September 28, 2013
Rush, the latest movie from Ron Howard: Opie to some Richie to others but nonetheless a great director. It concerns the rivalry between James Hunt & Niki Lauda during the ’76 Grand Prix season. A balanced mix of the human tale along with some marvelous racing footage. The 70’s are evoked superbly and the main actors take on their roles of these racing legends with aplomb. The bawdy lifestyle of Hunt is contrasted sharply with Lauda’s near monkish approach; yet their respect for each other as worthy opponents comes through to the closing.
Two thumbs up! And why not!
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September 23, 2013
The secrets out! Guy Martin has been seen taking to the dirt with the track racing supremo Valentino Rossi at his private supermotard track near his hone village Tavullia along with supermoto champ Thomas Chareyre. It was all a planned photo-op from the makers of fine leather racewear Dainese of course but nonetheless seeing greats having a blast on a dusty track is a fine thing.
Now let’s see Rossi on The Mountain Course…
…there ‘e is giving the race fans something to cheer about! #46 on his way through Whitegates heading to the hairpin.
Chance for a cuppa later chief eh?
http://youtu.be/3tjI3v58OR8
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September 22, 2013
An undoubted strong team effort from team Suzuki but given it’s Guy’s first foray into endurance racing coming second is indeed a worthy result.
An after race interview sees him knackered looking by jubilant and celebrating the obvious talent of his team.
Official Results –
1st: Kawasaki team of Grégory Leblanc, Fabien Foret and Nicolas Salchaud brilliantly won the 36th edition of Le Mans 24 Hours in 2013.
2nd: Suzuki No. 2 Team R2CL Guy Martin, Dylan Bush and Gwen Giabbani
3rd: Yamaha No. 94 Yahama France – GMT94 – Michelin Yamalube led by David Checa, Kenny Foray and Matthieu Lagrive
A well deserved cup o’ tea now lad!
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September 21, 2013
A truly evocative image of one Jim Kanka putting his Triumph 650 through its paces at the South London venue in 1971.
Crystal Palace is where I learned to ride motorcycles. It was a little Suzuki 125cc that I tore around the stadium grounds and eventual streets of Beckenham, Penge and Sidcup.
Wonderful period poster promoting the suburban speed events. The Palace was a noted venue in the race calendar for two and four wheels alike.
The circuit was used from 1927 until ’72. The final year seeing an average lap record of 103.39 mph set by Mike Hailwood.
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September 19, 2013
As our cheeky chappie from the flats of Lincolnshire would say upon arrival to the historic racing town of Le Mans this coming weekend! He’s joining team Suzuki R2CL on the 24 hour endurance event. Trying to get speedy saddle time under his belt!
In his own words: “Top job boy! … to get a chance to do some World Endurance racing down in France is mega. It’s something I always believed would be beneficial and a lot more interesting for me than general short circuit stuff. I’m mega-chuffed and the drive to France should be a decent road trip.”
There ain’t no drystone walls inches from your speeding faceshield; but it’ll get dark before long…
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September 18, 2013
Glemseck! It’s the now annual sprint race on an old race track straight over 1/8 mile (or 200 metres in metric!) For roadworthy cafe racers. Up to three cylinders must be under 1000cc’s and four’s under 750cc. Held near Stuttgart it attracts all sorts from across the Eurozone including wor laddie Guy Martin.
The chromed tubular Manfred Rau street fighter frame gives his machine a ‘meant’ attitude.
Rau in German means ‘ruffian’; seems appropriate!
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September 6, 2013
There was a brief mention yesterday of the Great Lee Marvin. We know him for some of the great ‘tough guy’ roles in movies: Frank Ballinger in the Chicago based M-Squad, Tully Crow in The man who shot Liberty Valance, Kid Sheleen/Tim Strawn in Cat Ballou (Oscar too!).
His somewhat pivotal role as Chico in The Wild One, leader of the Beetles, got him into riding when trying to be on par with Marlon Brando.
