Rusty Relic – keeping the chopped, stretched, hacked, hammered, sawed, bolted, welded and patina’d on the road. It probably rode straight from the Summer of Love into a musty shed for half a century.
February 9, 2018
Put the kettle on Sid!
Steam Punk Rocker – Nicely sorted custom, built from a Triumph Scrambler, for racer, and former boxer, Sarah Lahalih. Created by the capable mechanic-artisan shop Garage Company owned by Los Angelean Yoshinobu Kosaka. Using a flat-track theme its low lines a reflected in the smooth grain of a wooden seat and crescent swept back handlebars. A leather clad tank, tanned to a warm complexion, with stitched “Triumph” logo emphasize the boardtrack chassis vision, supplemented with a springer fork front end. The leather strapped Pendleton wool blanket completes the look. All she needs is a South West weave covered water canteen and an adventure road from the nineteen twenties beckons. Westward Ho!
January 6, 2018
1:1 Model Kit
Assembly Required- an object is the sum of its parts. This Knolled Project is laid out on a blue tarpaulin ready for a component check. Looks to be fairly complete with some items requiring finishing or cleaned up. One of my favorite kinds of jigsaw!
January 3, 2018
The Rob Roy Bike
Sage Rage – a wonderfully detailed Thruxton in mint green with a nicely balanced Dunstall fairing. Built by Mike Sadler of Division Motorworks in Canada as directed by owner Patrick McGregor. The side panel is adorned with the clan crest and the motto: Royal is my Race.
December 18, 2017
Trois sur Cinq
Five of Three – though only in production from 1968 until 1975 the deathbed gasp of Meriden based Triumph was a stout hearted machine that came a little lacking and a little late with the appearance of Honda’s CB750. But in those short 7 years while the company was self destructing the model adapted as it could to meet the demands of the riding public. The first part of its life as the T150 saw a 750cc three cylinder, dry-clutch, with drum brake giving way to disc, and imaginative detailing such as the now classic ray-gun silencers. It’s final iteration under the T160 designation saw an electric start fitted, gear shifting moved to the left, and the confine tilted forward to improve weight distribution. The tank colors aren’t bright primary or indeed complementary ones, but are quite sophisticated hues that are very much associated with the late sixties and early seventies.
December 16, 2017
A plan so cunning you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel.
Recuperation Plans – when you’re idle unable to get much done other than rest, read and recover; it’s a perfect time to devise schemes for future projects… this mostly complete ’74 Trident is sitting on Ed Zender’s showroom floor waiting for some unsuspecting soul who needs to tinker…
October 21, 2017
Autumn Day
All Fall in – we’re still experiencing unseasonably mild weather for late October day. A good ride out was planned, undertaken and enjoyed.
We stopped off at Morries Place in Ringwood McHenry County before a 40 mike sojourn into Wisconsin. I always enjoy peering at the old stuff Ed Zender has in his ‘showroom’ . A sample of vintage ‘cycles from the 30’s to the 70’s. The signs on the walls a suitable backdrop too. His workshop is lined up with many projects, maintenance jobs and carefully catalogued and shelved parts.
September 21, 2017
Nine
Three by Three – something like this would make a terrific early birthday present for me… boxes of components; frame and wheels; engine cases with crank and head. Would need a parts book, workshop manual, clear workbench, and several spare evenings (honey?). Well, I don’t smoke, gamble or drink heavily… gotta have at least one vice!
September 18, 2017
Three is the Magic Number
Triptych- I’m starting to put feelers out for a project. This time instead of a rebuild using a plethora of parts from all points of the compass I’d like to start with a solid mostly original titled bike that runs and do a clean restoration to make it more Show-worthy. These Triumph triple Tridents seem like a worthy undertaking.
May 8, 2017
Speed Silica
Frank – plump ‘n’ knobbly shod dune-bustin’ Triumph Speed Triple sat in repose under a clear sky ready for a romp in the sand.
April 22, 2017
Indian Brit
Go Skate! – Vert maestro Steve Caballero shows off his immaculate pre-unit ’52 Triumph custom with builder Bryan Thompson giving it a thumb’s up. The nostalgia oozes all over the bike: from the script tank badge and gold pinstriping, to the girder forks and saddle-maker leather seat or the leather handgrips with reversed control levers. It’s called ‘The Scout”. Good name.
April 8, 2017
Trishula Triumph
Black Dog – Neptunes spear was the Trident; also the sharp stick used by Triumph to win a bevy of races in the late sixties… it’s also the possible next project for Geordie Biker Workshop. I saw this one at Morries Place as a suggestion from Ed Zender. Nice powerful three cylinder tool… a seed is sown!
“Trishula” is Sanskrit for trident and was the weapon of Shiva.
December 31, 2016
Annual Goals
NYR – New Year’s Resolutions: the time of year when you need to take stock and wistfully ponder on what the heck you got up to and wonder what bedevilment you can get up to in the ensuing year. Here’s mine: project; new bike; travel; go places with my lass.
April 30, 2016
Light the Blue Touch Paper
The Shape of Fast: kinda scruffy, in need of attention, but all there. For sale recently on EBay this forty odd year old Metisse (Mongrel) framed Triumph needs a caring home to enable this fiberglass faired fancy to fly again.
December 21, 2015
Dark Night of Winter Solstice
What better way to celebrate the shortest day with a Shadow? Black Shadow that is…
This week has seen an unprecedented three Vincent’s for sale on EBay. Lots of money being thrown about too. One currently at $100k, another close to that; both runners and looking good.
There is also a barn find project that hasn’t run for forty odd years. Reserve not met at $38k… You’d be dropping another ten grand on it as well to get ‘er up and running.
I’d better stick to Triumphs…. This X75 in the UK… Now for £25k… Bargain!
geordiebiker.com 