Archive for ‘Harley Davidson’

November 15, 2016

Buster

Sherlock jr. – Physical actor Buster Keaton can be regarded as one of the most revered actor directors in motion picture. His deadpan expression allowed viewers to read his emotions through pure movement. 

The motorcycle is a 1924 Harley Davidson JD. 

July 4, 2016

North Star State


Fourth Fun – July Japes : with celebratory fireworks crackling in the skies around Big Lake Minnesota I took mybrother-in-laws Harley Davidson Super Glide Sport. Cool evening northern air wafting off pine woods and the haunting call of the occasional loon from a nearby lake.  

May 30, 2016

In Memorium


Motorcycles in Wartime. This weekend sees another time to appreciate what others did to ensure a less troubled world. Sacrificing your life is the ultimate act of selflessness for freedom. I’m posting this image of some Harley Davidson Rotax engined dirt bikes used by troops probably somewhere in Southeast Asia. A Cobra stands idle behind.


More dirt bikes being utilized; this time the dry sandy conditions of the Middle East. It’s one way of traversing rough terrain quickly.

May 24, 2016

Pans, Flats, Shovels & Knuckles


Harley Davidson – the local manufacturer made good attendance at the northern Illinois gathering on Sunday. Each was careworn with decades of roadwon patina. 

April 1, 2016

  
Milwaukee WI. – It was announced earlier this morning that heralded motorcycle manufacturer Triumph of Hinckley England were going to relocate their headquarters and manufacturing to the Midwest later this year. After a failure to relocate to Germany a few years ago management felt that re-centering their operations to the New World would be a strategy that will see their future sales goals meet the requirement of their shareholders. Owner and CEO John Bloor stated, “We saw an opening for a motorcycle business in the heart of America and felt it would be an opportunity we couldn’t miss; and besides we’ll be able to expand our offerings into the skidoo and jetski markets”. A new company logo was also debuted with a question from the press being answered by the public relations officer, “Harley who?”

March 12, 2016

Ape Circus

  
Joe Lemke Chimps: On a Harley Davidson Hummer motorcycle are Sammy and Susie, and in the back ground are Marvin (L) and Joe (R). Photo from the Mary Gray Frasier collection.

The 2-Stroke 125 wasn’t truly an American bike; though built in Milwaukee WI, it was actually based on the German DKW as WW2 war reparations. The BSA Bantam and Soviets MMZ Moskva were other 125cc ‘cousins’.

March 10, 2016

IQ

  
Another movie Tim Robbins (Andy Dufresne) was in about the same time as the mighty Shawshank Redemption is this Walther Matthau vehicle who plays Albert Einstein in his fictional latter years at Princeton. Tim stars with Meg Ryan and hoofs around campus on a Harley Davidson Sporty. 

November 6, 2015

Viva la revolución

  
Wonderfully evocative photo from 1956. It’s film actress  Lina Salomé on her classy Harley Davidson in Havana Cuba. I was in a lecture about planning, design and landscape architecture in the largest Caribbean island today and it reminded me of our trip there ten years ago. 

September 18, 2015

TR_UMP_

i was in a store today and the cashier did a double take with my Triumph tShirt.hey it was casual Friday! Anyway, he thought it said Trump.  

 
Negatory! He doesn’t have a corner in the two wheeled crowd. Well looking him up you see that he did have a audio poser shot of him leather clad astride a Harley Davidson.

  
As well as with the Teutel family who built a gilded chopper with his name machined into the cases. 

 
Well; I’ll tell you something! He AIN’T no presidential material!

August 16, 2015

MCC Villa Park Vintage Motorcycle Show 

  
Though it was a hot 90 degree day we managed to get out to the west suburbs where a well attended show took place at the Triumph Ducati dealer in Villa Park. The parking lot was divided into show bikes and parked bikes. I had mine in the common or garden parked bikes. There was a great selection of clean examples of old rides in both areas. This little original condition Benelli starts things off. Small in stature but grand in character.

  
A ’73 Harley Davidson combination owner was very proud of her outfit. She had toted a tree in the chair earlier this year. Wherever she drive it people would wave and cheer!

  
Another outfit: this time a BMW r75 wartime rig. Fully dressed for European action with MG34 machine gun, jerry cans and trailer. A true enthusiast.

  
The parking lot contained new Triumphs, this new Royal Enfield Continental GT, Beemers, Kawasakis, Hondas, an odd Harley or two. Motorcycle gawkers heaven! This week I’ll show the congregation of Nortons, Beezas, and other fine examples of older machines.

July 30, 2015

Red Leather

  
Hot day today. Low nineties. Out and about and saw this dude. He’s decided to keep cool on his mighty ruby slipper red hog: breeze across his shoulders sure must feel good. Well if ye dinnae want te wear a leather jacket in the midday sun…. Just grow yer own! Those wee moc loafers suit his attire too…

ATGATT

July 11, 2015

Number One

   
When Willie G Davidson came to work as head designer in the early seventies he went about rebranding an already three quarters of a century old  company to make it #1. The U.S. Tank badge is iconic.


The other vee twin motorcycle that truly was number one is of course Vincent. Their gold Mercury heralding the wheels of speed. 

 

July 9, 2015

Bonneville or Bust

  

In 1936 Joe Petrali set a new land speed record of 136.183 mph on a modified Harley-Davidson WL 61 cubic inch knucklehead. 

 
Today it was announced that our canny bloke Guy Martin is going to attempt a new motorcycle land speed record using a double engined Triumph Rocket streamlined ‘Lincolnshire Ceegar!” Over 1,000 bhp and over 4.6 liters. The team are hoping to reach 400mph.

   
“That’s proper fast that!”

July 8, 2015

Mods & Rockers Hawg Style

  
  
Brighton MA bound? Then watch out for a clash with the scooter lads and rocker kids….

July 7, 2015

Way Ahead

  
Just love these three-color screen print poster for the late fifties Harley Davidson range of motor’sickles’. Loose lively line work with simplistic onlookers waving arms and cheering on. The top frame model line up and title footer balance the overall page well. Sans serif bold font anchors the scripted ‘sound bite’ itself a precursor to Hondas “Meet the Nicest People” or Kawasakis “Let the Good Times Roll” slogan. Ad men were having fun then….