Jagged Little Pill – Canadian American singer songwriter Alanis Morissette poses at an overlook near Big Sur California with a hazy Pacific melting into the hazy west. Her black Bonneville is a suitable ride for PCH Highway 1 with its endless twists, turns and open views along one of the prime roads in the world.
Calvin & Hobbes – my favorite comic strip of ALL time is the wonderful adventures of a boy and his tiger. The world needs more insights of a curious six year old and his feline companion.
From the Earth to the Moon – short jaunt up north to dust the cobwebs from the owld bikes. Coffee stop at the Full Moon diner on Route 41 where an impromptu gathering of motorcycles occur at weekend mornings. Nice T595 Daytona parked next to the Geordie-Bonnie, which, for a 20 year old bike still looks fresh in looks. This triple superbike was the true relaunch of the modern Triumph marque as the 20th Century came to a close.
Coffee was hot & fresh, eggs sunny side up and sausages tasty.
Ten Seconds – they say to cheer yourself up for the day is to stare at something yellow for 10 seconds… well, here goes!
Boon – gravel voiced and surly: that was the typical characters portrayed by Michael Elphick. As retired fireman in this particular role he rode around on a ’68 BSA Lightning in a Lone Ranger like fashion carrying out courier work as well as private eye shenanigans.
4810 – with a premiere writing instrument such as the gold nibbed Mont Blanc you need a suitable means to carry it around. A continent buster such as the burly ’99 Triumph Trophy will do. Sign your John Hancock on the contract down in Marseille, pop le biro in the pannier, zoom up the autoroute to Geneva for supper.
The Healing Road – I’ve just finished a very good book: Ghost Rider. Written by maestro drummer Neil Peart of Canadian band Rush, it involves the outward experience and personal introspection on a 55,000 mile journey around North America. Carried out in late 1998 and through 1999 is occurs after a double family tragedy. With a world seemingly in tatters he uses the continuous movement on his big BMW GS to keep ahead of his emotional demons. Well written and heartfelt about the experiences of the ‘open road’, his descriptions of the many 500 or mile-a-day travels make me want to get on a big bike and aim for the horizon.
The Original Speed Triple – before Hinckley Triumph rolled out their bruiser 900 naked Speed Triple it was being created by Meriden enthusiasts using the Trident lump at its heart. Here’s Jock Drysdale on his roadgoing machine during, what looks like, a speedy blast through the River Cherwell’s bucolic scenery. He’s dressed for suitably healthy velocities; I think there’s a broad grin under that lid.
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.
Flowery Friday / British TV presenter Anthea Turner is draped florally over a maroon & silver Bonneville for some 90’s photo shoot.
Hatter – “in this style 10/6” At an average daily distance of 650 miles for one whole month you need to be slightly eccentric to ensure success.
Madman – Nick Sanders takes long distance riding to another unreachable level altogether. He takes perfectly sensible sports bikes and thrashes them in a circumnavigation ofvthe globe. Here he stands next to his Triumph Daytona which he sped a land-orbit of the earth in 31 days back in ‘98. He would repeat the journey a few more times on a Yamaha R1… taking the time down to 19 days. Nutter!
Normadie. – an image taken during a weekend cycling trip along the north coast of France in ‘97. I spied this couple zooming across the countryside under crisp April skies as I took a break from pedaling the same landscape. “That’s for me!” I said to myself.
Pentax ME Super 50mm Fujichrome 100
“I don’t believe it!” – the catchphrase of character Victor Meldrew from 90’s sit-com One Foot in the Grave. An ornery old got played perfectly by Scottish actor Richard Wilson who can be seen here on a ’93 Triumph Trident for a publicity shot of a TV show ‘Under the Hammer” about a London auction house. Back then this was the best way to zip about the Big Smoke.
McCallum – back in the late nineties I lived in London; and it was there I took to motorcycles as a means of transport. Also at that time was a television show where the talented Scottish actor John Hannah played the titular yet unassuming role of a clinical pathologist. Like myself, this character managed to scoot about the Big Smoke on a motorcycle. He on a sharp black Triumph Thunderbird 900; I zinged about on a 125 Cagiva… I felt every bit as cool as our urbane character. I actually saw him in an East End pub about this time too.
