Three One Two | The area code for Chicago and today’s date March the Twelfth. Here’s a ripper of a custom cafe by the lads at Analog Motorcycles, a small scale custom ‘shop based in Waukegan IL. The donor bike is an ’08 Thruxton and plenty of goodies were added to its capable chassis to assemble a very unique machine. It ain’t brutish, nor a wallflower, but is purposeful with a confident stance.
Rocker Drumroll | Quiff’d and leather jacketed; this young leather boy curls his lip up at the camera ready to rumble the streets of inner cities and country A-roads alike.
Victory – we made it to the weekend again. Alas here in the Midwest the weather isn’t improving anytime soon. But Spring will be with us soon enough! These gals are enjoying the twisties along some SoCal roadway…
But is it Art? Our feline friend finds a comfy perch to snooze the day away on. Or perhaps reckons the seat makes a decent scratching post. Nevertheless tabby complements this custom ‘flat packer’ two wheeled piece of furniture by Italian designer Joe Velluto.
Fast Freyja – a new weekend is upon us and a blurring of the week just past recedes behind us. Still winter conditions her in the Midwest so on with a few small bike projects. Tool kit for Tiger being amassed.
Dapper ‘n’ Dignified- here’s a chap looking quite at home leaning over the ace bars of his cafe’d Triumph. Good looking beard and shaped ‘tasche; which, along with the waistcoat, darkened goggles and slick half helmet, look perfect for the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride that this fella was heading to.
Rider is Nigel Peacock
‘Ard as Nails – superb ink drawing of Tank Girl on a heavy booted Norton from the capable illustrator hand of Jamie Hewlett.
Photo Zine – limited edition photography books are available from Cafe Royal Books. Amongst their offering are some excellent photojournalistic publications. This one is filled with evocative images from the seventies of bikers attending the iconic races on the Isle of Man. You can smell the drips of Castrol on the deck of the Douglas ferry.
Three lumps please pet. Here’s a splendid cafe hybrid set up in the grandest of traditional style. A three cylinder Trident shoehorned into a Norton featherbed frame. Ray gun silencers, rear-sets, clip-one, alloy rimmed 19″ wheels and a muckle tank. The stern looking owner looks the part too! Leather vest badged like some knights chainmail armour. The white silk scarf completes the cafe racer ensemble to grand effect. I bet this machine can move!
Fall Color – a nice autumnal half century jaunt up north on the owld gal. Both Bonnie’s were riding pretty good albeit the cooler start. Trees are magnificent right now: ruby, gold, amber, scarlet, and all other fiery displays. I must say the Tiger has spoiled me for ease and comfort. Older bikes need more input to keep a smooth progress along the road. But they’re fun in their own right.
Also, the bike will be going up onto the workstand for a winter sort through. For one the rear sets are coming off… getting too cramped for comfort!
Eight Years Ago – I took the rebuilt Bonnie out for a spin along Lake Shore Drive. A happy broad grinned memory. Parked-up at the Adler Planetarium I snapped a photo with the Chicago skyline beyond. It sported Gulf colors, original wheels and brakes and upright bars and footpegs. Well, I had evolved from there. A larger British tank in Mango Tango orange; rear-sets and ace bars; alloy wheels with modern rubber tires; and a disc brake front end. Where will it go from here? Time will tell!
OAP – better than a walking frame. One agéd owner had his Egli-Vincent fettled for taking their machine to the ton-plus speeds… which it’s more than capable of.
Chocks away chaps! Tally-Ho!
Vintage Stuff – perfect weather and a super turnout for the second annual Evanston Motorcycle Classic. Over one hundred bikes on display, including my shabby owld gal, under a Blue September sky. Another couple of hundred newer machines parked-up too so plenty to like ok at. Everyone was in fine spirits for the outing and polished offerings looked superb.
A or B – a modern retro such as the Thruxton, or the practical distance tool like the Trophy.
Pucker Up – this lass gives us a sly kiss for the coming weekend as she wheels along some New York City Borough. Cherry red Triumph Thruxton ensures coolness fit for her shades.
