Cactus Cavorting- winter has descended again in the Midwest so some imagery of warmer 2-wheeled adventure can feed the riders soul. Here is Julian Heppekausen on his ’66 T120, called Terry, belting down the Baja Peninsula.
January 29, 2019
Frozen
The Ice Man Cometh – we’re heading into an arctic blast expecting temperatures down to 27 below zero Fahrenheit which, along with the winds, will plummet the windchill in Chicagoland down into the minus fifties. Wrap up folks. Put spikes on yer tires watch out for Auld Man Winter.
January 27, 2019
Hare
Scrambling – in the Sixties the machine that dominated off road racing was the powerful twin engined Triumph. Barreling around rugged landscapes it epitomized the early scrambler Bike.
January 9, 2019
Fettled & Fast
Pops – The post-war period in Japan saw a push in engine tuning to wring out any available additional horsepower to not just be faster but the fastest. This would eventually lead to the superbikes of the seventies and eighties and the current flock of hyper sports.
Leading this evolution of power and speed was Hideo ‘Pops’ Yoshimuro (1922-1995). After maintaining aircraft for the Japanese Empire during WW2 he redirected his masterful talents to the British bikes being brought to the land of the rising sun by American servicemen. This photo shows our man astride a fettled BSA preunit drag bike readying for a speed run.
Later he shifted his works and racing team to California where big reliable Japanese superbikes like the Kawasaki KZ and Suzuki GS’s went on to dominate the burgeoning AMA road racing circuit.
January 8, 2019
Pride
All Smiles 🙂 Old Triumphs with enthusiastic owners ready for racin’ & ridin’. The sun is shining and the outlook is rosy.
December 12, 2018
Goldstar
Seven Oh Three – sometimes a big thumper is all you need. Glorious BSA flat tracker with beastly single cylinder’d engine.
December 4, 2018
Twisting Throttle
Pair of Tigers – sharp focus and narrow depth of field give these two a dynamic appearance as they rush towards the camera. The slight drift of the biting rear tire hurl the bike with gyroscopic forces across this field.
November 14, 2018
Rally Tool – Tramontana: a tall desert sled with an attitude suitable for a Paris-Dakar odyssey. Fresh off the boards this race ready enduro machine is being spanked across the brutal terrain of the 1,242 mile PanAfrican Rally.
September 3, 2018
Pale Sands
Manticore: The White Tiger. Back in ’14 a pair of stock Triumph Tiger 800XC’s were fettled to take part in the Baja 1000. Both prepped by Motoworks in Chicago; one being piloted by shop owner Johnny Scheff. Though up against more purposeful off-road motocross bikes these middleweight managed to make the finish line.
Manticore was the white tiger that Siegfried & Roy used in their Las Vegas Show…
August 10, 2018
Sandy Scene
Soapbox – under a bright Californian sun a bleach-blond lass stands by a true desert sled. The L&M t-shirt is apt for the location too. The old 50’s Glendale shop was owned by speedway and dirty oval racers. I include vintage matchbook art and a shop flyer.
July 26, 2018
Me & my Gal
Cute – the rider is intent on being fast with his pin-striped helmet, gritted teeth, leather jacket and Chuck Taylors. His gal has a surly distant look so he’s better not show off. She has teddy to keep her company and her wellies for necessary footwear.
July 15, 2018
Proper Job
Road Racer – sharp corners and hard stone walls. It’s the TT circuit on Man’s Island in the Irish Sea. This is none other than the Kirmo Kid Guy Martin taking a Triumph Trident through its paces under leaden skies.
July 12, 2018
Silver Dream Racer
Break a Leg! Period post seventies shenanigans as singer David Essex and the late great racing driver James Hunt lad it up on a Triumph T-140. Hunt broke his leg skiing thwarting a possible comeback in 80′ with McLaren.
July 10, 2018
Chuck her into the corner..
Shootin’ the Breeze – here is Steve McQueen and what looks like Bud Ekins talking off road maneuvering whilst sitting astride a pair of Triumph desert sleds. Steve is wearing his Hilts top that he wore in The Great Escape so this is around 1963. Great photo.
June 28, 2018
For Brass Monkey weather
On The Rocks – whilst driving though a seasonably hot Colorado thought is given to the other end of the annum. Sunshine yellow ’73 TR5T ice racer for sale in Elkhorn WI. Frozen lake for a Track is all you need… that and sharp tire spikes.. and some solid nerves.
