Actor Bradley Cooper likes his motos, especially British-made. Here spied astride a cherry red Thruxton.
Black fenders, and ‘oil’ tank side panels are a nice complement to the fuel tank.
Here’s another of him on another one. He must have one for each movie set! This has a Mad Max appearance, which, when combined with that helmet and boots adds to a determined biker stance.
Sorted!
What bikes were made for: The double corner! Tip ‘er in, through the ogee, wind it on for the next apex, heave over on to the other heel, fling through the second curve and power out like a stone out of a slingshot. It’s the loop-the-loop of the motorcyclist. A brace of Triumph Thruxtons take on a winding road over a grassy moor. I love the superlative and dynamic composition of this image.
Some storms passed our way over the weekend. Indeed unseasonable tornadoes touched down across parts the Midwest causing catastrophic damage for some. Here’s a vintage image of a pair of Ariel riders refueling in some English village. Better bring yer wellies!
Keep Calm and Paddle On!
Need to give ‘er a push into next week. Just put yer back into it!
A few canine stories of the week: it has been discovered that the domestication of or “best friend” most likely occurred in Europe during the last Ice Age. 10-14,000 years ago or so. Not in the Middle East as previously thought. The winters and glaciers drew wolves together with man. I believe the link of man and dog has lead to the initial development of civilization. A pack animal to protect a settling community. Here’s a herding Border Collie atop his/her owners Bonnie.
The other story was a dog trekking to Everest Base camp (17,500 feet). A happy pup, named Rupee, taken as a stray off the streets and now happy as Larry to follow their owner up into the Nepal Himalaya.
Goggl’d, leather’d and astride a BSA. Here’s a lass with every intention of getting down the road with confidence. It’s great that there are a lot more riders of the fairer sex than pillions. Motorcycles are for everyone! Vendredi is Venus’s Day.
Nikon have launched this new digital SLR… And what a corker it looks too! Just like my old brass edged F3. But at $2800 for the body only way out of my reach…
Vintage moto taken for a spin by our Scottish actor pal Ewan McGregor. Norton is the bike. A Jedi the rider is…
The Englishman’s Englishman Clive Owen fly’s under the radar is most mainstream films. His low key characters are played seemingly effortlessly without too much fuss. Always a worthwhile watch. His latest offering is a 70’s crime thriller set in New York NY about two brothers separated by the law: Blood Ties.
Billy Crudup is his sibling and here they ride a period Triumph Bonneville, much like mine the Oil in Frame model of that time. Owen on pillion. The jackets are class! I had a tan blazer like that for wearing down the pub… Clive’s character gets to marry Mila Kunis’….. Not bad for an acting role! Look at that three piece suit! I didn’t have one of those for popping to the local!
A pair of motorcycle army couriers seek relief from the front during the horrendous hostilities of World War 1. Photo courtesy of The Imperial War Museum.
The Triumph model H single cylinder 550cc motorcycle was a true precursor to the Twentieth Century’s history of British ‘cycles. It was the first Triumph to have a single cam wheel with 2 cams instead of separate cam wheels for the inlet and exhaust valve. The entirely new cylinder casting had a larger valve head diameter and the valves were spaced further apart. Another great improvement over the 1914 style 3-speed hub is the Sturmey Archer countershaft gearbox: allowing for heavier and stronger gearing. Furthermore the primary chain drive was enclosed by an aluminium protective cover.
The Model H became a dependable and successful moto with some 30,000 supplied to the British and allied forces during the Great War.
Here’s a beautiful portrait of the engine by the esteemed motorcycle photographer Daniel Pierce.
In 1916 the war was well and truly in its bloodiest hour with the Battle of the Somme at its core. 57,000 casualties on the FIRST DAY. One can’t imagine… But one can’t forget either.
Sommeliers say 1969 is a fine year for Burgundy wines; likewise the crimson red wine color scheme of that particular years Triumph Bonneville is seen as the zenith of the 650 twin carbureted classic. From engine, frame, brakes and overall balanced appearance it really does epitomize the Golden Age of the British motorcycle industry. Here’s my riding buddy Dean Rennie on his fine looking ’69.
It’s particularly good riding along as a pair of twins, when they’re revving in unison it sounds like a DeHavilland Mosquito… Not quite a brace of RR Merlin’s but the provenance of the 650 is worthy enough.
A sunny sky greeted this early November weekend morning so without much ado the bike was kicked into life and a great ride up through Lake County was had. Leaf fall blew through the woods and grassland of adjacent forest preserves; a skip through Zion along a churned azure Lake Michigan rounded the loop. Roads weren’t too busy so it allowed comfortable progress along the way.
Lad getting together for a weekend on the motorbikes. Leathers, Barbour, bin lids and a good craic. I can eve guess their nicknames; from left to right: Pud’n, Chaz, Peachy, Lofty, and Swiftly Mike. Out for a hare along the A57 from Sheffield to Glossop.
Promoting companionship on the open road for the bairns are fun looking sidecar toys…
Back in the past when engines were a novel device on vehicles the cast iron and painted tin toys were the norm. Latter day examples have plastic parts but are nonetheless as fun for the kids of today. A pair of raccoons dressed the part on this cream and red
They even still have the pressed metal examples …
Lastly but not leastly here’s the great Postman Pat and Jess (his black and white cat). Not in his delivery van but a suitably red motorcycle sidecar.
He’s the crazy Muppet: getting involved in hare-brained stunts he’s seen here taking to the stage with a Knievelesque motorcycle jump. Ending up in the box where the curmudgeonly Statler & Waldorf mount their wisecracks from.
I was actually looking for Hunter S. Thompson images (the original Gonzo); due to having started to read his late 60’s book about the Hells Angels… More on that at a later date!
Gonzo’s likes are being shot out of cannons, balancing pianos on his nose, hypnotizing chickens, and tap dancing on roller skates on a vat of oatmeal. His only dislike is insurance agents. Seems he has more in common with HST than just a name. Dr Thompson’s ashes were shot out of a cannon…
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