Posts: 9332
Christ first and always
Richmond, Kentucky
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« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2022, 12:24:16 PM » |
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I never met him but he was a wealth of knowledge and had some nice products. Sad to hear of his passing.
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bassman
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« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2022, 12:32:57 PM » |
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Sad news indeed. Chet was definitely "one of a kind". Always enjoyed our chats and phone calls. RIP my friend. He made some MAJOR contributions to the VRCC Shoptalk board and the Valkyrie itself. |
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« Last Edit: November 02, 2022, 02:00:26 PM by bassman »
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98valk
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« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2022, 12:35:40 PM » |
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sad news. met him at Inzane II. nice guy. May God bring peace and comfort to his family. amen.
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1998 Std/Tourer, 2007 DR200SE, 1981 CB900C 10speed
1973 Duster 340 4-speed rare A/C, 2001 F250 4x4 7.3L, 6sp
"Our Constitution was made only for a Moral and Religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the goverment of any other."
John Adams 10/11/1798
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« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2022, 02:31:52 PM » |
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f6gal
Administrator
Member
Posts: 6882
Surprise, AZ
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« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2022, 02:52:37 PM » |
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sad news. met him at Inzane II. nice guy. May God bring peace and comfort to his family. amen.
You were at IZII? Did we meet? |
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Psychotic Bovine
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« Reply #6 on: November 02, 2022, 04:00:00 PM » |
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Very sad to hear.
His legacy will live on with so many of his creations on so many bikes.
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"I aim to misbehave."
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carolinarider09
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« Reply #7 on: November 02, 2022, 04:15:24 PM » |
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Rest In Peace . We have the watch.
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Ratdog
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« Reply #8 on: November 02, 2022, 04:51:57 PM » |
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R.I.P. Chet, you will be missed. My Kickshifter is still working like the day I bought it, many moons ago.
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Make yourselves sheep, and the wolves will eat you. - Benjamin Franklin. If it ain't Zesty, it's only a two-tone.  |
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RP#62
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« Reply #9 on: November 02, 2022, 05:23:42 PM » |
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Very sad to hear. Chet was a great guy. When we lived in the 'Burgh we used to run up to Chet's place from time to time. I bought some Valkyrie stuff from him once and he wouldn't let me leave until he installed it. I thought I had more pics, but the only one I could find was this one taken at the Crossroads Motorcycle open house (near New Castle PA) in June 2001. I think Bagger John was there as well. RIP buddy. -RP  |
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MAD6Gun
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« Reply #10 on: November 02, 2022, 07:02:47 PM » |
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His son Chris contacted my a few months back. It seams he aquired his fathers Valkyrie "Nightmare" from the guy Chet sold it to. It had been sitting for a few years and in dire need of repair. He sent me the carbs for rebuild. I rebuilt them but waiting for Chris to pick them up. Hopefully Chris can get "Nightmare" up and running in his dad's honor.
I have many of his parts on my bike. The bar grill,kick shifter and many others. He was a pilar of the VRCC family.
RIP...Chet Walters....
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Valkorado
Member
Posts: 10491
VRCC DS 0242
Gunnison, Colorado (7,703') Here there be twisties.
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« Reply #11 on: November 02, 2022, 09:26:06 PM » |
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Sorry to read of his passing. I never met Chet but I know he was an integral dude in the VRCC and will be missed by many he knew here. Hope his son gets that bike going vroom again!  |
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Have you ever noticed when you're feeling really good, there's always a pigeon that'll come sh!t on your hood? - John Prine 97 Tourer "Silver Bullet" 01 Interstate "Ruby"  |
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TJ
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« Reply #12 on: November 03, 2022, 04:46:02 AM » |
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R.I.P. Chet .... |
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Jersey mike
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« Reply #13 on: November 03, 2022, 04:52:06 AM » |
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Sad to read about. I have read many good things over the years about the man.
Sincere condolences to his family and friends.
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Grandpot
Member
Posts: 630
Rolling Thunder South Carolina Chapter 1
Fort Mill, South Carolina
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« Reply #14 on: November 03, 2022, 05:31:01 AM » |
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For the past few years, Chet has been riding a Can Am Spyder. I bought one for my wife and started participating in the Spyderlovers.com site. One day I noticed a post by someone with the handle, Rattlebars. I replied to his post and asked if he was the Valkyrie Rattlebars, it was. It amazed me how many Spyder owners were also Valkyrie owners. Lamonster actually started the Spyder lovers site and is a key figure in making mods for Spyders like he did for Valkyries. RIP Chet, I have several of your mods.
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 Experience is recognizing the same mistake every time you make it. |
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larue
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« Reply #15 on: November 03, 2022, 05:35:31 AM » |
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Major loss to the VRCC, his spirit will live on through his wealth of contributions to this group . RIP
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MarkT
Member
Posts: 5196
VRCC #437 "Form follows Function"
Colorado Front Range - elevation 2.005 km
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« Reply #16 on: November 03, 2022, 07:15:40 AM » |
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Sorry to hear this. I'm seeing more and more news like this lately. 4 of them in my family this year. It means we are getting older and the Grim Reaper is waiting in the wings for our turn.
