Three Teeth – finding burly success in road racing during the early seventies these Triumph (& BSA) triples proved to be Stout hearted winners from the likes of Dick Mann, Gene Romero, Don Emde and Paul Smart among others. The Rob North framed machines were a turning point of pre-sixties GP racers and the post seventies two-stroke screamers of the Japanese bikes.
D’ya like that? – Fred Dibnah, steeplejack: after a BBC documentary in the late 70’s he became the face and voice of a fading British hands-on industrial past. A lofty career starting in the repair of, and later felling, the chimneys of the Lancashire cotton mills. His interests broadened to the technology of Victorian steam power, both for machining and traction. It would come to no surprise then that one of his first modes of transport was a 1927 350cc AJS motorcycle that he purchased for 21 guineas. One of his first major jobs was to gild the weather vanes on Bolton parish church. He later claimed that he only got it because he turned up to give an estimate on this motorcycle, to which the vicar took a shine. Behind him is his beloved steamroller ‘Betsy’ named after his mother. He received an MBE from The Queen in 2003 just before he died.
Drapery – Welly shod model looks a little uncomfortable posed like some Romantic artists muse reclined along the ‘chaise’ of a Triumph T160 Triple. Perhaps it’s from Tony Armstrong-Jones’s portfolio… (see yesterday’s post!)
Lord Snowdon – one-time aristocratic fashion photographer looking every bit the bohemian yet louche husband of party-girl Princess Margaret. This photo taken by Bryan Forbes for Vogue in 1976 just before his separation from HRH. He’s cruising around the courtyard of Kensington Palace on a shiny Triumph.
ROCKET 3 – what a beaut this cafe racer build is! Eye-catching with a speed driven poise, and a homage to the BSA Daytona conquering triples of the early seventies ridden by Dick Mann and Don Emde (Gene Romero ran the triple engined Triumph). Builder is the extremely talented Frenchman Pepo Rosell of XTR Pepo using a 2000 Triumph Legend 900 as the starting point. Original 750/3 engine designer Doug Hele and frame guru Rob North would be proud.
Five of Three – though only in production from 1968 until 1975 the deathbed gasp of Meriden based Triumph was a stout hearted machine that came a little lacking and a little late with the appearance of Honda’s CB750. But in those short 7 years while the company was self destructing the model adapted as it could to meet the demands of the riding public. The first part of its life as the T150 saw a 750cc three cylinder, dry-clutch, with drum brake giving way to disc, and imaginative detailing such as the now classic ray-gun silencers. It’s final iteration under the T160 designation saw an electric start fitted, gear shifting moved to the left, and the confine tilted forward to improve weight distribution. The tank colors aren’t bright primary or indeed complementary ones, but are quite sophisticated hues that are very much associated with the late sixties and early seventies.
X75 Variant- typically the orange and yellow blaze tanked three cylinder Hurricane sits under a Triumph badge. Developed by bodywork guru Craig Vetter they have become much sought after Motorcycles. Here’s something a little more different and in some ways even better looking. A BSA Rocket Three ‘gin shoehorned into a Norton Featherbed frame… NorBSA X75s is the sublime creation. One-Two pipes, alloy rimmed wheels and decent front stoppers say this bike means business.
Recuperation Plans – when you’re idle unable to get much done other than rest, read and recover; it’s a perfect time to devise schemes for future projects… this mostly complete ’74 Trident is sitting on Ed Zender’s showroom floor waiting for some unsuspecting soul who needs to tinker…
On Any Sunday (1971) by Bruce Brown, who passed away yesterday at the age of 80, is considered the very best documentary that covers motorcycle racing action in Dirt Track, Road Race, Moto Cross, Hill Climbs, Bonneville Salt Flats World speed records and more. The movie stars Steve McQueen (who also backed its production), Malcolm Smith, Mert Lawill and Gene Romero. At nearly 50 years old, it still remains as a “MUST SEE” required viewing if you have anything to do with motorcycling.
Black Electrical Tape – this about sums it up. After poring over maps to memorize roads, junctions, towns, and other landmarks; you’d take a folded-up map and either stuff it in a front pocket or, as in this case, tape it onto your bike. Ideally in a waterproof Ortlieb clear map case.
Coffee Bar – we noticed Dublin is home to numerous cafe’s, nearly as many as the Guinness imbibers pubs. So to celebrate here is a perfect cockpit set-up on a mercury silver BSA cafe-racer. Tachometer and sloped clip-ons mean business.
The Cursèd Earth – one of the all time classic comic covers has Judge Dredd blasting out of the prog towards the lawlessness that was a post apocalyptic land beyond Mega City One. Outlaw biker Spikes Harvey Rotten is on his shootin’ side and the all-terrain Raider Command 2000. Which was also sold as a Matchbox toy. Artwork very ably carried out by Cliff Robinson (after Mike McMahon).
Incredible – Lou Ferrigno better known as The Hulk from the 70’s TV series is 66 today. Here he is as bearded Hercules in Gold’s Gym garb making a full dresser Harley Davidson look like a scooter.
Sold! From Auctioneers Charterhouse listing: “We are selling six of the world famous Royal Signals Motorcycle Display Team Triumph motorcycles on Thursday 16th November. More commonly known as The White Helmets, the display team was a group of serving soldiers from the Royal Corps of Signals who performed public displays of motorcycling skills, aerobatics and stunt riding. Beginning 90 years ago, in 1927, the riders were normally dispatch riders and the team have had several names in the past including ‘The Red Devils’ (before the Parachute Regiment Team of the same name existed), ‘Mad Signals’ (on account of the poor brakes on the motorcycles), and only adopted the name ‘White Helmets’ in 1963.
The Triumph T140 motorcycles the team rode around on are non-standard and customized to help them carry out their amazing stunts include no rear suspension, a solid steel frame, larger rear sprocket and a sticky throttle. Of the 26 Triumph motorcycles in the team, 20 have been either gifted, given to a museum, donated to sponsors or returned to LF Harris who supplied all the bikes. The remaining 6 are being auctioned off the highest bidders. Estimates £5-8,000.”
The Wolverine – we watched Logan last night. The final outing of Hugh Jackman as the X-Men clawed heavy. Here is an atmospheric black & white photo of the actor riding a 70’s Bonneville along an empty industrial backdropped highway. A side note: I am one eighth Logan.
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