– a well loaded BMW GS heading up an alpine road. Hard case panniers, dry bags and spare tires. An adventure is certainly afoot!
January 29, 2023
Kitchen Sink?
If you want to put mikes under your wheels, and carry a few odds and ends, what better way than aboard a 1400cc Ninja rocket. Make sure your bags are well strapped down for the ton plus speeds you’ll be encountering.
January 28, 2023
The Screaming End
Known as “an American rockabilly legend who defined the greasy-haired, leather-jacketed, hot rods ‘n’ babes spark of rock and roll.” His ‘56 hit “Be-bop-a-lula” was written whilst recuperating in a naval hospital following a motorcycle accident. The injury was whilst riding a new Triumph bought with a $612 re-enlistment pay. Here he sits astride a Triumph in the late sixties on what certainly looks like a suburban English street.
January 27, 2023
Miss January
A Thunderbird cover from seventy years ago. For a quarter you can have a ‘zine with articles regaling the qualities of British machinery. Bingo!
January 26, 2023
Skyward
1943. RAF Wing Commander James “Johnnie” Johnson puts his Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX into a vertical climb above the clouds.
January 25, 2023
Donald! Donald! Whar are ye’ gan?
Happy Birthday to Oor Rabbie Burns.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that, It’s coming yet for a’ that, That Man to Man, the world o’er, Shall brothers be for a’ that.
January 24, 2023
“Angels Forever, Forever Angels”
Gangs of the open road. One per centers wear their signature vests, oily blue jeans and mechanics boots. As well as the ubiquitous Harleys they also tore around on chopped Triumphs like the Pre-Unit shown here.
January 23, 2023
Jump
Seen on a street in Britain. Starts with a family car, ends up as forty buses.
January 22, 2023
The Shape of Things to Come
Gotta love the early 20th Century imagination of where things will go as an inspired future beckoned. Art Deco form with streamlining lines. We were promised the future: we’ll, here we are? Where are our flying cars, excess relaxation time, less stress. I think we took a wrong turn somewhere!
January 21, 2023
Muse
Most published illustrations are based on staged photographs. Norman Rockwell’s covers for The Saturday Evening Post we’re such examples. Here is a piece of work by one of his contemporaries Gil Elvgren, who was known for his pin-up girls as well as advertising illustrations for companies such as Brown & Bigelow. Many of his ladies ended up as nose art on WW2 bombers.
January 20, 2023
Ladies in the Mud
Silk Headscarf
Twenty-one year old motorcycle triallist June Adams on her bike, March 1951.
January 19, 2023
Takin’ on a bit of water George!
– the Automobile Association combination must have been through a ford on the way to a breakdown. Ready enough to tip it up and drain the cylinders. Fishtail muffler seems appropriate.
January 18, 2023
The Days are just Packed
Between 1985 and 1995 cartoonist Bill Watterson created the wonderful duo of a mischievous six year boy and his imaginary feline companion. The newspaper strip was awaited for each day – especially when he was looking forward to his beanie hat. Here is someone’s reiteration of the pair haring down a hillside upon a motorcycle.
January 16, 2023
Bellezza Italiana
At 95 Gina Lollobrigita had a full and interesting life. As a sex symbol in post-war Europe she acted in several films opposite leading men such as Humphrey Bogart, Errol Flynn, Burt Lancaster, and , as seen on the lower right image, Rock Hudson. Later life saw her move to the other side of the camera, where, as a photojournalist, she managed to get an interview with Fidel Castro. (1927-2023)
January 15, 2023
Ninja Days
– organizing some photos I came across a couple of old photos from the SLR film era. My Kawasaki used to commute in London (top), and my 900 Ninja used in Chicago. Both terrific machines.
geordiebiker.com 