These kits were more popular back when motorcycles were a utilitarian tool, and when snowmobiles were limited to the greater latitudes or Minnesota. tack some skis to the front hoop; whip off the rear one and bolt on the mini track. I think this would be a lot of fun in fresh powder. And it’s a Cub too…
“Shackleton, Shackleton! You need a couple of these glacier ski-doos mate!”
Dedicated documentary about racer Mike Duff, a Canadian talking about the trials of high speed Grand Prix track racing. Mike is now Michelle as told in her autobiography ‘Make haste slowly, the Mike Duff story’. Music by The Mothers of Invention, hence a Zappa day…
The late seventies Yamaha XS650 twin was the Far Easts answer to the British twins of the previous 4 decades. The main difference was that the mechanicals were up-to-date (for the time) and gives a very suitable foundation to build cafes, bobbers, roadsters and other 21st Century hipster customs. This one has been stripped, cleaned, upgraded, and given the old Trumpet Scrambler treatment.
Blackened engine, trim and olive drab tank. The logo has even been given the Triumph swoosh. Nicely executed indeed!
Twins back together: the carbs were cleaned and reassembled today ready to be refitted back on the Bonnie. The L & R 900 units not contain new 106 needle jets, cleaned 180 main jets and all new seals and gaskets.
These old units can be kept going with full support from Amals website http://www.amalcarb.co.uk
Yesterday would have been Richard Feynman’s 95th birthday; though he was a theoretical physicist, dealing with the universe at the smallest levels, he had an astounding manner in explaining some of the most complex ideas in the ‘simplest’ terms. His unquenchable thirst for knowledge and understanding comes across in his two autobiographies: ” surely you’re joking Mr Feynman” & “what do you care what other people think!”.
A bongo drummer too! He worked at Los Alamos during WWII working under the greats of nuclear physics: Oppenheimer and Fermi. He won the Nobel Prize for his work on QED quantum electromagnetic dynamics, which when asked by a reporter to explain in a minute what that was replied: “if I could explain that in a minute it wouldn’t be worth the Nobel Prize in Physics”.
His Feynman diagrams are legend: a graphic equation. Seen here daubed on the family transport a ’75 Dodge van.
Apologies to the two-wheeled enthusiasts for this digression but physics is a subject of great interest to me; and indeed it explains how a motorcycle stays up when at speed; whether zooming along in a straight line or careening around a corner. Let’s finish on a thought from Dickie:
Although the swap meet didn’t conjure up any parts for the Cub project there was a couple of there little marvels to have a deek at. This one was in mild track form with big tires, alloy rims, no front fender and a few choice engine additions that I now know are sought after .
On sale for two grand; not quite in a budgetary shape to be a parts bike but I’m sure it’ll make someone a worthy project. Nevertheless photos of assembled examples give me a knowledge as to how things fit together.
The valve covers have fins for additional cooling, probably a Webco item which themselves have become var nigh impossible components to find now bringing up to fifty quid apiece… I’ll stick to the common or garden variety where I can saving pennies for more important items.
There was a line of stools at Motoworks along the counter; bolted down with peg footrests they gave the sweater/rider a motorcycle pew to plop their backside on. This Triumph one caught my interest. Love it!
An open evening at the Chicago Triumph dealer Motoworks on south Western. A good chance to see the latest line-up of the superb models available. The Bonneville, Daytona, Tiger, Scrambler, Street Triple… But I was drawn towards the low bar’d and rear set’d Thruxton. It has a delicious sparkly green color with gold stripe. Here are some photos… Enjoy!
Better start saving my pennies!
Not the Ace of Bass but the punks punk. Malcolm MacLarens enfant terrible Sid Vicious seen here with his leather jacket and lip turned scowl hoofing along a London street seemingly atop a Honda.
Well here’s how it’s done! A strapped down Moto on a flatbed trailer… Well how else can a brazen youth barely out of his teenage angst bare his skinny pale chest and sip his beer.
As the story unfolded his spirally punk lifestyle caught up with him in a New York gaff. Nancy Spungen found an untimely demise with a single stab wound and Sid ended up on Riker’s Island. Out on bail in early ’77 he was found dead of a heroin overdose a few days later.
His final written words were apparently: “Bury me in my leather jacket, jeans and motorcycle boots. Goodbye.”
I wonder… “My Way” indeed.
A box o’ parts: it would be mechanical fun to find a Triumph’s engine parts filling a large cardboard box and having a smashing time with assembly. You could have Hughie Hancox’ assembly video playing in the background!
Great Scot! Sir Sean played James Bond in one last outing in the early eighties… Not a Cubby Broccoli Eon Productions Bond; but an adaptation of the Fleming Thunderball novel and subsequent movie of the same name in ’65. Connery is seen zooming around on a square faired Yamaha 650, including jet launch ‘gadget’. A far cry from Fiona Volpe’s machine gunning BSA from the original! As a couple of side notes the screenplay (uncredited) for NSNA was written by Ian laFrenais and Dick Clement the writers for two great Geordie TV sitcoms: “What ever happened to the Likely Lads” & “Auf wiedersehen Pet”. Also a serious gearhead (and outstanding comedian) Rowan Atkinson, also starred in the film (his Geordie barman from Not the Nine O’Clock News is a classic! “Everest. That’s brewed by the Jormans in the Himalayas.”
It’s my Pa’s birthday today, so to celebrate it GeordieBiker style I dug out this Papa-Son movie still. Indiana and Henry portrayed of course by Harrison Ford & Sean Connery respectively. “Do you call *this* Archaeology?”
Here’s the local biker club for the North East, based in Newcastle it’s members are all Geordie Bikers. No doubt sports bike, touring, standards, classics: all two wheeled Moto’s and the roads of Northumbria to enjoy. I can but dream…
End of the work week: get the bike oot! Don the well worn, supple leathers, rip the iron along the North Circular, pick the other lads up and head doon the chippy after a few ton laps.
You’ve heard of the Lotus, Heron, Cat and even the Downward Facing Dog poses in meditative yoga. Well, if you have a like-minded group in need of spiritual connection of the two-wheeled sort; here is the Moto pose. Winter conditions limit riding time, so when the workshop seems like a never-ending of tweaking, oiling, cleaning and you’ve sorted your tools for the nth time, take to the mat, hum a catchy ‘Om’ and pose like a yogi master…
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