Here’s a gal enjoying a little repair needs on her Triumph Cub and getting a drag from a cig off her riding pal.
A few tweaks to adjust the chain tension, oily mitts, and before you can say ‘Bob’s yer uncle”, she will get ‘er back on the trail.
February 10, 2014
Smokes and Moto
February 7, 2014
L-Plates
Everyone can remember the first time they released the clutch giving a whiff of throttle…. What better moto than the Triumph Cub to do it on!
Boiler-suited student and their mentor looking happy in the sun in this image. His eyes are on a Bonnie at the dealers… Hang on son! Put a few miles under yer belt on the Cubbie first!
February 5, 2014
Glendale Bikers
A fantastic image was unearthed today courtesy of Tom Day showing a gathering of a local motorcycle club in the market town of Wooler in North Northumberland (where I grew up).
Taken in about ’51 or ’52 it captures the youth of the day admiring their motos and talking biking. Mostly a bunch of BSA ZB31’s; the sporty 350 single of the day. A couple of postwar Norton 16H’s may be there too. I’m told one of the lads may be my brother-in-law’s father. To be confirmed by the man himself…
Here’s a clean example of this BSA in modern technicolor.
February 4, 2014
Sprockets
A new front sprocket arrived in the mail yesterday. Fourteen teeth. Nice long unworn teeth that haven’t been chomping on a chain for miles and miles and miles.
The original setup is an eighteen tooth front sprocket and forty eight tooth rear wheel one. That gives a ratio from the gearbox of 2.66:1. With the 14 front and a big sixty tooth one that will give me a ratio of 4.30:1. Nearly a 60% increase. A good trials gearing!
Tree trunks? Nae worries!
Dieter says: “You are beautiful and angular.”
February 2, 2014
Charlie Uniform Bravo Tango Twenty
The police also used the small Triumph. No doubt a nippy ‘cycle to whip around town on.
Probably called the Panda Cub if adorned in the usual black and white paint scheme. Radio pillion box also achieves a rapid forward control point for mobile use; however when you have a strapping six foot four copper dressed in waterproofs I bet these little fellers strained their little hearts out. Roll on the Bonneville 650’s for more appropriate power…
February 1, 2014
Salty Cub
Bonneville: this blog is named after this shrine of speed; also used for Triumph’s superlative moto of the mid twentieth century. Here’s Salt Flat photographer Eric Rickman using a Triumph Tiger Cub as ‘pit bike’ to whizz from point to point capturing the hot rods, rocket cars and Burt Munro type characters. His Hasselblad medium format camera assuredly caught some impressive high horse powered streamlined beasts! He hung out with some pretty cool dudes too!
January 30, 2014
Spit ‘n’ Polish
I duuno how you’d get an engine THIS clean! It’s like some silversmiths handiwork with finely polished tubes, pipes, covers, and fins. Mine will start clean, though not polished, then attain a runned, oil smeared patina of an engine used. Something more like this…
A motorcyclists engine, gets t’job done!
January 29, 2014
Portrait
Clean, clean, clean; that’s what this Cubbies engine looks especially when photographed by the esteemed motorcycle portrait photographer Daniel Peirce.
It is an illuminating capture of the simple single: sinuous pipe wrapping lazily over the egg-shaped timing case, kicker and gear changing levers await action, and the cooling fins hatch comb-like across the barrel. There’s even a frame mounted hand-pump peeping at the top heralding in golden script: “Made in England”.
An engine IS art!
January 28, 2014
Cub Rocker
Only a couple of hundred ceecee’s of capacity but a stern grimace nonetheless. I’m sure fun can be had on this little baby though: “it’s more enjoyable to go fast on a slow bike than to go slow on a fast one”.
January 24, 2014
It takes a Village…
The village where I grew up has recently gone through a reconnection through Facebook. People who stayed, people who left, images of people as children, images of those no longer with us. Here’s a photo of one residents mother and friend in 1950 on a Triumph Trophy TR5 . This was taken along Oliver Road in the North Northumbrian town of Wooler.
January 23, 2014
Toolkit
Any self respecting vintage Triumph owner never leaves home without one! Here’s a near original set in aged patina ready to be rolled up, packed in the toolbox and taken on the road. Spanners? Check; Whitworth both open-ended and closed. Spark Plug wrench? Check. Tire irons? Some call ’em spoons, others levers but yep, check! Tappet spanner and feeler gauges? Check; tickety-tackety goes the engine in purring state! Spoke wrench? Check. Can’t be having wobbly wheels after the bumpy cobbles of Dent or the rutted tracks of the New Forest! Air gauge? Check! Pump is on the frame too lest a flat be had! Puncture kit? Check; complete with crayon, glue and vulcanized rubber patch. Grease gun? Grease gun? Yup, grease gun! Check! A small travel sized one should do, gotta keep ’em wheels a-rollin’! And finally screwdriver and pliers? Check, check. They’ll come in handy for something I’m sure…
What about electrics? Lucas? Uhuh! Well, three Hail Mary’s and a How’s your Father should do for that – good luck on that one old chap.
(This kit is currently available on EBay for $200.)
January 15, 2014
Hump Day
Wednesday, being the middle of the work week is traditionally the point at which the uphill battle of the start of the week begins its downward course towards the weekend. So here are some other humps to enjoy: Seat Humps! Of course for some it’s ‘ump day every day!
January 1, 2014
Happy New Year
“We twa hae run about the braes,
and pu’d the gowans fine ;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
sin auld lang syne.”
Robert Burns
Photo by BA Motos with story behind photo here:
http://thebullitt.blogspot.com/2012/09/ride-your-own-biography-ba-moto-on.html?m=1
December 30, 2013
Shivers Icicles and Snowflakes
Icy days: it’s been dropping to waay below zero temperatures here in wintry Minnesota. Might be a bit frosty for this snowbound Cub. You’ll be needin’ some studs on the tires there pal!
Yup, both Centigrade and Fahrenheit well into double digits. Exposed flesh? Keep it covered! And don’t touch bare metal!
Here’s the Real Winterized Cub…
geordiebiker.com 