November 8, 2017

ISS

Endurance – great lecture this evening by astronaut Scott Kelly who has spent over 500 days in space, including one mission of nearly a year. From this lofty perch he would spend his spare moments gazing down at the earth from the observation cupola. 

November 7, 2017

Red 

Hardtail – lowbrow chopped British twin framed under a harsh sun. Raked front, low seating, stacked lighting. Straight highways good; twisties bad…

November 6, 2017

Going Once…

Sold!  From Auctioneers Charterhouse listing: “We are selling six of the world famous Royal Signals Motorcycle Display Team Triumph motorcycles on Thursday 16th November. More commonly known as The White Helmets, the display team was a group of serving soldiers from the Royal Corps of Signals who performed public displays of motorcycling skills, aerobatics and stunt riding. Beginning 90 years ago, in 1927, the riders were normally dispatch riders and the team have had several names in the past including ‘The Red Devils’ (before the Parachute Regiment Team of the same name existed), ‘Mad Signals’ (on account of the poor brakes on the motorcycles), and only adopted the name ‘White Helmets’ in 1963.

The Triumph T140 motorcycles the team rode around on are non-standard and customized to help them carry out their amazing stunts include no rear suspension, a solid steel frame, larger rear sprocket and a sticky throttle. Of the 26 Triumph motorcycles in the team, 20 have been either gifted, given to a museum, donated to sponsors or returned to LF Harris who supplied all the bikes. The remaining 6 are being auctioned off the highest bidders. Estimates £5-8,000.”

November 5, 2017

Show a bit of leg

Quad Bike – Tattoo of a Triumph devotee. Inked in detail and wrapped around the thigh.

November 4, 2017

Speedster

White Lotus – spied on my site visit drive yesterday in Wilmette. A small mid-engined sports car from the British racing car company Lotus. Very low profile with a 4 cylinder 1.5 l Renault engine offering nippy speed for a lightweight chassis. 

November 3, 2017

Another brick in a wall

Pout – a doll posing her looks with the elegant complementary lines of a hard-tail bobbed Triumph modeling prop. 

November 2, 2017

Proud Owner

Bronze in the ‘Burbs – extended forks at the front end of this chopped custom. Peanut tank and thin chesterfield upholstered saddle adorn the shiny engine and stretched frame.

November 1, 2017

treinta y tres o doce 

 El Día de los Muertos – sideways into the corner and a toothy grin from the skulled skeleton riders. Like Hallowe’en was derived from pagan rituals The Day of the Dead has origins from the Aztecs. Beautiful artwork by David Lozeau

October 31, 2017

Ghost Rider

Hallowe’en – or Samhain  a pagan celebration midway between the autumn equinox and winter solstice, a time when the spirit world intersects this one, the dead were welcomed back into the home and offerings of food made to safely see through the oncoming winter. People pass through the neighborhood as mummers or guising to move amongst the ghosts and faeries. 

October 30, 2017

A colourfully colorful language

English and American: same language different vocabulary. The rear page of a Triumph Haynes manual includes this handy-dandy translation key for motorcycle mechanics. 

October 29, 2017

James Howlett

The Wolverine – we watched Logan last night. The final outing of Hugh Jackman as the X-Men clawed heavy. Here is an atmospheric black & white photo of the actor riding a 70’s Bonneville along an empty industrial backdropped highway. A side note: I am one eighth Logan. 

October 27, 2017

Brown Jacket

Profile – right to left and the windblast in your hair. White landscape rushes along behind a black Thruxton.

October 26, 2017

Cycle World – 

Cardigan & Loafers – off the showroom floor and into the desert. Here’s a sweet couple looking set for a two-up jaunt. They seem to be college types.  The Bonneville is a T120R Speedmaster. The center stand return spring is in need of attention…

October 25, 2017

Eat my shorts!

¡Ay Caramba! – The voice of Bart Simpson is 60 today. Nancy Cartwright vocalizes this cheeky misbehaving brat. 

October 24, 2017

Thirty Three and a Third

Vinyl LP – fun graphics in cheery colors and swift illustrative gestures for the period cover artwork on a 1960 record.