Another period advertisement for the Cub: it’s like a promotion from Madmen: suit, pipe and brylcreem. Modern high street shopper behind are a mere swish of the artists ink brush, the ‘Baby Bonnie’ looks splendid as its shown off by the gauntlet’d owner. Only one hundred and forty four pounds and fifteen shilling!
Bobby Stilwell winning the 1958 50 mile Amateur race at Daytona Beach. With that gorgeous red Chevy truck to tote his bike around in he swept the board in the fifties on Triumph Twins.
Back in the day the doughty Cub could keep up with the best of ’em and go on to win many a trial competition. The riders liked them, they galloped over the observed courses and their popularity amongst the public as a daily rider to scoot to and from work. Wooded hillside with rubble stream bed needed in Illinois soon…
The passing today of one of motorcyclings greats. Lancastrian Duke was a dominating figure in the fifties on the GP circuit as well as the Isle of Man TT. No better picture of him that taking a Manx Norton at speed in front of s cheering crowd.
1923-2015
Beach Babe: a box brownie snap of someone’s love. Both two-legged and two-wheeled. Back when you just drove down to the waters edge and had a ride along the damp sand. You can smell the salty air and feel the gritty sand in your toes.
Today marks the 81st birthday of John Surtees OBE. Undeniably one of the greats of two AND four wheel racing. He won both Grand Prix championships on motorcycles 1956, 1958, 1959 & 1960 and cars 1964. Riding and driving MV Agusta and Ferrari respectively.
Why he is not Knighted is one of the deepest mysteries of modern history… Well, he’s a Sir in many a book.
…on a Triumph. A smashing old poster regaling the virtues of two-wheeled transport; even when the roadwork season (summer) hold up traffic. The old tramlines offer a balance beam way over lifted cobbled streets. As always I love the inked brushwork of these classic bike adds. The intent and attire of the gal is spiffy too!
“We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets.”
― Marilyn Monroe
Of course the MvR meet wasn’t just about motorcycles… It also included a small car show where the four wheeled rockers drove in their 50’s vee-hick-kals. Hot rods, Rat Rods, land yachts, classic trucks, Nader’s Ford Corvair. Enjoy!
A fluid exercise in ink line brushwork. A sweep here, curl there and swooping execution of a classic motorcycle scene in monochromatic depth. Boy meets girl, boy shows off motorcycle to girl. Boy and girl plan trip across Dorset to the next teashop…
I’m watching the classic M. Hulot’s Holiday with the wonderfully visual Jaques Tati as the oblivious pipe smoking titular character. His small spluttering car makes several noisome appearances as he gets into numerous escapades at the coastal resort.
Being less than a decade since the end of World War II is shows a french trying to relax and vacate themselves from life; however M. Hulot quietly and unknowingly intrudes on their R&R. If Chaplin was Blues, Keaton Folk then Tati is a Jazz Master.
As part of the work involved in a restoration you get to enjoy delving into the history of the bike; part of which is examining original advertising illustrations. Here’s a smashing item from some brochure extolling the virtues of these fifth liter machines. A Tiger Cub and Sport Cub: both T20.
Of course having the words of a real world champion quoted on the ad doesn’t do any harm either. Here Belgian Roger Vanderbrecken give a positive review of the Cubs.
Another law enforcing rider; this time an antipodean one… Here’s a slouch hatted cobber ready for pulling over some tinnie slurpin’ Bruce driving home in his ute from a barbie.
When perfection comes together the outcome is truly sublime. Norton’s decades long experience with two-wheeled racing reaches a zenith with their 500cc Manx. That big piston thumping out power with a rorting boom as it hares around the lanes and circuits of the racing realm.
Need to catch the ferry to Douglas?
Long before one Don Maclean wrote That song the boys were having a great time riding a wave of youths popularity. After a long tour in May 1958 they took a side trip from Lubbock to Dallas to pick up some mo’orsickles. The Harley D dealerships told these young whippersnappers not to touch their machines; across town at Ray Millers Triumph showroom they received good enough treatment to pick up a few of the latest models of Brit Iron available at that time.
Buddy took an Aerial Cyclone; J.I. a Triumph Trophy; and Joe B a Triumph Thunderbird. Story goes they then rode ’em back across town to the Harley dealer to show off their new rides, then hauled along the highway to Lubbock some 350 miles away. I bet they were singin’ all the way!
Here’s a period advert for the Ariel…
The Aerial eventually made it to the Waylon Jennings estate; as you know he gave his seat on that fateful flight to Buddy. It’s a nice looking bike fit for one if the true founders of rock ‘n’ roll.
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