One Small Step – 49 years ago today saw the monumental combined effort of thousands who achieved the seemingly impossible task of landing men on the moon and returning them safely back to earth. Neil, Buzz and Mike were those men and Apollo was their craft.
You only get an Ooh! Derby in the sixties; Foden PVD6 double decker, Austin Morris 1100, and a Triumph 3TA Twenty One give period traffic to this Midland town. Billboards with Carreras Buckingham cigarettes, possibly a Horlicks poster, and some dextrose item ‘For Energy’. And of course the Cuppa splashed along the bus.
Bye Bye Birdie – Norton Atlas provides are very apt machine for Ann Margaret and Jesse Pearson in the titular sixties musical comedy. Portraying Kim MacAfee, the movies teenage protagonist and Conrad Birdie,the heartthrob crooner, respectively the characters get up to all sorts of period Hollywood high jinx. Another Norton “650 Manxman” was also used.
Belanglos reden – today we see out pal Steve and Bud in German Wehrmacht grey uniforms on some alpen meadow discussing tactics for the infamous chase scene in TGE. The Bikes are Triumph TR6’s dressed up to look like the R75 BMW’s that the Heer forces utilized.
Shootin’ the Breeze – here is Steve McQueen and what looks like Bud Ekins talking off road maneuvering whilst sitting astride a pair of Triumph desert sleds. Steve is wearing his Hilts top that he wore in The Great Escape so this is around 1963. Great photo.
Go West – we’re off on vacation for several days; so, depending on cell data coverage the blog post may be a little intermittent. Today’s image is the oversized Indian head tank badge for the Enfield detailed motorcycle.
Four Square- more offerings from the Ringwood motorcycle emporium. Delicious BSA Goldstar in immaculate condition, one lung and splendid mirrored chrome tank emblazoned with the gold star representing Wal Handley’s ton lap at Brooklands in ’37. Green lane ready Triumph Trophy Trail, half liter of long legged fun. Norton & Beeza goodies: one a TT special willing for speed, the other a doughty sloper ready for a lazy countryside jaunt. Finally a hefty Laverda 3C Triple, 1000cc of Italian grunt; just need a quiet afternoon along Lago Maggiore…
Daytona – little brother of the Bonneville. Though only 500cc’s against the 650 T120 it still managed to maintain an enviable racing career. This original example is owned by Ed Zender; he’d just pulled it from storage the day before. I’m including the old shop sign from the earlier location up on Route 173 near Richmond IL.
Eye Candy – a trip up to Morries Place in Ringwood let’s me enjoy a grand collection of old motorcycles. Ed Zender is always a good craic and there’s sure to be something I haven’t seen before. I’ll be posting more bikes through this week.
Corrie Bonnie – leather clad actor and 1970’s children’s television presenter Derek Griffith is looking calm and collected perched aside this classic Triumph. The setting is Coronation Street, location of the long, long running kitchen-sink soap opera.
‘Frisco Cool – as the weekend draws to a close let’s chill out with a spot-on photo of Steve McQueen scooting up the hills inThe City by the Bay. From his sharp attire this was taken during the filming of the classic movie Bullitt.
June 5 1968 – Senator Robert ‘Bobby’ Kennedy was shot on the campaign trail for President of the United States. Just five years after his brother Jack, and two short months after Rights activist Martin Luther King. The event rang an ominous peal in the events of ’68 which saw the country turn on itself in political, social, civil, and military turmoil. He was a beacon of a bright future that the US so desperately needed.
Here someone had created chopper art with RFK gunning a double vee-twin drag bike named after his wife Ethel.
I have an idea for a novel: Jack & Bobby weren’t assassinated, the moon landings continued, Vietnam was a short military skirmish, John Jr is current a President and the Soviet Union is still in place… that’s the alternative historical context.. I just need a seed for a storyline…
Cheyenne- he was a big dude with mellow baritone voice and perfectly cast as Cheyenne Bodie for 8 seasons back in the late fifties. Clint Walker, who passed away a couple of days ago at the sturdy age of 90. enjoyed riding, either equine or moto. Here he makes his BSA B40 single look like a pony on the trail. That’s Andra Martin who portrayed an Arapaho captive in another Clint Walker movie Yellowstone Kelly, about an Indian tracker.
Boon – gravel voiced and surly: that was the typical characters portrayed by Michael Elphick. As retired fireman in this particular role he rode around on a ’68 BSA Lightning in a Lone Ranger like fashion carrying out courier work as well as private eye shenanigans.
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.
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