Hilts, stolen German bike, Swiss border….
Nuff said! Jump the Hump!
Hump Day
Diorama
Maybe Baby…
Hugh (the other) Laurie and co-star Joely Richardson as motorcycling couple in the 2000 film ‘Maybe Baby’. Rom-com shenanigans ‘n’ all that! Probably a good date movie…
His ride: a Triumph Thunderbird. The triple stalwart of the resurgence of Hinckley Co. A sturdy and decent scoot….
One on the local Craigslist for $3600… Perfect for two-up! Bags, passenger backrest, screen…. Open road beckons …
when character has be built enough…
Old motorcycles are great: they have character, every ride is an adventure, you learn a lot about mechanics, a deep connection to history, other riders always talk to you about your ride, kids wave from the backseat of cars, they sound like a deep resonant music, smell as a aged machine with miles under its tires, air through its feathers, you learn what your level of patience can be…
But…. A new Speed Triple would be just marvelous!
Marvelous! Push button, no nonsense twist ‘n’ ride….
Pennies accepted to fill the piggy bank!
Bonneville or Bust
In 1936 Joe Petrali set a new land speed record of 136.183 mph on a modified Harley-Davidson WL 61 cubic inch knucklehead.
Today it was announced that our canny bloke Guy Martin is going to attempt a new motorcycle land speed record using a double engined Triumph Rocket streamlined ‘Lincolnshire Ceegar!” Over 1,000 bhp and over 4.6 liters. The team are hoping to reach 400mph.
The Fourth of July
The Star Spangled Banner: a strong symbol to many and flown proudly on this day.
I’m wearing my #278 ISDT tee which was Steve McQueens race number in the 1964 International Six Day Trials Where he bore the flag for the U.S. Team. In the parade through East Germany’s Erfurt he held Old Glory in what he considered one of his proudest moments. Bud & Dave Ekins, John Steen and Cliff Coleman marched with him.
A Horse, a Horse my Kindom for a Horse
Top Trump
one of the best looking bikes last weekend was this superlatively detailed late 70’s Triumph.
Centrally mounted tachometer bolted onto the usually handlebar clamp holes. The clip-ons mounter directly to the fork tubes. The sage colored tree is a nice touch.
Swing out kicker to clear the rearset pegs. Crinkle textured powder coating covers are a smart touch. Oil piping run in neat ship-shape fashion.
So clean it makes my grubby oil burned motor look like a disheveled scoot…
Wee oil gauge… Again, blackened valve covers…nice grey tank… Everything so deliberate. Tiger head with two carbs.
All in all a pretty decent machine! 10/10 in my books.
Austrian Oak
Each year there is a celebratory gathering of Triumphs held in the middle of Europe. Under looming alpine peaks and cuckoo clock villages the rolling Austrian countryside sees Spaniards on Tigers, Italians on Speed Triples, Brits on Daytona’s and Germans on big touring Trophys. Triumph Motorcycles being the common denominator. Like a Tutonic Sturgis for British Iron…
Monkee Man
Yellow
They say you should stare at something yellow for 30 seconds each morning to start you off on a brighter note for the day ahead.
This Triumph Adventurer Sport is a definite morale booster for any sleepy eyes.
Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And everything you do
Yeah they were all yellow
Late last night
I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Took away my old man
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
Till it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot.
She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,
She wore her greenest gown;
She turned to the south wind
And curtsied up and down.
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
“Winter is dead.
AA Milne
I write on big yellow legal pads – ideas in outline form when I’m doing stand-up and stuff. It’s vivid that way. Robin Williams
So we sailed up to the sun
Till we found a sea of green
And we lived beneath the waves
Zed
Put that in your pipe and smoke it
Muscle
Roll up your sleeves here’s the lads with a barrel of horses under their white vest wife-beater shirts. First off its the Triumph Speed Triple, a burly bruiser that “does what is says on the tin”. #1 on my list of bouncer bikes.
Next off: Kawasaki’s ZRX the Eddie Lawson retro-racer its sublime looks harking back to the big Zed liter bikes from the early eighties. #2 on my want list… In green and purple and a throaty Muzzy pipe too!
Last up: Suzuki Bandit the detuned GSX-R hearted stunt beast. Red looks good but black would be better. Third on the list. #3
Chuck Yeagers ride

It is known that Ian Fleming, the creator of none other than James Bond 007, also wrote the children’s yarn Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. A tale about an inventor called Caractacus Potts who took his children on voyages of land, sea and air in their old rebuilt racing car with speedboat carriage work. Well if you’re going for a two-wheeled version then a period Triumpg Speed twin is a suitable candidate; rocket powered too. Not steam punk more rocket-punk. 50’s style technology. Hey I’ve just invented a new genre…
Looks like Leonardo would have been proud of those wings! I believe the front mudguard registration plate holder acts as the vertical stabilizer… (Aka pedestrian slicer)
Concept art by http://www.leadinglightdesign.com
Side note: the original Chitty was a 20’s race car built by Count Louis Zbrowoski who used a Mercedes chassis with a 23 liter 6 cylinder aero Maybach engine…


























