19 year old Princess Elizabeth riding slalom on a military 250cc BSA during the Second World War as part of the ATS (Auxilliary Territorial Service). Her main role was maintaining ambulances and ’tilly trucks.
April 21, 2016
QE2 ninety
April 12, 2016
Poyekhali!
“Поехали! Lets Go!” 55 years ago this enthusiastic Soviet test Pilot got into a cramped sphere atop a rocket and blasted off for an orbit of the earth and into the history books. Kedr (Cedar -Siberian Pine) was his call name, Vostok 1 (East 1) his ship.
April 9, 2016
Schwartz Katze
EDC Every Day Carry. Here’s my new pocket knife, a strong carbon steel bladed thin profiled locking knife. Made in Solingen Germany. Known as the Mercator Black Cat, a design unchanged for over a century, it arrived wrapped up in waxed brown paper esconsed in a sturdy cardboard box. Nice sharp tool.
April 4, 2016
Need a light?
“Over There! The week ahead is just around the corner!” Here’s 20’s light entertainer Leslie Henson pointing the way with wife Madge Saunders acting as driver. Outfit is a late teens Douglas.
March 31, 2016
TBT
Throwback Thursday: this Susuki GS125 is the same model is used for my first day of riding around Crystal Palace back in 1996. It was a handy tool to get my CBT Compulsory Basic Training.
March 22, 2016
Seeing Red
Belgium took the brunt of World affairs today with the heinous and cowardly attacks by terrorists in Brussels. Many dead, a shocked population and a further need to eliminate crazed fundamental belief systems that wish ordinary folk just trying to get on with their lives to be murdered for their empty cause. Just plain Wrong! Civilization needs to advance folks! Not degenerate into a Dark Ages.
Here’s a beautiful 1933 Belgian 500cc Gillet Herstal Supersport to remember that there are great things in the world to enjoy.
Oh. And Belgian Chocolate…
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 1, 2016
Dewi Sant
St David’s Day- enjoy some leek soup and sniff the daffodils. I unearthed this late sixties photo of some enthusiasts haring up the Llanberis Valley in Snowdonia. Wrapped up for a damp weekend during the Dragon Rally, an annual gathering organized by the Conwy MCC early in the year to ensure mud, rain and general character building efforts are encountered.
January 31, 2016
Zero to Sixty in THREE WEEKS
Solihull January 29 2016. The last Land Rover Defender rolled off the assembly line after 67 years of continuous production. The US have their Jeep and the British the ‘Landy’. Earlier Series’ models and latter day Defender utility vehicles have been used on farm and battlefield both. Slow, basic, rattly and draughty; it was a basic tool. I remember smaller grouped field trips sat in the rear bench seats of the LWB 12 seater.
Any color as long as it’s green with a cream roof… Desert or jungle expedition anyone?
The Pink Panther: effective desert carrier for the SAS.
January 19, 2016
Rivington Pike Free Festival
Back in ’77 summer was enjoyed at numerous gatherings of hippies and music enjoying earthy fun in the countryside of a bucolic England.
Bring your tent, tie dyes and bell bottoms. However carefree gathering can attract others looking for lawless shenanigans. The Hells Angels turn up on their chopped Triumph, BSA’s and Nortons along with pelt headdresses. Save the Planet! More hash fudge and ‘shrooms.
Photo by Chris Hewitt
November 15, 2015
Le moto libre
Such a powerful image to our times. The freedom of a biker zooming through Paris.
Acknowledgements to Bonnefication your one stop source for everything Triumph Bonneville (apart from Geordiebiker).
November 14, 2015
Vice la France
Pont Alexandre III in Paris which crosses the Seine near the Champs-Élysées . It leads the eye up to the Arc de Triomphe.
August 8, 2015
More Speed Vicar?
This Rickman framed Triumph stood out in proud orange at Ed’s shop. Next to it an immaculate pre-unit Bonneville. Both truly desirable bikes. But that repli-racer: it’s a stunner!
Ground-up concours restoration of an amaranth red Speed Twin. Sublime and worth gazing at for hours. Put it on a plinth and enjoy the artistry that was Meriden engineering at its best.
A hourglass figure as prepared on an X75 Hurricane. Craig Vetter inspired lines and color maje this much sought after machine a beauty to behold!
A Big Zed! Power in a Can… Just love this, one of the first giant slayer muscle bikes to come from the Far East. I’m going to have to build a bigger garage!
July 21, 2015
Magnificent Desolation
Buzz Aldrin on the lunar surface forty six years ago today. Reflected in his visor is Neil Armstrong and the lunar module lander. I love this image; it shows what we are capable of as a people and what an individual can achieve.
July 5, 2015
Hog Wild
We had a day out to Milwaukee… Finally went to the Harley Davison Museum.
I static test rode a Fat Boy: comfy saddle and fairly slick operation. The wind-blown effect was an (appropriately orange) fan.
Early grey fellows commenced a yearly procession of models. Basically bicycles with engines in ’em!
A wall of engines: flathead, knuckle, pan, evo… Even the BMW-like flat twin for desert warfare. The rorting sounds could be conjured at the press on an interaction screen.
One view was a complete motorcycle…
Another its component parts…
Beautiful examples of all golden age bikes.
And an illuminated wall of tanks of the ages.
A worthwhile destination when visiting Wisconsins Brew City.
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