A flying moto roaring across some grassy knobbled field. Nicely captured action shot.
July 12, 2014
Bonny Bonnie
The Bonnie lookin good in the bright summer light. Rarin’ for a lowp along the road.
July 10, 2014
I-94
Here’s my current dashboard: the VW GTI (Gertie) along with plastic ‘gator Louie. The highway is the lush interstate through Wisconsin. Music on this particular trip was Elliott Smith;
July 5, 2014
Lengthening Shadow
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 23, 2014
Get the kettle on!
Tea goes hand in hand with motorcycling. Perfect for quenching a thirst after a good ride. Here’s Steve enjoying a cuppa whilst filming a tunneling scene in the Great Escape. Niele looks on.
Our man Martin is a big tea drinker. Famous for having a waam mug o’ chai always handy. Overalls and V12 Vantage Aston Martin seal the deal for enjoying the good things in life.
Of course cafe (PR. caff) racers hare between the edge of town ‘greasy spoons’ and the mobile transport cafes spaced along the A roads of England. Here’s a perfect one complete with outdoor seating and fluttering flags.
It’s not their outward appearance that draws the clientele. As long as the brew is warm and wet, the food freshly cooked, then you’re set!
“The Greezies”: egg, sausage, bacon, beans, mushrooms, black pudd’n; and a slice (white bread with marg). All washed down with a tea! Perfect! Back on the road to head home…
Classic period shot of a Triumph Cub rider at The Sunset.
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 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 10, 2014
Jack
Wonderful image from 1950 or so. This is Jack Surtees (father of the great John) in front of his shop with splendid Vincent. Reflected in the window, a road sign with the B218 (direction New Cross) and A205 roads, suggests that this shop was somewhere around Forest Hill, in South London.
His oily overcoat shows much work on engines has been undertaken in the back workshop.
Jack was a renowned grasstrack sidecar racer here astride his Vincent combination with youngster John in the chair. 1951 great stuff!
June 3, 2014
Hoofer
The kick start was the owners way of getting the motorcycles engine spinning up for ignition up until the early to mud seventies. It takes a little finesse, careful setup (lest you get an ankle biting kick-back) and a smooth, but hefty swing of the leg. Getting your weight over it eases the proceedings as is an audience of zero. Add one or two bystanders and it all goes to pot. Misfire, blowback pop, slipping pawls or over zealous throttle to get the engine revving like its being mistreated.
When it all goes smoothly and the stars are aligned it can be a beautiful thing: swoosh, crack, put-put…. Into an low rumbling idle…
The road awaits!
June 2, 2014
Sun on Bikes
Bright late spring skies beam down on the motos as they rest from the hare through the Indiana Dunes State Park.
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 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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