April 23, 2015

Saint George

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;  Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there’s nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour’d rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon; let the brow o’erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O’erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swill’d with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest English.
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,
Have in these parts from morn till even fought
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument:
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you call’d fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war. And you, good yeoman,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game’s afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry ‘God for Harry, England, and Saint George!’ 

 Will Shakespeare – Henry V.

  
Contemporary Harry on a Triumph Daytona. Different steed- British blood.

April 22, 2015

Earth Day

 Not really the intent of today’s Terran celebrations but this here Scrambler looks the business for rainforest rambling, tundra trialling, sand dune swoops and countryside cavorting. Knobby tires, imitation leather saddle and the coolness of a British bike. Earth awaits!
 

April 21, 2015

Top Speed

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The progression of fast. This chart represents the fastest production motorcycles over the last century. The decades long plateau reflects a half century reign of two British Greats: Brought Superior SS100 (TE Lawrence’s ride of choice)  and the veritable Vincent Black Shadow. The steeper section have the early racing developments and the latter competitive superbike wars. My 1985 Ninja 900 takes up a few years in the late eighties.

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April 20, 2015

Everybody loves a Cowgirl

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Especially when they have aspirations of the two-wheeled kind. The Thunderbird is just the finest to be galloping around on. “Annie get your gun!”

April 19, 2015

Sunday Best

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Boots ‘n’ Denim. Classy smokin’ tattoo’d cafe chick looking mean enough to kick a period Bonnie into life and haul it down the road.

April 18, 2015

Peterson Avenue

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Pearly Triple: saw this nipping through Chicago traffic earlier today. Triumphs Monster basher the Speed Triple. Narrow purpose with wheels, engine, brakes, suspension, and a seat. A clean machine in Daz White.

April 17, 2015

Plastic Figure

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Doll Face: someone’s idea of fun. Propping an articulated figure onto scale model Triumph Bonneville. Shades of Marwencol, the model town fabricated by Mark Hogancamp (look up the documentary on Netflix). This acrylic lass is called Tamara Cool Girl Harley. She has leathers too.

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…not that there’s anything wrong with it…

April 16, 2015

There’s a lot of it about

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Goon, poet, artillery signaller, Irish. That’s Spike Milligan who would be 98 today. His off kilter buffoonery was fresh air in a world of stale comedy.
Say Bazonka every day 
That’s what my grandma used to say 
It keeps at bay the Asian Flu’ 
And both your elbows free from glue. 
So say Bazonka every day 
(That’s what my grandma used to say) 

Don’t say it if your socks are dry! 
Or when the sun is in your eye! 
Never say it in the dark 
(The word you see emits a spark) 
Only say it in the day 
(That’s what my grandma used to say) 

Young Tiny Tim took her advice 
He said it once, he said it twice 
he said it till the day he died 
And even after that he tried 
To say Bazonka! every day 
Just like my grandma used to say. 

Now folks around declare it’s true 
That every night at half past two 
If you’ll stand upon your head 
And shout Bazonka! from your bed 
You’ll hear the word as clear as day 
Just like my grandma used to say!

He sits on a Wooler motorcycle. Some publicity shot from the Veteran & Vintage magazine in 1968.

April 15, 2015

Monkey See Monkey Do

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Wind ’em up and watch ’em go! Ape bars not required just a simian attitude.
The organ grinding assistant takes to the road.

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April 14, 2015

Orange is the new Black

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Artist James Neil Hollinsworth has captured a fine silhouette portrait of a latter model T100 Bonneville. Mango backdrop and tangerine tank. Sunny disposition needed to get the most from this bike.

April 13, 2015

With the little blue bag

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Blokey bloke Guy Martin got in a little high speed practice last weekend at the supersport event around Donington Racetrack. Dusting off skills for the upcoming road racing season. He was aboard the Smiths 675 Triumph. Not to win but put some high velocity mileage under his wings. Salt is optional… (The sponsor is in construction, not thinly sliced fried potato products)

April 12, 2015

Bueno Tamales…

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Quick outing northward to one of the finer Mexican restaurants in Highwood. They do a mean burrito meal. Good side of fried beans and rice with the usual red or green chile sauce to add zip. Washed down with a fresh glass of horchata.

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Oh, and the bikes ran good too…

April 11, 2015

Lion of God

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Blue-Sky beauty: I spied a glorious Ariel motorcycle whilst passing through Evanston earlier today. The glossy light blue color-scheme glinted in the corner of my vision.

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It is of course the Square Four, a double parallel twin designed by Ed Turner in the 20’s. An unusual arrangement which made sense for compactness, however cooling the rear pair is a necessity. Which this owner has undertaken with a small oil cooler just behind the down tubes.

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A real head-turner that cried out to be photographed..

Ariel

BY SYLVIA PLATH

Stasis in darkness.
Then the substanceless blue   
Pour of tor and distances.

God’s lioness,   
How one we grow,
Pivot of heels and knees!—The furrow

Splits and passes, sister to   
The brown arc
Of the neck I cannot catch,

Nigger-eye   
Berries cast dark   
Hooks—

Black sweet blood mouthfuls,   
Shadows.
Something else

Hauls me through air—
Thighs, hair;
Flakes from my heels.

White
Godiva, I unpeel—
Dead hands, dead stringencies.

And now I
Foam to wheat, a glitter of seas.   
The child’s cry

Melts in the wall.   
And I
Am the arrow,

The dew that flies
Suicidal, at one with the drive   
Into the red

Eye, the cauldron of morning.

April 10, 2015

Sweets

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Here is a candy colored selection box of the Triumph offerings at MCC that I saw last weekend.
Speed Triple.                                     Tiger
Speedmaster.   Thunderbird.    Daytona
Bonneville/Thruxton.           Street Triple

Tasty options!

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April 9, 2015

Rag & Bone

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A Steptoe like character trundling the damp streets of some English town in search of unwanted items that may turn into a groat or two. Flat cap, fag in mouth, trusty Model H Triumph pulling the basket and bag laden cart. It reminds me of the classic BBC comedy starring Wilfred Brambell and Harry H Corbett as father Albert & son ‘arold respectively.

“You dirty old Man!”