A quick spin up north before a 4th of July party gave quiet roads to swoop along, golden light bathing lush trees offering intermittently shaded roads and a superlative ride. The fireworks weren’t bad either…
June 30, 2014
Bike Show
Some other cracking motos attended the show: starting with this immaculate ’68 Bonneville. Surgically clean to a mirror finish with astounding original detail. Even down to the cork seal under the fork gaiter. 100% concourse.
Even a new T100 Bonneville stood proud. Nice straight muffler to match the original – the standard kinked on replaced here. An adequate stablemate for a sixties T120.
Somebody had brought a road converted Triumph race bike. Somewhat cobbled but obviously gave its owner the thrill of speed. Somewhat of a Mad Max style ..
Norton Commando in rosy cheek’d color. Great seventies superbike!
A BSA B31 single sat sunning itself in the late June sun. Same colors as the Rocket Gold star I had. This thumper is a neat scooter.
June 19, 2014
Twins All
A new Thruxton in racing red sits aside a blazing blue sixties repli-Thruxton. Eeny meeny miney mo!
The best V-Twin Harley Davidson made: from the thirties… The Knucklehead just looks the business for the original Route 66.
A motorcyclists Norton indeed: big tank, short pipes, rear sets and a belt primary drive. This one hailed from Ontario Canada. I like it!
June 18, 2014
Four Wheels Good
The Motoblot was also Autoblot for a select few rare classics that fit in with the predominantly sixties charm of the days collective. Starting with a juicy emerald green monster.
1954 Ford Lincoln Capri – stands daubed in classic rally ‘finery’; this particular one has torn along the dusty roads of Central America with helmeted pilot and navigator at the helm.
Ford Coupé rat rod: oversized and overpowered V8 lump weighs the open wheeled chassis down for a rusty patina’d low-rider. This tiger will roar with that motor opened up.
J
Big engined Ford Galaxie 500 came rumbling in: all parted ways to let this great white through.
Cadillac 1959: fins that stretch for miles, parking requires two zip codes, its rocket age origins expressed in rear tail light nozzles.The trunk is the area of a small sovereign state. This thing just goes on and on and on….
June 17, 2014
The Line
One of my favorite aspects of motorcycling is looking at the pure lines of the chassis, engine, wheels, tank, seat and other components that make it go and stop.
Just look at this Parilla: its tight form creates a swallow-like appearance of swiftness. The arched rear sub frame echoed on the tanks pinstripe. The little motor resting perfectly in its cradle. Even the ebony bum-stop perch reflects the Matt black exhaust pipe. Symmetry in motion.
Honda clocks: coordinated information. Instead of two separate ‘meters a single one with optimistic speedo stretched over a vertical odometer. Beside it the tach repeats a sweep of revs alongside its neighboring needle.
Indian Head: a Chiefs front fender with starkly contrasting whitewall sides and black rim adorned with the backlit stern featured ornament.
The other Colonial iron, here a sweetly pinstriped tank surrounds the clocks firebird-like. Die gripped gear lever hints at this moto’s age. A late 30’s Knucklehead.
Modern tin: the polished alloy big racetank is always a thing to admire. Especially when it sits securely atop a stout twin engine of Triumph fame. The brown leather seat cover adds the custom touch.
June 16, 2014
The Name
Of course Triumph was represented in the majority at the show. I looked at a few examples of how the brand was marked. The traditional name badge as well as the logo is a common touch; sometimes a Union Flag harks the country of origin of these Machines. I particularly like the embroidered name on the seat. The cross stitched padding in nifty too!
June 15, 2014
A Pagan Party
Blot is a Norse word for sacred gathering; add the important coming together of vintage and new motorcycles all of which mean more than just transport to their owners. Cafe racers, classics, sports bikes and bobbed chopped iron. Motoblot.
Red framed Triton: Terrific!
Union Flagged Bonneville: Jack is Nimble then Jack is Quick!
A proper kitted Hog: Swine and Roses.
Brand Spanking New Royal Enfield Continentals: Thumper Thoroughbred in cherry red or lemon yellow.
