Let’s bust into this week with Joe Dredd roaring his Lawmaster through the page. Classic Brian Bolland artwork that has never been bettered.
November 30, 2015
I am the Law!
November 17, 2015
Hit the road Steve!
This bottle green Chevy truck with a custom aluminum camper sitting in its long bed was once owned by Steve McQueen. Towards the end of his life he used it to go cross country and see the USA from the road.
Purchased from a migrant farmer the 1952 V6 engined 3800 was purchased from a migrant farmer from the side of the road.
Big mattress, plenty of storage and a tent-like inner ceiling it would be the perfect thing to scour the back roads and lost towns of the continent. The camper unit is called a dust-tite and was built by Harold van Hoosen.
This was up for auction this year… Unsure if it sold but the anticipated price was $600-800k.
October 22, 2015
Ago’s runaround
Whilst walking the dog around the block near the office I spied this little jewel of a bike. The red tank and frame echoing the surrounding fall color as maple, elm and ash turn their foliage to signal oncoming winter.
A twin 350 MV Agusta from the early seventies it was in tip-top condition complete with factory decals
It’s a slender thing; like a spaghetti drizzled in bolognese sauce.
Two tiny carbs feed the cylinders with nice finning and smooth covers.
Long race seat and its rearward bum stop hint that a streamlined crouched stance is needed for speed work.
Elegant triple tree, instrument cluster and clip-ons similarly denote a Moto built for higher velocities. The tank top decal denoted world championship wins. Wins by one man: Giacomo Agostini. Whose signature that is below it. Me, I’d put John Surtees John Hancock on the tank.
Hopefully I can meet the owner and hear it start up!
October 20, 2015
“Got a light pal?”
The great Gary Nixon taking a smoke break between races in June ’68. Big tanked Triumph with a big fat number one on the sharp end. It’s a 500cc being tuned by Clifford Guild. Track is Loudon NH
Wonderfully evocative photos by Kurt Fischer.
October 19, 2015
Monday
The start of the week is usually the low point: it’s an awfully long time ’til the next weekend and at least one of the other days will surely throw a wrench into the works. Ogri the tough rocker from Bike magazine in blighty has a simple philosophy on life: “as long as there’s beer in the tap and no one has bicker the bike”
The creation of Paul Sample this leather clad bike has been around since ’72 drawn in a Robert Crumb-like inkmanship. Always little details to discover on a second or third reading.
October 4, 2015
Rolling Free
A madcap recreation of the renowned speed run record carried out by Rollie Free in 1948 aboard what has become known as ‘The bathing suit bike’. A Vincent Black Lightning was used then but this dedicated speed freak is on an early 70’s Triumph Bonneville to capture glory. It won’t reach the 150mph Vincent record but it shown nerve and pluck.
September 27, 2015
Longevity
Hmm… Not to sure about this with the shenanigans going on at Meriden in the seventies. I believe they weren’t spending enough time on them; with components manufactured with aged tools, worn factory conditions and a workforce unsupported by the company or government.
If only they had heeded their own words!
September 19, 2015
Goli U Sedlu
Slovenian freedom on the high roads of Central Europe. Chopper modified twin takes a break in the Former Yugoslavian city of Ljubljana. These early Seventies biker youths must have seen the recently released Easy Rider and dreamed of a Captain American trip along the Adriatic.
September 14, 2015
Originality in experience
My ramshackle racer daydreams of its early existence as a clean factory model, such as this outstanding example. Complete in glossy finish any owner would be proud of. My Bonnie has a reborn character with oil under the fingernails and battle scars telling of an untold story describing a 70’s chopperization and unruly riding shenanigans. Like a dog from the shelter all I can offer is unconditional love when on rough running days or non-starting mornings…
September 10, 2015
Throw Back Tiger
Sharp toothed, sleek, apex predator. Yup! That’s Panthera tigris the striped whiskered large cat that everybody loves but wouldn’t like to meet in a dim jungle setting. 1972 650 TR6R Triumph Tiger.
Shere Khan!
August 31, 2015
Project?
As the imminent departure from the basement workshop of the Cub approaches I’ll need to start looking for something else to keep me ‘out of trouble’.
A Norton Commando was one of the first motorbikes I can remember. To me it embodies the free spirit of two-wheel’d travel. Black with gold pinstriping…
Do I dare make an offer? I’d better check with the missus…
August 17, 2015
Vintage ain’t just for European bikes
Kawasaki’s King KZ900: this example was polished to the highest mirror-like sheen by its owner as I was taking this photo. Power master of the seventies.
This Yamaha RD350 was a different approach to speed. Two stroke with Yamahas Power Valve System, basically racing developed fuel injection for the narrow power banded strokers allowing road racers to scream the streets like GP champs on the track.
Suzuki, on the other hand delved into alternative engine technology in their RE5. A Wankel rotary powerplant, though offering smooth power delivery requires careful cooling and hence complicated plumbing. Nortons rotaries were much more sucessful with Suzukis machine only being produced for a couple of years.
Talking of smooth; here’s Honda’s Mr Smooth. Offered in the six cylinder behemoth CBX. The superbike that connected the seventies development of the air cooled muscles like the CB750 through the Kawasakis and other 750 and 900’s to the eighties water cooled Ninjas and GSX-R’s. A hefty brute but solid power house nonetheless. A nice example.
August 16, 2015
MCC Villa Park Vintage Motorcycle Show
Though it was a hot 90 degree day we managed to get out to the west suburbs where a well attended show took place at the Triumph Ducati dealer in Villa Park. The parking lot was divided into show bikes and parked bikes. I had mine in the common or garden parked bikes. There was a great selection of clean examples of old rides in both areas. This little original condition Benelli starts things off. Small in stature but grand in character.
A ’73 Harley Davidson combination owner was very proud of her outfit. She had toted a tree in the chair earlier this year. Wherever she drive it people would wave and cheer!
Another outfit: this time a BMW r75 wartime rig. Fully dressed for European action with MG34 machine gun, jerry cans and trailer. A true enthusiast.
The parking lot contained new Triumphs, this new Royal Enfield Continental GT, Beemers, Kawasakis, Hondas, an odd Harley or two. Motorcycle gawkers heaven! This week I’ll show the congregation of Nortons, Beezas, and other fine examples of older machines.
August 8, 2015
More Speed Vicar?
This Rickman framed Triumph stood out in proud orange at Ed’s shop. Next to it an immaculate pre-unit Bonneville. Both truly desirable bikes. But that repli-racer: it’s a stunner!
Ground-up concours restoration of an amaranth red Speed Twin. Sublime and worth gazing at for hours. Put it on a plinth and enjoy the artistry that was Meriden engineering at its best.
A hourglass figure as prepared on an X75 Hurricane. Craig Vetter inspired lines and color maje this much sought after machine a beauty to behold!
A Big Zed! Power in a Can… Just love this, one of the first giant slayer muscle bikes to come from the Far East. I’m going to have to build a bigger garage!
July 10, 2015
Some Assembly Required
Like a three dimensional jigsaw puzzle a collection of parts sits waiting for a spanner handed Triumph nut to cobble them together into its sum.
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