Jerry Can – the cunning folk at Icon 1000 have given this Tiger 800 a definite utilitarian brutish appeal. With a finish like machine pressed galvanized steel sheet, ready to roll through some dystopian military industrialized kingdom.
September 16, 2018
Santa Fe or Bust
Art of the Motorcycle- prominent American artist Georgia O’Keeffe smiles as her Harley Davidson rider, contemporary painter Maurice Grosser, takes off along some dusty New Mexican trail looking for high desert inspiration.
May 19, 2018
Blue Blood
Royalty – with the wedding of Harry & Meghan earlier today I thought I’d look at the Windsor’s and compare them with their corresponding Triumph. Queen Mother? Model H, old world classic, suitable for a day at the races. Prince Philip? A German TWN 2 Stroke – the European Triumph. QE2? Easy, a ’59 Bonnie; timeless classic. Princess Margaret? The racy Thruxton, Charles? The too-little-too-late Trophy 250.
William & Harry? The new Triumphs! 675 Daytona or T120 Bonneville. Next generation.
March 14, 2018
The Wheel
Full Circle – March 14th which in the US is also known as pi day 3.14
Top Left: Model H (1914)
Top Right: Tiger 90 (1937)
Lower Left: Tiger Cub (1963)
Lower Left: Bonneville T120 (2017)
March 8, 2018
Hands-Free
International Women’s Day – Dot Smith aka Marjorie Dare defying gravity around “The Wall of Death” at the historic Kursaal amusement park in Essex, England, 1938.
February 24, 2018
Fore!
Mashie or Niblick? What better way to head to The Links than on a trusty BSA with your dog as co-pilot? Better make sure the wheels don’t get snagged by an errant Baffing Spoon!
February 11, 2018
Vloek
Backfire! One of the unfriendly characteristics of a kickstarting motorcycle is the occasional pre-detonation that flails the lever back into your foot or shin. There aren’t enough curse words in the English language when this happens… Fantastic depiction by the talented pen and ink work of Dutch illustrator Charles Burki “The Recoil!”
December 23, 2017
Whodunnit
Murder is Easy – Agatha Christie jape with multi-talented actor Benedict Cumberbatch as the lead detective in a 2008 television adaptation. Originally published in 1939 it was the successful mystery writers first step away from Hercule Poirot, though this TV show rolled in Miss Marple as the main protagonist with Benedict’s character Luke Fitzwilliam as a younger less-experienced ‘sidekick’. More to the point: what’s ‘e ridin’? Well a marvelous 1950 or 51 Triumph Speed Twin in glorious amaranth red. When are Triumph bringing that color back? It would look smashing on their new Bobber.
The blue car, tell us about the blue car! Well, that’s in the story too, the love interest, Bridget Conway, drives a powder blue 1960 MGA open top roadster.
Leather driving gloves, silk scarves and cases lashed to the parcel rack… how very English!
October 21, 2017
Autumn Day
All Fall in – we’re still experiencing unseasonably mild weather for late October day. A good ride out was planned, undertaken and enjoyed.
We stopped off at Morries Place in Ringwood McHenry County before a 40 mike sojourn into Wisconsin. I always enjoy peering at the old stuff Ed Zender has in his ‘showroom’ . A sample of vintage ‘cycles from the 30’s to the 70’s. The signs on the walls a suitable backdrop too. His workshop is lined up with many projects, maintenance jobs and carefully catalogued and shelved parts.
August 23, 2017
The details are not the details. They make the Design
B&W – beautiful ’38 Velocette KSS. This single cylinder 350cc is vintage platinum best. Kam (Camshaft) Super Sport these saw racing success in the Twenties. It’s the same model Charles & Ray Eames sat on in this wonderful portrait.
August 21, 2017
Red ‘n’ Green
On Show – there was some superb vintage cycles on show yesterday; here’s a small selection: a forest green Triumph TRW. The military 500cc side-valve developed for multi-use tasks: courier, sidecar, MP. A smart item that’ll keep service like a Sam Browne belt holding a holstered Webley revolver.
Orion’s Belt – This ’37 Ariel Red Hunter was parked up with a polished engine, gauge cluster, and high pipes. Tomato red tank accent and gold pin-stripe adds a splash of color. These were the sports bikes in the pre-war period.
The Green Enduro – New knobbly off road tires behoove this ’68 Sachs powered Penton 125 Six-Days KTM built ‘crosser. Would be a good woods bike to hare through the forests of Michigan; which it looks like this one already does!
July 10, 2017
Gulf
Fill ‘er up! Or so you would have asked Dick Dunkle, proprietor of the Gulf service station on the old Lincoln Highway (Route 30) that went cross country in the days before the Interstate system was laid. The terra-cotta tile work and old mechanical pumps as atmosphere. As did the rain stotting down on Bedford PA. The Minx sits in the forecourt: “one for the album!”
January 23, 2017
Wattle & Daub
Thatched – perfect English scene of a pair of couples heading out for a jaunt along some country lanes in the Home Counties. Stopping off for a pint at The Bull Inn, the local pub at Arborfield in Berkshire where this photo was taken.
January 17, 2017
Doughnut Delivery
Giant Scarab – I spotted this patina-rich coffee & doughnut van scuttling about the City recently. Elegant hand painted script cheerily advertising a morning refreshment for construction and office worker alike. It’s a doughty International Harvester Metro Van, produced between 1938 and 1975 keeping its distinctive flowing form well into the sixties when its edges were squared off to meet a demand for something new. The flowing gumdrop lines were created by the capable hand of Mr Streamline himself, Raymond Loewy.
January 6, 2017
Pretty Panthera
Feline Friday – here’s one to chase away yesterday’s posted Mickey! Tigress lounges across the burly single 1930’s Triumph.
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