Scooters from the Med and from the Orient: both sixties items; both looking hip.
June 14, 2014
Motoblot
Mods versus Rockers no longer; it’s called Motoblot. A dedicated closed street location on the west side with plenty of bikes and loud music. Sunny weather with a cooling breeze drifting in off the lake.
I’m as happy as a pig in $h1t… Plenty of blog entries for the coming days!
British, european, Japanese, american Moro’s all.
June 12, 2014
Throwback Thursday
Me, myself & I: my first two-wheeled transport (motorized) in Chicago back in ’99. Its a ZX600 Kawasaki Ninja. Greener than a jealous frog, faster than a cheetah runnin’ downhill, and more fun than a big bag o’ LEGO…
Smaller sibling to the big bad ZX11, but enough motor for most! Loved that bike..
May 31, 2014
Expert
A fabulous long ride around the south part of Lake Michigan through the Indiana State Dunes Park to New Buffalo Michigan. Cool bright morning turning into a warm day suitable to be called May 31st. We stopped in at Bob Goodpastors ‘shop in Hobart.
Benches lined with engines: race and road both. The floor with half built chassis such as featherbed, and Goldstar. Shelves packed to the gunwales with boxes of parts, cylinder heads, gearboxes, hubs. A veritable Aladdin’s Cave!
Wheels overhead hang with miles recorded in the tension of their singing spokes. Tools bedeck the wall ready for plenty of action the old machines require. A back shed if filled further with plentiful supplies of cycle components awaiting projects needing donor parts.
And of course in the center of it all is the friendly and gracious Bob, more than willing to show us the nooks and crannies if his world. Pup was super friendly too!
May 29, 2014
Alley Cat
My Bonneville sitting idly on its sidestand along a northside alley. Leaning lazily waiting for a sturdy hoof to the kicker, her orange tank glows warmly in the late spring evening light.
Let’s ride!
May 25, 2014
Memorial Weekend Jaunt
Fill ‘er up and let’s hit the road! Weather a crystal clear day with glowing blue skies, a hint of a cooling lake breeze and minimal holiday weekend early Sunday morning traffic.
We would through leafy roads north and ended up in Volo. The car museum was open and also had a classic car show to boot. Opening with this fire-engine red Duisenberg. Coachwork on the boat shaped body was sublime.
Carroll Shelby knew how to pump some adrenaline into these 60’s Ponies: the gold striped black example looked the part. Your for fifty grand.
M
Ford Econoline open van: functional, turquoise, spare…
Loved this greyhound good ornament adorning the windward end of a fine 39’s Ford. Geordie at speed…
Stopped at a diner in Rockland Road Rote 176 for pancakes and syrup. Good weather and a cracking ride!
May 24, 2014
Modern Classics
A pair of dudes were supping coffee at a Starbucks at Plaza Del Lago: these were their rides. Shiny new Guzzi and Triumph. Do you speak Italian or English? That’s the question.
May 24, 2014
Friday evening
An open house at the Triumph dealer Motoworks was attended last evening. The ride down too an hour and a half; covering the fifteen mikes from Evanston in slow/stop holiday weekend commuter traffic along Western Avenue. The Bonnie didn’t like the slow progress with her engine warming up a little too much when crawling along.
Nevertheless we got there to see the Triumph flat track racers showing off their tools: and what machines they are! Go fast, turn, repeat.
Sunset photoshoot for staff and racers both. To be competitively fast you need to have a jockey-like stature… My cooling moto looks on sweating oil weeps…
A nifty mobile workshop is an absolute necessity when hauling between oval mike venues. Nicely equipped facility here!
Gearing sir? We have you covered!
We rode back up Lake Shore Drive at dusk. A cool but invigorating haul back north. The city’s skyscrapers reflected a golden sun, beyond the deepening night swallowed the lake beyond.
May 18, 2014
It’s the real thing!
Yup: nice wee scoot out ‘n’ aboot th’day. A few dozen mikes under the rubber and great spring bloom abounds on the roads.
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