Giants of the British racing scene in the sixties: Photo of British Trophy Team in regulation Barbour International jackets L-R Ray Sayer, Ken Heanes, Ray Peplow, Sammy Miller, Johnny Giles, and Arthur Lampkin. All individual champions; put ’em together and a great team to romp across Sweden in ’66. This is a Triumph engined and forked BSA.
Here’s a view of someone fettling the ignition mid-route of Lampkins BSA/Triumph mongrel.
Just lovin’ these race photos of Triumphs used in anger at the ‘Trials. It seems a waxed jacket is correct dress for the conditions expected: wet and muddy. Big off-road boots too. Jim Sandiford (above) gravelly cornering in style on his Cheney 504 Triumph. Darned good looking motorbike.
Dennis Glover of the Metropolitan Police team in ’73 zooms through the undergrowth. Slow and fast riding of the Saint Trophy specials.
Johnny Giles (below) makes it look easy…
Steady does it!
A good film to watch some of these exploits is Bruce Browns 1971 documentary ‘On Any Sunday’ which, amongst other two-wheeled adventure, show off Malcolm Smiths excellence in any realm on a moto.
Triumph was a major player up until the early seventies in the International Six Days Trial. Here are a few classic ‘action’ images of what the riders had to endure. Rocks, roots, rivers, roads,,,
Quick tire changes obligatory. As are all on road repairs being undertaken by rider with carried tools.
The clock is ticking too! The event has been held for 100 years (as of 2013) except for the war years. Now it is the ISDE (E for Enduro) and truly globally located – up until the early 80’s is was European. 1250 miles is a long way under trial and scrutiny.
Also known as the ‘Jane-of-all-Trades’; this ‘Go-To’ lass is there to take care of the task at hand when all seems lost. The lady who you can count on and knows what needs to be done and how to do it! And never takes credit. This vintage Triumph off-road rider certainly looks like she means business.
Cary Grant’s character Walter Burns certainly knew whose his Girl Friday was in Rosalind Russell as Hildy Johnson.
Here’s some well-lit studio portraits of the pure ISDT tool.
Set up for timed route finding over a range of road and trail conditions displaying riding and mechanical skills both. Gold medals are hard to come by.
Compressed air cylinder for tire inflation.
Looking good from all sides.
After a disastrous show at the Isle of Man ISDT in ’65 the British manufacturers joined forces to prepare Arthur Lampkin to take on the world in a factory special.
Here’s a complete article about the gilded history of this machine: http://speedtracktales.com/folks-n-motors/arthur-lampkins-1965-isdt-tribsa/
Let’s keep on events and life of one hundred years ago. Horses needed fed and the noises of the whizz-bangs startled them. Pour petrol in the flat tank; set the oil lubrication, air in the balloon tires, leather drive belt tensioned and off you go.
It also became everyday transport for the lad about town post conflict.
“We’ll be home for Christmas” was the typical retort of the lads in Europe as hostilities commenced in 1914. Well a century later we know that wasn’t the case. Four years of ever increasing devastation. Trench warfare as the 20th Century machine age began. The soft tissues of life lost…
Triumph Motorcycles had their single cylinder Model H utilized to get much needed messages to the front lines from the rear echelons.
Other uses included adding a machine gun to a sidecar combination.
The 90km from the Ypres Salient to Calais probably took an hour. The Front at Ypres was maintained for four years.
A fashion shoot where cool meets beauty atop a Triumph. Jean Shrimpton the original supermodel celebrates her 72nd birthday today. Here is an image from a February ’65 Harpers Bazaar with Steve.
Photography by Richard Avedon. “Set your Nikon to 1/125th and f1.4 and smile baby, smile!
Hallowe’en and the dead shall rise… Well this chopped, hacked and generally abused moto might need more than Dr Frankenstein’s theatrical efforts to awaken with a hearty rort. Even though it says Triumph on the coffin tank the engine looks like a Yamaha… Scary!
Other Frankenbikes:
Boris Karloff styled GI Joe figure with combination.
A dude and his bride highway bound on a pumpkin colored chopper. What torque do you need to tighten neck bolts?
Tea and biscuit Boris?
Best mod for an old Triumph motor is to shoehorn it into one of these finely fettled frames. One day a suitable donor engine might turn up…
A few errands to carry out in downtown. A couple hared past on their Triumph Scrambler. It looked like the ideal cool-tool for urban transport.
Michigan Avenue onto Lake Shire Drive. Those pipes look spiffing.
Mirrored view not bad too.
Another day, another dog walk – same route, same spot. Parked in the same location as yesterdays Explorer was this well ridden Thruxton. Black with golden pinstripe. More lithe and laid back than the behemoth from yesterday. Choice? I think the Thruxton pips it.
DOHC, parallel-twin, 360º firing interval
865cc 90 mm x 68 mm
Air-Cooled
Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection
Five-Speed chain drive
27° / 3.8 in.
41 mm forks with adjustable preload, 4.7 in. travel
Chromed spring twin shocks with adjustable preload, 4.1 in. rear wheel travel
Front brake: Single 320 mm floating disc, Nissin 2-piston floating caliper
Rear brake: Single 255 mm disc, Nissin 2-piston floating caliper
Tires: Front 100/90-18 Rear 130/80R-17
Fuel Capacity 4.2 gal.
Weight: 507 lbs. (Wet)
Walking the dog near work today; happened upon this moto made for the dedicated two-wheeled traveler. Its the Big Tiger – a Bengal amongst bikes, plenty of roar, and claws too match. My size too. XXL Perfick! All 1200 cc’s of her.
Engine:
1,215 cc (74.1 cu in) liquid-cooled, 12 valve, DOHC, straight three 85.0 mm × 71.4 mm (3.35 in × 2.81 in) 6-speed gearbox, shaft drive
Brakes:
Front: Dual 305 mm discs and Nissin 4-piston callipers
Rear: Single 282 mm disc and 2-piston caliper
Switchable ABS
Wheels:
Front: 110/80R19
Rear: 150/70R17
Fuel capacity 20 L (4.4 imp gal; 5.3 US gal)
Oil capacity 4 L (4.2 US qt)
Foot specifications in any book.
Gas stop: usually the ride needs at least one top up, typically at a suburban station where the gallon price is a good quarter less than the city one. Currently prices are 25% lower that earlier in the year. Canada’s oil sands are responsible for this; though OPEC keeps a rein on the global picture.
Its only been the last forty years or so when the barrel as a commodity has dominated world economies. Before then it was cheaper than water and to fill the boat sized automobiles typical of the ‘States was an inexpensive proposition.
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