His past included serving as a US Marine in The Pacific during WWII chasing the counter attack across numerous islands seeing some of the fiercest fighting. No doubt this laid the foundation for many of his characters. He did take up motorcycle racing utilizing the Tiger Cub …
Here with fellow racer and character actor Keenan Wynn.
Posted in Film and TV, Movie, Racing, Triumph Cub |
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September 5, 2013
Cutting a dapper figure whilst riding a scrambler sorted Triumph Cub over a Hudson River bridge is the talented racer Don MacShane.
#199 he utilized the wee 200cc single to much success in desert races, scrambles, trials. He was a member of the Manhattan Motorcycle Club… His club emblazoned tabard here at Davos Ski Resort in ’64. His cool demeanor with shades strike a appropriate pose for the track…
.. Being a longtime friend of Lee Marvin, both hailing from Woodstock NY, I’m sure he could have told a tale or two!
Mud on the face; yet a grimacing smile shows a passion for the race.
The New York NY lot were highlighted in a photoshoot for a Life magazine special highlighting the Manhattan motorcyclists haring around the island; Don, is of course at the front!
Posted in Photography, Racing, Triumph Cub |
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August 22, 2013
This fair’d, sleek iteration of a Vincent Black Lightning will do a ton and a half easily, remember in stock trim it could make 150mph. However fettle it up sparely and feed it a high octane fuel, find a l-o-n-g straight road and let ‘er rip. Hold on sonny Jim yer leathers might flap around a bit! And the horns? Well the horns are just fer show…
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August 17, 2013
Our lad Guy Martin pulled out a hat trick with his three wins this weekend at the Ulster GP. All being closely followed on his heels by the Dunlop lads amongst others. With an unmatched average lap speed of 132.938mph on his second of seven laps in the Superbike he pipped Michael Dunlop by 0.054s. At that speed that is as close as you can get!
The big Suzuki is running well, the team are on top form and Guy can celebrate with a good cuppa or two! “Well done wor Chief!”
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July 28, 2013
Here’s another go at speed records with a Cub. This time in ’59 when the wee Triumph was a fairly fresh model, a Triumph dealer in Burbank took the small moto, slipped it into a streamlined body and shit down the track at 139mph… What a missile-like body form can achieve.
Bill Martin stands proudly with his sons Dale and Lonnie. Promotion through press and advertising held the typical motorcycle tenet: ‘Race on Sunday – Sell on Monday”
“As fast as a Leopard!”
“Then let’s see you do it!”. – from Gallipoli 1981
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July 27, 2013
Its not the biggest that go the fastest. On ‘The Salt’ some take smaller volume engines and see what velocity they can eke out of the lower horsepower motors. The team of Chuck Zeglin and Steve Moody’s steed of choice is the Triumph Cub. All 200cc’s worth… Their goal? To hit the Ton.
They began with a standard cam and carbed bike and managed 79mph; not to shabby at altitude and on salt! Chuck is pilot and builder, Steve backer and crew.
They currently run it in the APS-VBG (Special
Construction Partial Streamlining- Vintage Blown Fuel. Engine bore out to 250cc high compression from a 650 twin piston… That little Beastie must wail down the flats.
Great work on that engine too. A blower aiding respiration.
A stretched and lowered frame, skinny race tires, race cam. “the World’s Fastest Tiger Cub?” Nearly…
They even had a T-shirt to promote the bike and raise funds. I need to track on of those down.
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July 3, 2013
When Men were Men. So what do you do with a fast light engined Triumph? You go out and race of course! That’s what Irishman Ernie Lyons did after the War. He took a GP500 and went to the Manx Grand Prix in ’46, with a sackful of high speed talent went on to win in heroic style, and wet conditions.
Not for the faint of heart even in perfect conditions. Apparently a longer touring mudguard was key to beating the conditions as well as Ernie’s undoubtable racing prowess. Look at that wet reflected road surface, slick.