Chet was a big contributor to our community. I have several of his products on Deerslayer. I thought he retired too early, as he was an enthusiast, not just running a business. I picked up making his footpeg extender brackets after he retired - someone had asked me to do that; I said why not? It was and is a good product - my rendition is nearly identical except for finish - mine powder coated instead of chromed. I can't do the latter in-house and I have found the less I have to depend on outsources the better to eliminate problems of depending on folks with quality or other issues or less commitment than I have. I have found, a basic truth on sources is they ALL will have to be replaced sometime. Just a matter of when and why. And they ALL will want to increase their price, even when I have been very generous ensuring they are paid well, with plenty of margin. The latter factor often drives the former.
RIP Chet.
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« Last Edit: November 03, 2022, 07:18:58 AM by MarkT »
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f6john
Member
Posts: 9332
Christ first and always
Richmond, Kentucky
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« Reply #17 on: November 03, 2022, 07:23:12 AM » |
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Sorry to hear this. I'm seeing more and more news like this lately. 4 of them in my family this year. It means we are getting older and the Grim Reaper is waiting in the wings for our turn.
Chet was a big contributor to our community. I have several of his products on Deerslayer. I thought he retired too early, as he was an enthusiast, not just running a business. I picked up making his footpeg extender brackets after he retired - someone had asked me to do that; I said why not? It was and is a good product - my rendition is nearly identical except for finish - mine powder coated instead of chromed. I can't do the latter in-house and I have found the less I have to depend on outsources the better to eliminate problems of depending on folks with quality or other issues or less commitment than I have. I have found, a basic truth on sources is they ALL will have to be replaced sometime. Just a matter of when and why. And they ALL will want to increase their price, even when I have been very generous ensuring they are paid well, with plenty of margin. The latter factor often drives the former.
RIP Chet.
Mark, be sure and take your vitamins and exercise regularly! Many will lament not being able to have access to your contributions once you are no more, me included. |
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Grandpot
Member
Posts: 630
Rolling Thunder South Carolina Chapter 1
Fort Mill, South Carolina
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« Reply #18 on: November 03, 2022, 11:19:27 AM » |
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Mark, you are right, we are at that age. We are losing 500 Vietnam Era Vets per day.
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Experience is recognizing the same mistake every time you make it. |
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Oss
Member
Posts: 12582
The lower Hudson Valley
Ossining NY Chapter Rep VRCCDS0141
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« Reply #19 on: November 03, 2022, 04:53:07 PM » |
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Sorry to hear this
Rest In Peace Chet
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If you don't know where your going any road will take you there
George Harrison
When you come to the fork in the road, take it
Yogi Berra (Don't send it to me C.O.D.)
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98valk
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« Reply #20 on: November 03, 2022, 04:57:11 PM » |
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sad news. met him at Inzane II. nice guy. May God bring peace and comfort to his family. amen.
You were at IZII? Did we meet? No. didn't know anybody and didn't know much about VRCC at that time. Met Ernie Schuster and we stayed together most of the time. |
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1998 Std/Tourer, 2007 DR200SE, 1981 CB900C 10speed
1973 Duster 340 4-speed rare A/C, 2001 F250 4x4 7.3L, 6sp
"Our Constitution was made only for a Moral and Religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the goverment of any other."
John Adams 10/11/1798
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f6gal
Administrator
Member
Posts: 6882
Surprise, AZ
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« Reply #21 on: November 03, 2022, 06:11:56 PM » |
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sad news. met him at Inzane II. nice guy. May God bring peace and comfort to his family. amen.
You were at IZII? Did we meet? No. didn't know anybody and didn't know much about VRCC at that time. Met Ernie Schuster and we stayed together most of the time. Ernie Schuster passed too. Did you go to any other InZanes? |
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98valk
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« Reply #22 on: November 03, 2022, 06:37:19 PM » |
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sad news. met him at Inzane II. nice guy. May God bring peace and comfort to his family. amen.
You were at IZII? Did we meet? No. didn't know anybody and didn't know much about VRCC at that time. Met Ernie Schuster and we stayed together most of the time. Ernie Schuster passed too. Did you go to any other InZanes? yes I know about Ernie. have not been to any others. |
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1998 Std/Tourer, 2007 DR200SE, 1981 CB900C 10speed
1973 Duster 340 4-speed rare A/C, 2001 F250 4x4 7.3L, 6sp
"Our Constitution was made only for a Moral and Religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the goverment of any other."
John Adams 10/11/1798
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Bagger John - #3785
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« Reply #23 on: November 07, 2022, 01:36:37 PM » |
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Very sad to hear. Chet was a great guy. When we lived in the 'Burgh we used to run up to Chet's place from time to time. I bought some Valkyrie stuff from him once and he wouldn't let me leave until he installed it. I thought I had more pics, but the only one I could find was this one taken at the Crossroads Motorcycle open house (near New Castle PA) in June 2001. I think Bagger John was there as well. RIP buddy. -RP RP, Yes...I was there. I have a pic of me back then at the event. I considered Chet a contemporary and he, likewise. RIP, old friend...as I posted on the Ohio board, one day I'll pull up alongside you on Nightmare and we'll ride once again. |
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