Mayhem | This is what can happen if you drive around with a cat on your head. It may startle, dug it’s claws into your scalp, causing you to careen across the road and the ongoing calamity spreads to all other roadway and path users. Remember: don’t drive around with a cat on your head, no matter how cool you might think it seems!
The Cooler King | Our man Guy Martin is to recreate the classic Finland scene from The Great Escape made famous by Steve McQueen. In blue torn down sweatshirt and khakis he’s to jump a barbed wire border fence on a green Triumph Scrambler. On Channel 4 December 8th.
Percy Tait (1929-2019) – when it comes to the history of Triumph motorcycles one man is noted in the very foundation of that company. Beginning his career with Triumph as a 21-year-old factory worker he quickly rising in the ranks and started racing for the works team on the latest machines. It is reckoned he amassed over 1,000,000 miles test riding cutting edge motorcycles under the engineering eye of Doug Hele. As well as Grand Prix races he took part successfully in Isle of Man TT competitions. 750cc triple Slippery Sam is one bike that is forever connected with Percy. In his later career he went on to develop the 500cc Suzuki GP bikes for Barry sheen. In retirement he became a champion sheepsheet breeder. A giant of the history of British motorcycling, Percy Tait sadly passed away last weekend. at the age of 90.
F Stop | The Original celebrity photographer Terry O’Neill passed away yesterday. His portraits of the spotlight denizens from the sixties through to the eighties are considered iconic. Clockwise from upper left: Robert Redford, Julie Andrews, Steve McQueen and Mickey Rourke.
The Leather Boys | classic early sixties biker film depicting a fictionalization of the rocker lifestyle in the UK. Gritty kitchen sink drama.
SF Streets | Steve McQueen launching his Triumph over one of the inclined street intersections of San Francisco. Probably taken during down time during the filming of Bullitt.
Down the Road Whenever | more two-wheel visuals of Mark Knopfler in his new video for “Good on you son”, a piece of music from his latest album. It looks like an updated unit Triumph. Sunny roads. Perfect scenery for his subtle music style.
Friday’s Femme Fatale | shuttered store fronts with graffiti scrawl provides a gritty backdrop to this confident lass on an old Triumph. Glittering fuchsia helmet adds to the glamour of women bikers.
Kiwi Biker | cool photo from the sixties of local gang taking kids for rides in southeastern New Zealand.
Black Backdrop | Heavily Modded late sixties Triumph Bonneville fettled for the drag strip. Nice Union Flag motif on the tank knee scoops.
Mini in Red | my cousins project is coming along a treat. Classic Mini in rally colours here showing off the Sir Alec Issigonis inspired engineering to achieve compactness before it was chic.
Muffler Man | frame from opening scenes to Easy Rider depict a looming Ax Man. These fiberglass behemoths advertised car mufflers in the sixties but we’re sometimes repurposed for other city symbols. Typically a silencer would be supported between the giant paws of the lantern jawed gargantua – but other items can be substituted too, such as the double headed axe that this chap is wielding.
Wyatt & Daryl | the final episode of the first season of Ride With Reedus sees The Walking Dead actor cruising through the Everglades and down The Keys on a pair of Triumphs. Norman is like a kid in a candy store riding alongside the iconic Peter Fonda. ‘Gators, Hemingway and tales from the road.
Bayou Biker | CCR frontman John Fogarty hoofing around on a Honda Scrambler – Creedence Clearwater Revival were a mainstay of late sixties music with their early progressive swamp rock sound.
Is it a Byrd? Bassist Chris Hillman looking hip on a Triumph back in the sixties. I was listening to McGuinn, Crosby, Clarke, Clark and Hillman with their Easy Rider soundtrack earlier when preparing the evening meal.
