Thursday Hack – a trifecta of combinations. Top is the utilitarian Dnepr; a Soviet vehicle built like a tractor with two-wheel drive. Center a jovial Pannonia from 60’s Hungary, the Duna sidecar is aeronautical in style. And last, but not least, at the bottom is a mercurial Vespa scooter and bomb nosed sidecar – a loop around the Colosseum and whizz back to the Trevi Fountain…
Industrial – A brick wall of the vintage commercial building that houses the Moto Museum is an appropriate backdrop for this 1936 CZ pre War Czechoslovakia military tool.
There are definite hints of period BMW’s in its frame lines and the somber color scheme would look in place along the cobbled streets of Prague.
More Moto Museum moments – another selection of offerings from the weekend visit. The German Böhmerland and Soviet IZh ИЖ are a couple of the outstanding examples.
Moto Museum Marques – a few of the European makes on show at the St Louis motorcycle museum. A varied collection of owner Steve Smith they represent a wide assortment of 7 decades of motorcycles. All in immaculate condition and room to wander around and get close up to them. More photos to show through the week!
Curate! A selection of the ‘special’ collection at the moto museum here in St Louis. All European marques from countries such as Germany, Holland, France, Spain, Belgium & Switzerland. We were given a private peek at them!
Gilmore Car Museum – Hickory Corner, Michigan. One barn at the excellent automobile museum here in south west Michigan held a good selection of two-wheeled delights. From barn- fresh Harley Flathead to a polished to the nines Vincent Black Shadow. It was a good collection covering a century of motorcycling. One of The Fonz’s Triumph TR5 was there too; as well as an immaculate ’59 T120 Bonneville and a gutsy looking Indian hill climber.
Crazing – I just loved the ceramic-like surface patina to this Triumph tank. The ivory swoosh emphasizes the peardrop shape; and the badge, filler cap and bolt cover add ornamentation.
OAP – better than a walking frame. One agéd owner had his Egli-Vincent fettled for taking their machine to the ton-plus speeds… which it’s more than capable of.
Chocks away chaps! Tally-Ho!
A Pair of Beauties – these were a couple of my favorite sightings yesterday: A ’59 Velocette MSS; and a 72-ish Ducati GT 750 Roundcase Bevel. Art for Arts sake in these engines.
Big Zed – a couple of smashers at the weekend bike show. A 1975 KZ900, which was the Charles Atlas of its day, imbuing pure adrenaline inducing brute power. This one in immaculate condition with a glossy metallic ‘rootbeer’ and orange paint scheme. Also parked up was a new Z900 which takes its styling cues from the old venerable drag strip king. Retro! Retrah!
Barn Find – one of the eye-catching ‘cycles at the MCC show yesterday was this 1951 Triumph 6T; with a sky blue finish and very low miles on the Smiths Chronometric. The owner bought it from the estate of the daughter of the original owner: a farmer in Pennsylvania. Used as a herding bike for a hundred miles, ridden into a piece of farm machinery then rolled into a barn for decades. A minor restoration at some time changed the original metallic finish polychromatic blue to one more like a faded Bugatti blue. Mostly original, apart from the seat and muffler, there is a charm to its aged patina.
First Outing – a short fifty mile trip to see the vintage motorcycle show at MCC in Villa Park. The Tiger performed admirably and was a joy to be on. So easy to move along the road on, allowing me to concentrate on the weekend traffic. Deans Triumph Bonnie was running well too. I’ll continue this week with the offerings on show at the event. Our BSA & Norton tee’s emphasize our solidarity with the other Brit Iron.
Four Square- more offerings from the Ringwood motorcycle emporium. Delicious BSA Goldstar in immaculate condition, one lung and splendid mirrored chrome tank emblazoned with the gold star representing Wal Handley’s ton lap at Brooklands in ’37. Green lane ready Triumph Trophy Trail, half liter of long legged fun. Norton & Beeza goodies: one a TT special willing for speed, the other a doughty sloper ready for a lazy countryside jaunt. Finally a hefty Laverda 3C Triple, 1000cc of Italian grunt; just need a quiet afternoon along Lago Maggiore…
Eye Candy – a trip up to Morries Place in Ringwood let’s me enjoy a grand collection of old motorcycles. Ed Zender is always a good craic and there’s sure to be something I haven’t seen before. I’ll be posting more bikes through this week.
Louche Ladies – a gang hits the highway spearheaded by the gals who blaze the biker trail lookin’ for trouble. Period machines, from left to right, look like a Triumph, Harley Davidson Sportster and Norton. Wide american handlebars ensure a fist-punch pose.
photo found by my father.
geordiebiker.com 