January 11, 2016
Didn’t know what time it was and the lights were low
I leaned back on my radio
Some cat was layin’ down some rock ‘n’ roll ‘lotta soul, he said
Then the loud sound did seem to fade
Came back like a slow voice on a wave of phase
That weren’t no D.J. that was hazy cosmic jive
There’s a starman waiting in the sky
He’d like to come and meet us
But he thinks he’d blow our minds
There’s a starman waiting in the sky
He’s told us not to blow it
‘Cause he knows it’s all worthwhile
He told me
Let the children lose it
Let the children use it
Let all the children boogie
David Bowie 1947-2016
Posted in 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, Music, Superhero |
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December 29, 2015
New Musical Express: the long and short of it. Another photo of LEMMY riding a Triumph; this time a looong forked chopper. Here as bassist from Hawkwind years before Motörhead.
Posted in 70's, Chopper, Music, Triumph Motorcycle |
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December 2, 2015
Today’s advent door reveals a chocolate bike. Cadburys is the best milk chocolate for this to be made with. It also reminds me of the selection boxes you’d get…
Posted in 70's, Motorcycle Art |
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November 30, 2015
Let’s bust into this week with Joe Dredd roaring his Lawmaster through the page. Classic Brian Bolland artwork that has never been bettered.
Posted in 70's, Motorcycle Art, Superhero |
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November 17, 2015
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.
Posted in 50's, 70's, Cars, Steve McQueen, Travel |
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October 22, 2015
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!
Posted in 70's, cafe racer, Design |
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October 20, 2015
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.
Posted in 70's, Racing, Triumph Motorcycle |
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October 19, 2015
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.
Posted in 70's, cafe racer, Clothing, Graphics, Motorcycle Art, Photography |
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October 4, 2015
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.
Posted in 50's, 70's, Clothing, Photography, Racing, Vincent |
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September 27, 2015
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!
Posted in 70's, Engineering, Motorcycle Poster, Triumph Motorcycle |
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September 19, 2015
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.
Posted in 70's, Chopper, Film and TV, Motorcycle Poster, Photography, Triumph Motorcycle |
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September 14, 2015
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…
Posted in 70's, cafe racer, Triumph Bonneville |
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September 10, 2015
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!
Posted in 70's, Film and TV, Triumph Motorcycle |
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August 31, 2015
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…
Posted in 70's, Norton, Project, Restoration |
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August 17, 2015
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.
Posted in 70's, 80's, Chicago, Honda, Kawasaki |
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