When processing a couple of yesterday’s photos through Instagram an effect evoking the original days of Triumph Bonneville ownership in the late 60’s or early 70’s is created. Snapshots on an instamatic.
September 12, 2012
Georgy Girl
A comment from Mr Bill Ferry, Carlisle UK yesterday in regards to the image of the fine example of a late sixties Bonneville, considered by many to be the best of the bunch, I noted that if that was the 60’s icon Audrey Hepburn of motorcycles then my early 70’s Bonnie could be another actress of that latter decade: Charlotte Rampling. the demure, mysterious lady of such movies as The Night Porter and Farewell my lovely among others.
Yes, yes, Lynn Redgrave was the titular protagonist in that classic British drama film from the late sixties but Charlotte was the flat mate Meredith in that movie which became a launching point for her career. But, hey! Geordie Biker meets Georgy Girl!
“Hey there, Georgy girl
Swingin’ down the street so fancy-free…”
August 27, 2012
Bring me the head…
A gal posing arms akimbo with attitude; a Triumph desert sled with knobbly tyres; a distant horizon beckons under a pale sun. It’s like a scene from some Peckinpah movie where you know the antihero protagonists will meet a bloody end…
August 2, 2012
Swinging Sixties
Like bears to honey: they not only sold bike with their velocity performance(race on Sunday; sell on Monday); but also with who you could attract whilst being the Captain of such a machine. By ‘Eck the Sixties looked fun. A photographer captures the sunny scene like David Hemmings character in Antonioni’s Blow-Up.
“it’s a six-fifty luv; fancy a ride?”
July 20, 2012
Rockers Ride
Open-face lids, goggles, silk scarves, leathers and big boots. All mean grimaced and ready to roll. Bikes are Norton, BSA and Triumph are the ride to rumble on of course. I’m sure when this quintet crack open their throttle mechanical music ensues.
Those clip-ons are a low-low-low custom geometry for speed runs up and down the Great North Road. “where we going for the Sunday morning ride lads? Brighton?”
July 5, 2012
Tiger-boy
Remember the Honda 175 from a few days ago? Well a few years previous to it you would see yourself on one of these 500cc Triumphs: it saw action as a desert sled in the ‘States but would provide plenty of fun on the road too! I love the fire road ready knobbled tires on this green example. Between the Honda and this.. Easy! The Trumpet trumps!
P.S.
Today’s BikeExif entry is a modern turn of this half litre Moto. It’s a reworked Bonneville given nice big boots on alloy rims; wide bars and a bottle green finished tank.
May 27, 2012
Robert Zimmerman
“I had been in a motorcycle accident and I’d been hurt, but I recovered. Truth was that I wanted to get out of the rat race. Having children changed my life and segregated me from just about everybody and everything that was going on. Outside of my family, nothing held any real interest for me and I was seeing everything through different glasses. Even the horrifying news items of the day, the gunning down of the Kennedys, King, Malcolm X…I didn‘t see them as leaders being shot down, but rather as fathers whose families had been left wounded.”–Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan’s career was going stratospheric when, on July 26th, 1966,he took his Triumph out for a jaunt and managed to wrap it, and himself around a stationary object. Some believe it was a front to just jump off the planet chaos. Here’s an interesting painted interpretation of his mishap. It was his birthday on the 24th.
May 14, 2012
North Town
Another look again at that Norton ES2 seen at the weekend. This candy sweet little number has received a careful restoration to the nut and bolt. A half liter cracker.
The cherry-pie a la mode colour scheme gives a period appearance further enhanced by the polished chrome and powdercoated mudguards and primary cover.
Even the tank badge with stylish knee grip pads, spear motif and a hint of art deco receive the designers attention. Suitably smashing!
April 27, 2012
That is illogical captain
Spock aka Leonard Nimoy looking quite roadworthy with his fisherman’s Aran sweater, black leather blazer and visored open face helmet (I’m not sure about the hockey-like chin strap!). Probably an episode of Mission Impossible where his character Paris was a master of disguise. Hmm…
Side Note: Today the space shuttle Enterprise, full size gliding test aircraft of the latter space worthy craft (Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Endeavour & Atlantis) was flown into JFK airport after an airborne tour of the New York City. The Enterprise got it’s name from Trekkies who demanded NASA name this shuttle after the Starship Enterprise NCC-1701. The Enterprise will be barged up the Hudson and put on permenent display atop the Intrepid.
April 20, 2012
Honda History
The Swapmeet was like a virtual museum of many marques; here a timeline of “the nicest people’s” Honda. The stepthrough 70cc mobility to the masses and London cabbies.
Another classic is the mid sixties CL77 Scrambler. 305cc brethren of the Super Hawk. Nice monochromatic colour scheme achieves a Kodak Tri-X film quality. A Henri Cartier Bresson visage of the motorcycle – Purely Classic.
With the oil crisis of the seventies well under way, the reliable mid-sized Japanese bikes came into their own, the next generation CB350 became the moto of commuters, tourers and others having their eyes opened to the open road. This tangerine model with black flash on the tank was a mini-superbike, but no lesser, sibling to the world dominating CB750. Magic stuff. Now this model is a great base for cafe racers at hipster hangouts far and wide.
Finally, the gargantuan CBX, six cylinder powerhouse of smooth behemoth-like traction. The pipework is a work of plumbing art. Six into One.
April 2, 2012
Hang On!
When the Krazy Boyz stunt folk who tear up the highways wheelying their Ninjas, Gixxers or CBR’s were but a twinkle in their grandpappy’s eyes; this bloke, Kenny Brown, was touring the drag strips doing wild shenanigans on Brit Iron. Steel soles essential…
March 26, 2012
Greater Than…
…the Sum of its Parts. An advert for a late sixties Bonneville; some believe to be the epitome of the T120. Here promoted as the essential components to create this machine. Slice of cherry pie anyone?
March 22, 2012
Monkey Business
Little Drummer Boy: Micky Dolenz of The Monkees enjoying a caper aboard a Triumph. That recognizable squinty face with floppy quiff streaming behind the BritIron speed.
March 20, 2012
“Makes you think all the worlds a sunny day”
The light of days past: here is an evocative snapshot of a Triumph owner from sometime when the Bonnie was the Latest and Greatest. Here a ’66. The clarity of those old Kodachrome photographs is sublime. A ’63 Mercury Comet sits in the shade behind. Apparently this is Thompsonville CT. The colour scheme for that year was white with a triple orange pinstripe throught the tank; complete with chrome fenders, grey topped seat and a sorted 650 engine: about as good as it gets.
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