Fish-Eye: I grabbed a quick ride today as the sun was setting under a crisp autumnal sky. Roads were quiet and dry. A chill air numbed exposed cheeks and the occasional whiff of woodsmoke curled across my path from some warm hearth. I spied this convex mirror on the so took a fun selfie to memorialize the ride.
Straight Eight – what makes a great make is the diverse range of bikes. Back in the sixties Triumph had models ranging from the cute 200cc Cub to the sporty 650cc Bonneville.
Look at that clear motorway…
The Leaning Lady- not much beats a sweeping corner on a motorcycle. As the tires grip the road a fine balance between verticality and the gyroscopic effect of the wheel as you push into the inner grip is needed. It’s as if defying gravity is an effortless exercise…. which on a bike is very true!
Snow Days – we had a brief flurry of winter weather today. A wee reminder that the coldest season will soon be upon us. This silver-grey ’52 Triumph Tiger T100 looks quite striking under a mantle of snow. Better get out the woolens!
Rally Tool – Tramontana: a tall desert sled with an attitude suitable for a Paris-Dakar odyssey. Fresh off the boards this race ready enduro machine is being spanked across the brutal terrain of the 1,242 mile PanAfrican Rally.
Calvin & Hobbes – my favorite comic strip of ALL time is the wonderful adventures of a boy and his tiger. The world needs more insights of a curious six year old and his feline companion.
Excelsior! “You know, my motto is ‘Excelsior.’ That’s an old word that means ‘upward and onward to greater glory.’ It’s on the seal of the state of New York. Keep moving forward, and if it’s time to go, it’s time. Nothing lasts forever.” – Stan Lee 1922-2018
Armistice- on this day One Hundred years ago saw the end of hostilities of The Great War. A global conflict whose influence ripples to this day. Tragic in outcome; it saw the loss of a generation through industrialized warfare, epidemic disease, boundary reconfiguration, and political & societal upheaval.
Richard Parker – Triumphs choice to call their rugged everyday models after Panthers tigris was a good one to promote their machine for worldwide distribution.
Chevron – we’ve arrived at the week end so here’s a Friday lass with a Triumph to cheer The World up. Dynamic framing of the subject; focal length choice for the overhead view angle; and shallow depth of field focus achieve an impeccable portrait.
Concept Art – early sketch elevation of the modern 800 Tiger during development. The integrative body panels augment the tubular frame off which the dark three cylinder powerplant is suspended.
Vector – technical illustration of the Tiger. Nice lineweights for suitable definition.
Thing 1, 2, & 3 – A fun photo taken by Charley Boorman during a press release in Spring ’18 of the current Triumph Tiger 800 XCA. Three Moroccan kids enjoy the tall feline perch. Snowy Atlas Mountains beyond. This machine is a global travelers tool.
“I had an almost constant layer of snow across my visor as we headed into the mountains…“
Remember Remember – in 1605 Guy Fawkes and his Catholic conspirators were thwarted in their plan to blow up parliament. V for Vendetta, V for five, V or Victory. The Triumph Bonneville gains an extra gear in 1972 from four to five. They celebrated this added ratio with a Roman numeral V to the side panel decal.
Lakefront View – the Tiger looking fine with Lake Michigan defining a level horizon beyond. The sun sets on summer time. Clocks changed and we’re into the longer dark evenings of winter time.
