Illuminating | Off-season project for the Bonnie. Replacing the headlight to clean-up electrics and lighting. The cafe look has gone with the low bars and rear-sets replaced by more standard fare.
March 13, 2019
Note
Car Boot Sale | a note seen last weekend at one of the numerous ‘flea markets’ in the UK. Typically the tables are loaded with cheap offerings from peoples house emptying efforts, but here someone was using the opportunity to locate something… I probably have these in a box of spares from my own Cub rebuild but the cost to ship ’em back to blighty would outweigh their cost of picking the items up locally.
February 2, 2019
Groundhog Day
One Two Three – here we are in midwinter and the riding season is months away. A plan needs to be put in place to get each of my Triumph ready for their particular outing requirements. The Cub to take to some off road trails in Wisconsin; the Bonneville for some local riding and vintage shows; and the Tiger for long stretches of American highways and backwaters.
January 21, 2019
Homeless
Bill’s new project – forlorn in the corner of some prefab garage sits a worse for wear Triumph chopper. Plenty of mid seventies elbow grease to revive its mechanical working from storage decrepitude… Mr Ferry, ready for a money pit?
January 6, 2019
Do or Do Not… there is no Try
Resolute – It is typical of the New Year for us to put on the mask of Janus and look back at what we achieved (or not) the previous year and thus look forward to the coming twelve months and make a determination of what we want to achieve. Usually in an effort to better ourselves; and, in a way, make this time we have count. Me? I’m not a big one for ‘resolutions’ but it’s fun to think of things that you would like to try and do. A list you ask? Well, here goes:
- Write/Illustrate a children’s book.
- Ride the Triumph Tiger more.
- Sketch more.
- Ride the Lake Michigan loop.
- Fettle the Bonneville for occasional vintage runs.
- Get the Cub out onto some off-road shenanigans.
December 26, 2018
26th
Boxing Day – traditionally the day after Xmas when servants, postmen and errand boys received a gift of gratitude from the household. This item here would be a good boxed offering: a still-in-crate 1957 Triumph TRW 500cc side valve (flathead) military motorcycle.
October 6, 2018
MI Motos
Gilmore Car Museum – Hickory Corner, Michigan. One barn at the excellent automobile museum here in south west Michigan held a good selection of two-wheeled delights. From barn- fresh Harley Flathead to a polished to the nines Vincent Black Shadow. It was a good collection covering a century of motorcycling. One of The Fonz’s Triumph TR5 was there too; as well as an immaculate ’59 T120 Bonneville and a gutsy looking Indian hill climber.
September 26, 2018
Darwinian progressions
Eight Years Ago – I took the rebuilt Bonnie out for a spin along Lake Shore Drive. A happy broad grinned memory. Parked-up at the Adler Planetarium I snapped a photo with the Chicago skyline beyond. It sported Gulf colors, original wheels and brakes and upright bars and footpegs. Well, I had evolved from there. A larger British tank in Mango Tango orange; rear-sets and ace bars; alloy wheels with modern rubber tires; and a disc brake front end. Where will it go from here? Time will tell!
August 8, 2018
Forked Tongue
Chopper Wednesday – stretched and wrung out: these Brit iron have been chopped into next week. Including a rosy red hardtail Trident with double decker headlight and stepped king and queen seat, as well as a ape hangered Bonnie with taller than an elephants eye sissy bar seat with quilt buttoned saddlework. The Norton in the lower right frame could be restored to original fairly easily but you’d be brave to keep the flamed tank.
Easy Rider? Sure ask Captain America for directions!
August 7, 2018
On the Road Again
Repair – here’s Dean picking up his ’69 Bonneville after some minor restoration from the spill back in May. All fettled and running fine. Ed Zender looks on explaining the work carried out. The workshop is busy and all lifts have projects parked upon them.
June 16, 2018
Shop Display
Eye Candy – a trip up to Morries Place in Ringwood let’s me enjoy a grand collection of old motorcycles. Ed Zender is always a good craic and there’s sure to be something I haven’t seen before. I’ll be posting more bikes through this week.
March 15, 2018
Et tu Brute?
Beware the Ides of March- located at 7922 State St Midvale Utah lies the overburdened establishment known as Caesar’s Motorcycle Empire. Local character Caesar Boswell was connected with Draper Widowmaker Hillclimb and was a source of parts and information on many makes of bike. It’s like an Aladdin’s Cave for two-wheeled aficionados.
February 8, 2018
Dinosaur
Skeletal Remains – like some machine archaeology the bare bones of a Trident frame and accessory components hint at a fully assembled and running motorcycle. Fossil remnants of a T-Rex giant lizard displayed through the interior spaces of a museum are only a cursory attempt at the frightening might they must have been. Likewise this assemblage of rolling chassis need fleshed-out to achieve brutal speed along a roadway.
February 6, 2018
Slight rust, found in hedge
Ran when parked – however if it was parked in a damp chicken coop then it’s probably too far gone to fulfill the dream, and empty the coffers, of a restorer. Better just wipe ’em down with an oily rag and prop ’em against the wall as a warning to those who set their sights too high…
January 13, 2018
The Best Thing since Sliced Bread
Use your Loaf – here is what I would call a “nippin’ clean” example of a Triumph Trident. Immaculate from head to toe with what I believe is a well proportioned look complete with the idiosyncratic “bread bin” tank.
Historical note: the first commercially produced sliced bread was July 7th 1928.
