Plate steel CNC cut into a Triumph graphic. (Computer Numerical Control)

An Amish store in Arcola (where a tasty slice of Shoe Fly Pie was enjoyed at The Dutch Kitchen) a wall was covered in a lunchbox collection to end all collections – amongst them was a Happy Days lunchbox with Heeey The Fonz and his Triumph… A hip place for your sarnies and flask.

We’re down here in southern Illinois visiting the Shawnee National Forest; picking some fixin’s for supper up at Arnold’s mart I spy this black-on-black Thruxton staring at its own shadow. The cup holder is a curious addition for this cafe inspired ride. “Cup of tea sir?”

The London Olympics has seen a phenomenal performance by cycling Team GB captained by the indefatigable Sir Chris Hoy and Vikki Pendleton. Golds Galore as well as other medals heaped upon their enormous talent. One of the races won by Chris was the Keirin, a fast sprint wound up over several laps behind a small motorized bike called a Derny. Offering a slipstream to allow huge gears to be pedaled at top speeds. In its western guise (keirin is a Japanese creation) a larger capacity bike was used; most often the workhorse Triumph Tiger. Seat adjusted for standing rider maximising a wind “shadow”, roll bar for bicycle touching at close range cycling, and away you go… Crank ’em both up!

A nice cafed Kawasaki W650 being toted for the Rockerbox meet. The truck bed itself had a smasher of a BMW boxer cafe too. It certainly gave the superslab trip something to ogle at!

Great silkscreen image for the rally’s promotion from ACE in Chicago. We saw several riders storming up I-94 yesterday heading to Milwaukee. The return leg in the rain had a a few groups taking shelter under overpasses and gas stations…

A jaunt up north today saw us over the border to The Dairyland of Wisconsin for a motorcycle street festival. Motos os ALL ages, shapes, sizes and makes were seen. In the hundreds. And all of the machines had their owners touch to them, whether it was a gleaming cover, an oily-rag rubbed engine, or well worn saddle the very emotion of thing two-wheeled was evident and a crowd hearty on draughts of the motorbiking lifestyle could be witnessed. A fire ravaged building for car parts provided an appropriate backdrop to the phoenix of marques: Triumph, here a SuperBlue sprint sits expectantly for their owner to return, crank the engine over and hare off along the nearby Kettle Moraine roads…

I do sincerely believe I have gotten on top of all of the issues with the wee bike! A kill switch added, tickled carbs and swift kick… Into life before the kick lever was back to its top. Now just need a long, windy, quiet road and some time. Hopefully next weekend.

Glass plate memories of ‘Way out West’ motos of days gone by when Sitting Bull would have ridden a Triumph rather that some tamed pied mustang. Edward Curtis get yer Brownie out!

Pedal, pedal, pedal… Wheels go round.

Most of the older motorcycle manufacturers started out as bicycle makers, such as BSA, Raleigh and of course Triumph. The cycling arm went off as a different branch but the two-wheeled family tree has common roots. These mid-century ‘safety frame’ bikes are worthy of hanging on the wall with their balanced mechanical perfection.

Hot weather here in Chi-Town (98 degrees plus) calls for a plentiful supply of t-shirts; my newer BSA is a current fave.

“The most Popular Motorcycle in the World”

The latest Motorcycle Consumer News arrived in the mail today; and even though it had a appetite sating article on the globetravelling busting Triumph Explorer I stll dozed off mid-article. Retracing Jupiters Travels on this one would be an Adventure, that’s for sure. Ted Simon, where are you?

Wicked Moto in Wicker Park: sno-white tank like some speech bubble that should say: “VAROOM!”. Black as coal engine and cast 70’s period wheels give snappy look for this hipsters ride. As some might say : “Dude!”.

Someone has kindly informed me that the motorcycle my grandfather, George, is seen on is actually a Norton 16H. The ubiquitous mode a rapid transit during the Second World War. Over 100,000 were manufactured between 1932 when the War Department approved the design of this 490cc Single until 1945 by which time models in olive, khaki and RAF blue were scattered around the globe. Some solo, some with a combination chair and some with sidecar ‘box’.