Archive for December, 2015

December 17, 2015

Fixed

  
One of my old trusty fixed gear bikes.. Now long gone after an abrupt meeting with a car door. It was a steel framed Schwinn and 27″ wheels the rear being a flip flop fixed gear on one side and freewheel the other. Great for nipping around the City and up and down the Lakefront.

December 16, 2015

The Man who remembered the Future

Today is Philip K. Dicks birthday. Born 1928 -died 1982. Actually born here in Chicago.  

 
A prolific writer of novels and short stories he invented an alternate reality of parallel worlds. Always thought provoking, always surprising. I can imagine his cats curled up next to his typewriter as he turns his enigmatic mind into prose.

December 15, 2015

мотоцикл 

   
Mototsiki as they would say in St Peterburg. Scot Johnny Stuart (1940-2003) was a preeminent expert on all things pre C 20th Russian: its objects, design and associated historical particulars. However rather than tooling around on a grumpy Ural combination he tore up the London streets near Sotheby’s on Triumphs.

 
He also penned the tome “Rockers: Kings of the Road”. Allegedly the most shop lifted book in 90’s London… About the leather clad, cafe racing boys of the sixties.

 До свидания. 

(Da svidaniya)

December 14, 2015

Mister!

   

Sled, desert sled that is. Steve McQueens desert sled. Hot SoCal day and a race across the dusty scrubland is anticipated. Here in Illinois it’ll soon be cold, icy and unrideable; bah, humbug!

Hey! 

December 13, 2015

Here I go out to sea again

  
Back in the eighties British music had a hint of dour feeling with such acts as The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen, New Order.   

Colin Vearncombe also known as Black had a hit with A Wonderful Life. The Liverpudlian sang this minor key ode to Thatchers dream using a very effective black & white video filmed on the seafront of Wallasey. One frame shows a small BSA C11 rolling along the promenade. 

December 12, 2015

Kid on a bike

  
Inspire and allow others to aspire. Even when you can’t reach the bars you can know that one day you will…

December 11, 2015

F-f-f-Friday

  
Fairing Fun: faded mag advert with long coated rider cutting a stylish dash with a streamlined nosepiece. Bubble visor and smart Italian boots. That coat will flutter madly though…

Frivolous-Feasting-Fabulous-Flapping

December 9, 2015

Jack of All Trades

  
A 2000 model Sprint adorned with an unfurled flag in apparent flutter across the side of this mile muncher. The George Cross, Saltire, & Paddy’s Cross make up the union flag.

Bike needs horizon and rider.

December 8, 2015

The Doctor

Dr Who. The classic Timelord from Gallifrey usually utilizes his TARDIS to careen about space and time.  

 
However when on the ground at a particular era the it seems a Triumph Scrambler becomes his wheels of choice.

December 7, 2015

<3

  

December 6, 2015

Lights

Putting up the Christmas Tree and the annual unraveling and bulb replacing, cursing and bauble draping. Here’s a Triumph being ridden on the movie set of Nerve.   
Dave Franco and Emma Roberts scoot in front of the camera with a blue illuminated Bonnie. 

 
Knobbly tires, no fender, black-on-black: yup an urban tool.

December 5, 2015

Cake

It’s the time of year when food is enjoyed. And I like a good slice of cake!

   
There are some great decorators out there who can achieve some smashing stuff with fondant icing. 

  Michael Bonnie is a cherry on this cake; hopefully enjoyed with a good cup of tea.

  

 A vintage bikers dream. Al must enjoy wrenching.
 

 BSA Goldstar. Cafe racers are know to like a wedge of gateaux after a spin along the North Circular. 

December 4, 2015

The Christmas Shoes

  
Supermodel takes on a super model: that is a a gal on a photo shoot with the classic lines of a sixties Bonneville. Here is Gigi Hadid who, at twenty, is a mere slip of a thing in the world of glamour.

  
I prefer a pair of Doc Martens than pink Manoli Blahniks…up shifting might be a bit graunchy!

(If you want to see the worst music video ever… Here)

December 3, 2015

North or Bust

 

North Pole Bound? You are when heading along the Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay. It’s a dusty gravel road which when sprayed down for the trucks can your you into a chocolate bunny riding a motorcycle. This is Australian Denis Devlin on his trailered Bonneville coated with Arctic dirt.  666km long with 24 hour daylight in summer…
More Easter than Xmas; Brer Rabbit ‘haring ‘ along.
 

December 2, 2015

Chocaholic

  
Today’s advent door reveals a chocolate bike. Cadburys is the best milk chocolate for this to be made with. It also reminds me of the selection boxes you’d get…