Motoblot | The annual pilgrimage to Chicago’s main open air motorcycle gathering was had today. Weather cooperated after stormy forecasts. Plenty to look at amongst the offering. The KZ900 in sparkly brown and oranges was a notable example; as was a display of the Danish in-line 4 workpony’s Nimbus.
Sepia | evocative photograph of decked out leather boy on his cafe’d Triumph. Low summer sun stretches hedgerow shadows across the road. Scarf across the mouth to keep the flies out.
SoCal Villa | Summer is upon us here in the Midwest, though the cooler days with a foggy fret off the Lake would make you think otherwise. Here’s Steve McQueen maintaining a cool look, as always, in the courtyard of his Beverly Hills home on a Triumph Matisse runabout’. His ’57 Jaguar XKSS which he called The Green Rat is parked in the background. He makes that faded denim shirt and jeans ensemble with Turkish slippers look stylish.
Pillion Who? | We’re not sure who this is as passenger with Mr Steve McQueen… but if he’s racing around the Hollywood Hills like the two-wheeled fanatic he was then this gent had better hold on! Answers on a postcard to BBC TV Wood Lane London W12 8QT
Window Shopping | A few lads gaze longingly at a BSA Rocket Goldstar in some early 60’s motorcycle dealership showroom.
Stay Cool | Effortlessly is how Steve McQueen maintains his aplomb attitude. White shirt, black tie and Persol shades. The Viceroy cigarette barely hanging to his lower lip is pure effect.
There’s a fella down the chip shop… | This image was doing the rounds a couple of weeks ago. Late night talk show host and former Saturday Night Live member Jimmy Fallon dressed as Elvis riding a Triumph Bonneville with a bear sitting at pillion. Vegas is undoubtably the destination.
Gene Romero (1947-2019)
One of the top flat track racers in the late sixties and early seventies passed away over the weekend. Talented on Triumph twins around the dirt ovals and fast on the faired triples around a road track.
Owld Moto’s | Sunday scoot up to Highwood for a coffee. Bikes are running pretty good. Weather was a tad cooler by the Lake. It was fun to be on the older machine.
Roadside Maintenance | Three biker gals take care of a Bonnie needing a little attention to keep it roadworthy. Those knee high boots are serious attire befitting these badass women.
Caff Lass | Amazing evocative image by talented photographer Nick Clemente. Frilly edged Lewis Leathers biker apparel is pure sixties on this Edie Sedgwick lookalike. The Ford Anglia parked in the backdrop is a perfect touch.
Earth Day | What better way to go out there and explore what our planet has to offer and see how beautifully fragile our home rally is than on the back of a Tiger. For nearly a Century there have been sharp clawed Moto’s roaming the globe looking for earthly adventure.
Je t’aime | French musician Serge Gainsbourg (L) gives a cheeky smile to his muse Jane Birkin who sits astride a high piped Tiger on some Rue de Paris. She’s sporting white thigh high go-go boots which puts the photo late sixties. – Moi non plus…
Paint by Numbers | all of those tank badges were painted by hand. Each one painstakingly given a pearly white background and black enamel lettering infill.
Factoid: Dan Robbins who invented Paint-by-Numbers in the fifties died last week aged 93.
Abarth | I was scootering between site visits today and when I was filling the Tigers tank up I spied this little pearl of a racer. Red Scorpion on its hood and a little extra oomph in its diminutive engine. Standing next to it I couldn’t imagine being able to get in it without my head poking through the sun roof and elbows sticking out of the windows.
