November 13, 2011
Johnny Strabler taking a laid back approach to life as the Black Rebels Motorcycle Club leader in the classic biker picture The Wild One. A movie loosely based on the events of a fictiionalized hell-raising by a motorcycle gang in Hollister CA in the early Fifties. A Time magazine article spread the word about the Bad-Boy image of bikers that still lives to this day; helped with a not too bad part of Brando in the lead role.
Atop his Triumph Thunderbird 6T, this film andoubtedly promoted the popularity of Triumph motorcycles in the US when they, along with BSA, were the dominant world force of motos. A reign that would last two strong decades until the Japanese bikes came along. His white t-shirt, askew cap, black leather jacket, engineer boots and turned up jeans and surly sideburned appearance became the image of the rocker-rebel for generations.
Posted in 50's, Movie, Triumph Motorcycle |
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November 12, 2011
Another action guy used to hauling around on or being seen with British Iron is Brad Pitt. Obviously at one with the cool value offered by this great marque. Here he is in the retro-life Benjamin Button.
The silver blue Thunderbird coloured Tiger with nacelle headlight is a beaut!
Trying on the McQueen mantle of two wheeled freedom.
Posted in Movie, Triumph Motorcycle |
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November 12, 2011
Hugh Jackman a.k.a. Wolverine is a keen motorcyclist it seems. Being seen here with a nice looking 70’s Bonnie.
Even the comic-book Logan is seen cruisin’ on a Trumpet…
Of course in the X-Men: Origins movie has Jacko haring around on a big American Iron. Get those claws out!
He’s the baddest, meanest, best superhuman mutant out there!
Of course, as with all Stan Lee creations the supporting merchandise must follow!
Posted in Motorcycle Art, Movie, Toy Motorcycle, Triumph Motorcycle |
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November 11, 2011
In the satirical movie Shampoo Warren Beatty plays a womanizing hairdresser haring around Beverly Hills on his Triumph Tiger; his Mason Pearson hairbrush sticking out of his back pocket. Julie Christie & Goldie Hawn play the love, or more accurately sex, interest. Nevertheless he looks cool on the 500.
n.b. this was a pre-Princess Leia debut role for Carrie Fisher with a very Lolita-esque character.
Posted in 70's, Movie, Triumph Motorcycle |
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November 10, 2011
You can keep yer Nimbus 2000! Get on yer bike and ride! This here’s Tom Felton; known to folk as the sly bleach headed young Draco Malfoy. Good black & white photography with a 60’s look to it: looks like ‘es ready to ride down Carnaby Street.
Posted in Movie, Photography, Triumph Motorcycle |
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November 6, 2011
A McQueen film from ’66 was The Sand Pebbles; seeing him play a gunboat engineer, Jake Holman, parolling the Yangtse River in the twenties amidst the turmoil of a chinese revolution. He received his only Oscar nomination for this role.
Here’s a great shot as the actor relaxes with co-star Richard Crenna, who played the ‘boat captain. Steve atop a fresh loooking Triumph, Crenna a rickshaw.
Posted in Movie, Steve McQueen, Triumph Motorcycle |
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October 28, 2011
Here’s where a certain Norton motorcycle changed world affairs; in 1952 a young medical student Ernesto Guevara and his friend Alberto Granado travelled the length of South America witnessing the poverty, exploitation, and economoc extremes that changed the course of his life indefinitely. Their steed, a 1939 500cc model was named El Poderosa “The Mighty One”,
El Poderosa (copy)
Norton 16H 500cc Side Valve Single
The iconic Alberto Korda photograph ‘Guerrillero Heroico” of Che which became THE defining image of the Twentieth Century.
A wonderfully evocative movie “The Motorcycle Diaries” based on his autoboigraphical book of the same name, starring Gael García Bernal as Che and Rodrigo de la Serna as Alberto. A Norton featured as the third main character.
Posted in Movie, Norton, Travel, Vintage |
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October 27, 2011
What could be more hip than these three tootling about the set of The Great Escape on this German Rig. McQueen ‘Hilts’ driving; Garner ‘The Scrounger’ pillion and Coburn ‘Sedgwick’ sitting lazily in the chair. Director John Sturges looks on.
Posted in Film and TV, Movie, Steve McQueen |
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October 22, 2011
A short docu-film by Matt Harrington: “Machine”. Super cinematography, editing and subject.
Posted in cafe racer, Movie |
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