– this clean example of Honda’s long serving early powerhouse was parked outside my office yesterday. 1980 CB750K DOHC – it’s an immaculate restoration looking cleaner than a fresh off the floor model.
July 2, 2020
John ‘n’ Tom
– wonderful imagined future of the mischievous Calvin and his sardonic pet tiger Hobbes on an adventurous escapade. The flights of fancy Calvins imagination drew the pair of them into are legendary in Bill Watterson’s strip published in worldwide newspapers between 1985 and 1995.
June 27, 2020
GS Hunter
At about the same time BMW was introducing the Gelände/Straße GS range Triumph was grasping a straws during its business death throes. One model that hinted of what was to come was a slightly modified 750 Tiger named the Trail. 21” front wheel, single seat, high pipe, off road gearing. You can nearly see the looks of latter model Tigers in its DNA. Growing up I always loved the look of the dirt oriented front fender.
June 25, 2020
35mm
News yesterday was that the Olympus Corporation are getting out of the camera business. With the advent of ever increasing resolution and features on smart phones standalone digital photography can’t compete. So, like the advancement from film to digital, we’re starting to see the progression away from traditional photographic equipment. I still have a fridge drawer full of Ilford HP5, Fujichrome, Kodak Ektachrome… perhaps I should pick up a trusty OM-1 for old tunes sake.
Well, as George said “All things must pass”
June 22, 2020
Time
Picked up this great reference book of Triumph motorcycles from the last eighty odd years. All models and variations discussed in depth from the legendary Meriden examples to the current Hinckley offerings. Lots of photos and masses of written information.
The Complete Book of Classic and Modern Triumph Motorcycles 1937-Today https://www.amazon.com/dp/0760366012/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_EIw8EbMGGRAH3
May 31, 2020
Biz
In the late eighties comics evolved from pen and ink drawing to full blown painted illustration blowing the mind of impressionable readers. One of the greats at this effort was British artist Simon Bisley who transformed: the ABC Warriors; Slaine with his Hornéd God series; Dredd & Batman graphic novel; Lobo; and this one from 1992’s Dredd Megazine. a combination of fantasy artist Frank Frazetta; secessionists Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele; and Marvel Comic artist Bill Sienkiewicz.
January 30, 2020
Pocketed Brass
The Great Pretender | “Let’s talk with Pete Farndon. When he’s not playing his electric bass, you can probably find him on his bike.”
Bassist from the original line up of the English American rock group The Pretenders Pete lived life in the fast lane on his Trident.
January 26, 2020
Vroom…
Old Sketch | probably doodled in the early eighties. I dug our this dirt bike drawing from a pile of papers I brought back from the UK on our last trip. I think I copied out of the Radio Times for the programme listing of Kick Start which I used to love watching.
January 23, 2020
Red Balloon
Luftballon | not ninety nine… just the one. The bobber ‘cycle rider is adrift with the escapism one experiences when cruising along. Fun artwork from Douglas Thompson who captures the gravity defying nature of motorcycling.
January 10, 2020
The sound of a different drummer
Adventure Percussionist | Rush drummer Neil Peart recently passed away. His contribution to music is legendary. He was also an avid long distance motorcyclist covering countless miles between concerts and later journeys of introspective exploration. His autobiography Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road a haunting memoir of self rediscovery.
Neil Peart (1952-2020)
January 4, 2020
?
Seventh | in the late eighties we were up to regeneration number eight for The Doctor. Sylvester McCoy was the Time Lord and his sidekick Mel by the 70’s child star Bonnie Langford. When the Tardis is parked up they can tear around aboard a beautiful Vincent combination.
December 31, 2019
Racing Bike
The Future Was Here | The imaginative illustrations of Syd Mead spoke of a streamlined and slick world of cool architecture and knife-sharp cars. This Honda 3000 has hints of Kaneda’s bike from ’89 Manga animation Akira. Mead developed the feel of dystopian Blade Runner and the computer integration of Tron. Syd passed away yesterday at the age of 86.
December 16, 2019
Annie get your gun
Would I lie to you? While I was cruising some 80’s music videos this evening I happened upon this snippet in the opening sequence of a Eurythmics hit from 1985. Her unruly boyfriend has a Kawasaki GPZ 900. Best color scheme too! That’s a great bike!
November 17, 2019
B&W
F Stop | The Original celebrity photographer Terry O’Neill passed away yesterday. His portraits of the spotlight denizens from the sixties through to the eighties are considered iconic. Clockwise from upper left: Robert Redford, Julie Andrews, Steve McQueen and Mickey Rourke.
November 5, 2019
Hey Ridley, you got any Beemans?
Herding Cat | Today is playwright Sam Shepard’s birthday. Born in 1943 he acted in, wrote, directed and won numerous awards for dozens of plays. I remember him for his role in The Right Stuff as iconic supersonic pilot Chuck Yeager. Shepard died in 2017 aged 73
