Shakedown on 9th Street Lyrics

Lyric discussion by NorthWriter 

Cover art for Shakedown on 9th Street lyrics by Ryan Adams

I think it's about an old fashioned rumble. It reminds me of the book "The Outsiders," which I read in high school. I take that "straits" refer to the "straight-laced" rich kids, like the Socs in Outsiders, and "grease" is the greasers.

So "too many straits, not enough grease" means that the greasers were outnumbered.

I'm thinking "kicking machine" could be a motorcycle, but of course we don't totally know.