What’s more remarkable is that the hale Mr Lyons is still going strong in Ireland at the grand age of 99. There’s a cheeky youthful sparkle in that eye that’s for sure.
Bill? Any more to add?
Posted in 40's, Racing, Triumph Motorcycle |
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July 1, 2013
As hostilities came to a conclusion in ’45 the world was looking for any semblance of normality and fast motorcycles was one such distraction. As all manufacturing had gone into wartime efforts there had to be somewhat of a reuse of surplus items. Triumph had created a lightweight twin engine for use in generators. This seemed like a good start.
The lightweight square barreled vertical layout could be rehomed in a frame ready for circuit, road; TT or race. Of course the engine geometry had been developed by Edward Turner in ’38 just prior to the outbreak and I’m sure the time spent during wartime tweaking this motor into a reliable power source would stand it in stead post war on the track and the road, eventually becoming the Bonneville.
The GP engine seen here shows its origins proudly with mounting bosses cast mid fin where the generator components were bolted on.
But it’s the moto we’re interested in… It has a tight geometry for quick steering, 19 inch rear wheel and 20 inch front, low seating stance for a good clip and an intended fast look.
Twist the throttle with intention and hold on. They were tough guys who rode these at speed for sure!
Thanks to regular comment contributor Bill in Cumbria who noticed Beck’s sitting atop a GP a couple of days ago; I thought we’d better look into it. They are getting rarer than hens teeth, having been raced hard and blown up. People are now turning to the square barrels used on the early fifties TR5’s (like the Fonz’s ride in Happy Days)
But what a cracker of a bike it is. I bet it belts out a heart thumping sound. And with an open primary the working mechanations are there for all to see.
There’s more of a human story to this bike which I will cover later… .. But as an important part of Triumph history this is a key model. I think Hinckley Triumph should come out with a smaller, but fast, 500 twin now, combine it with: commuter, racer off road motorcycle models. Get the young uns onto bikes!
Posted in 40's, Military, Motorcycle Art, Racing, Triumph Motorcycle |
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June 15, 2013
It’s twenty years today since the early death of James Hunt at the age of 45. He was the very definition of the playboy race car driver in the 70’s with plenty of action on, hence the nickname ‘The Shunt’, as well as off the track, just look at his race coveralls patch just below his embroidered blood type.
His model wife Suzy Miller is sporting the a T-shirt with the Hesketh Team logo: a teddy bear in full face helmet. The young Lord Hesketh being the teams backer. As an aside Suzy left Hunt for actor Richard Burton including a million pound settlement…
Not to worry though there was plenty more life to live on the edge of speed; here seen enjoying the harbor life of Monaco with friend Barry Sheene. The pair made their mark on the world Grand Prix stage in 1976, James in Formula One and Bazza on his motorcycle. The fans following their exploits on and off the circuits around the globe. A real pair of cheeky chappies!
However when the going got tough they were up there with the best of ’em! Each taking world champion titles that year. Here’s a great behind the scenes shot of the mechanics shed for Maclaren (who took him to his title) in flared jeans, sandals and a relaxed brotherly attitude.
His rival at the time was Nikki Lauder, a great of his day and worthy opponent. Mere weeks after a fiery crash at the Nürburgring where he suffered burns to his face and head he was back in the seat to maintain his points lead over Hunt. The season was down to the last race at Fuji Japan with Hunt winning by one point over Lauder after Niki withdrew over the wet course conditions.
This climactic season is the subject of an upcoming film from Ron Howard “Rush”. Should be good!
James went on to become a foil for world class motor racing commentator Murray Walker and their colorful banter for the Formula One racing made watching them exciting, with Murrays excited exuberance and James’ pithy remarks .
He’s legend in the high stakes world of speed and lived that life with gusto.
Posted in 70's, Barry Sheene, Cars, Racing |
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