Triumph racing team member, chief test rider and all-round motorcycle guru: Percy Tait. Riding twins and triples at Grand Prix, The TT, Bol d’Or, NW200 and a million miles of road testing in between. This photo is taken during a one thousand mile endurance race in the sixties on s production bike.
In latter years he has become a show winning sheep breeder.
Dusted the cobwebs off, wiped down the old gal and took ‘er out for a quick spin. Well, to get a gas top up. Looking spiffy in front of this Evanston coach house. Looking forward to spring rides into the North Illinois and Wisconsin hinterland.
A dark chilly winters evening is the ideal time to swap over wheels. The alloys shod with Michelins fit like a pair of new roping gloves on a steer herder. Can’t wait to get ‘er out onto the road this spring.
It’s a spin-off blog starring a tabby cat called Charley. He’s a good workshop assistant and project supervisor. This cat and photo belong to Paul A Weeden from Stormstown PA.
Watching Stand by Me on the Telly. It’s s great movie from 1986 (jeez it’s thirty years ago). Here’s a photo of some fella called Bob Brook and his new Triuumph Bonneville. The hot bike to have in ’59 the same year the coming-of-age film is set in.
Bonneville wave: a cute couple speeding along into the sixties on their travel ready Triumph. Sunny days ahead for the decade of the space-race, free love and the burgeoning optimism expected under the young JFK.
Have I been good? Well I’ve tried to be… Hopefully the fat bearded bloke received my xmas list sent up the chimney earlier this month.
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:
Nine Rockets rockin’
Eight Dommies roarin’
Seven Comets thumpin’
Six Lightings flashin’
Five Golden Stars!
Four AJ’s harin’
Three Cafe’s brewin’
Two Bonnie’s beltin’
And a Vincent doin’ the ton along the A3!
Putting up the Christmas Tree and the annual unraveling and bulb replacing, cursing and bauble draping. Here’s a Triumph being ridden on the movie set of Nerve. 
Dave Franco and Emma Roberts scoot in front of the camera with a blue illuminated Bonnie.
Knobbly tires, no fender, black-on-black: yup an urban tool.
It’s the time of year when food is enjoyed. And I like a good slice of cake!
There are some great decorators out there who can achieve some smashing stuff with fondant icing.
Michael Bonnie is a cherry on this cake; hopefully enjoyed with a good cup of tea.
A vintage bikers dream. Al must enjoy wrenching.
BSA Goldstar. Cafe racers are know to like a wedge of gateaux after a spin along the North Circular.
Supermodel takes on a super model: that is a a gal on a photo shoot with the classic lines of a sixties Bonneville. Here is Gigi Hadid who, at twenty, is a mere slip of a thing in the world of glamour.
I prefer a pair of Doc Martens than pink Manoli Blahniks…up shifting might be a bit graunchy!
(If you want to see the worst music video ever… Here)
North Pole Bound? You are when heading along the Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay. It’s a dusty gravel road which when sprayed down for the trucks can your you into a chocolate bunny riding a motorcycle. This is Australian Denis Devlin on his trailered Bonneville coated with Arctic dirt. 666km long with 24 hour daylight in summer…
More Easter than Xmas; Brer Rabbit ‘haring ‘ along.
This is the centerpiece of the show: T120R Bonneville. It’s exciting, nimble looking, beautifully executed and is a visual clone to the sublime ’68 Bonnie. From a narrow corseted waist that you experience when sitting on, to the appearance of the engine with hints of Edward Turners original twin from the 30’s.
Silver and crimson separated by a gold pinstripe. Knee pads to hug the tank when whittling along curvy roads. Fuel injected engine with a suite of mapping for different road conditions behind the Amal look alike Concentrics; just needs a tickler button.
Named fender support fork brace, rubber bellow fork boots, twin clocks and a beautiful headlight offer a clean prow.
Even from the rear the hourglass shape is evident. A generous pillion loop allows two-up fun; hopefully a lively 1200cc motor will mean ease of passenger carrying.
Bonnie is Back!
At the Triumph new model launch this evening under a snow bleaching sky I saw the outstanding design detail that has gone into these machines. The Thruxton R was truly sublime. I want one! It fits me perfectly with exactly the same riding geometry as my ’72 Bonneville.
About a year ago my wife and I were planning our great trip to the west coast. Riding two-up around and beyond the hilly streets of San Fransisco was one of the highlights. Not quite Steve & Jaqueline taking a break from filming Bullitt but close!
geordiebiker.com 