Steve McQueen would have been eighty five today. Josh Randall, Vin Tanner, Virgil Hilts, Thomas Crown, Frank Bullitt, Henri Charriere, Michael Delaney, to name a few…
Actor, motorcyclist, coolster…
March 23, 2015
The Age of Dinosaurs
Actor Chris Pratt, also known as Andy Dwyer in Parks & Recreation, is the new lead in the latest Jurassic Park films. With some lizard chasing through lush jungle he utilizes a Triumph Scrambler to keep apace with the velociraptors.
Andy: “There’s an old saying in show business: The show must go wrong. Everything always goes wrong, and you just have to deal with it.”
March 22, 2015
Red Truck
With the heavy rains sweeping across Texas in Friday, Tim of Harris Vincent, didn’t ride in on his customized Ducati 800 Supersport (I saw photos and it was a very well executed personalized road-going sports bike). Instead he drive to work in his early 60’s Chevy C10 truck. Red with white trim its softer line hinted at an earlier body style of all curves yet whispering at the future square boxiness of trucks to be. Rounded front windscreen allows a generous view of the road ahead.
A stepside bed with pressed name drop gate completes a perfect tote for the Hill Country. How else will I get my Triumph Cub to trials courses?….
March 21, 2015
A Dash of Salt
One of the most famous motorcycling photos was taken in 1948 of a speedo suited Rollie Free lay prone along the backbone of a Vincent Black Lightning and tore along the Bonneville Salt Flats at 150.313 mph.
The image goes down in history giving Vincent the title of fastest production motorcycle in the world. The “bathing suit bike” came into the possession of Herb Harris the Austin TX collector (whose ‘shop I visited yesterday) before being sold recently for $1.1 million. His trailer is still adorned with the iconic outline.
Now that is history.
March 20, 2015
Shades of Black
There’s a hidden gem in Austin TX for those who enjoy the finest vintage motorcycles. Harris Vincent Gallery (by appointment only). A restoration garage that specializes in those wonderful British twins. Immaculate Black Lightning, patina’d Rapide, several tarped projects, a Black Prince in the shadows… A bitsa called Guido that was kicked into life with the growl like a panther on the prowl. Run by one-time attorney Herb Harris with a very capable team of mechanics headed by chatty Tim; it’s overriding mission is to ensure Phil Vincent’s machines stay roadworthy.
It’s like being in the room with immortals. These will pass down time, in the guardianship of their owners. Hopefully ALL will be occasionally taken out for a fast spin along the road letting their hefty engines stretch their legs.
The Shadow is an appropriate subject with the partial solar eclipse that occurred over northern Europe earlier today…
March 19, 2015
Blast from the past
Here is the Hinckley commemorative Bonnie called the T214 after the Allen record breaker. Color as the streamlined Lone Star streak as noted yesterday. Nice looking machine. Only 1000 to be made.
March 18, 2015
Two One Four
I’m in the Hill Country at Austin Texas. For motorcycles it brings to mind Johnny Allen’s Texas Ceegar. The twin engined streamlined Triumph that linked the Bonneville name to Triumph forever.
March 16, 2015
‘Thirty Two
After appearing on the cover of the Beach Boys 1963 album “Little Deuce Coupe” Clarence “Chili” Catallo’s glorious ’32 Ford coupe hot rod, nicknamed the “Silver Sapphire”…became the very definition of sixties Hot Rod.
Purchased in Motor City Detroit when he was 15 he completed its muscular yet spare blue and chrome vision whilst working at the great George Barris’ LA suburbs kustom ‘shop in California. After appearing on the cover of HotRod ‘zine the rest is music history.
“Just a little deuce coupe with a flat head mill
But she’ll walk a Thunderbird like it’s standin’ still
She’s ported and relieved and she’s stroked and bored.
She’ll do a hundred and forty with the top end floored
She’s my little deuce coupe
You don’t know what I got..” Brian Wilson
March 15, 2015
Sew?
Needle and Thread: back when, the world had simpler pleasures for couples looking for togetherness. The seventies was a decade of crafts, self improvement, gaudy colors and macrame. But in the end you just had to get on yer bike and go for a spin across the fields.
March 14, 2015
Idle
Full of cold. So lying on the sofa in the den, Charley keeping me company and reading Ted Simon’s second Round The World book “Dreaming of Jupiter”. 28 years after his legendary Jupiter Travels narrative globe trekking on a Triumph Tiger he takes to the roads again aged 70 on a BMW.
March 13, 2015
Quote
“Woe betide the leaders now perched on their dizzy pinnacles of triumph if they cast away at the conference table what the soldiers had won on a hundred bloodsoaked battlefields.”
― Winston S. Churchill,
Words from the past ring true in any age.
March 12, 2015
Cranberry & Cream
Today on the local Craigslist is a clean three year old Bonnie for just under seven grand. Just over the State line in Fontana Wisconsin.
March 11, 2015
Brace
Walking the dog near work today I spied these two Triumph. A Thruxton and a Tiger. The BIG Tiger. Oh to have such a choice… Kinda like the long legged mike muncher; looks like I would fit it like a glove on a chickens lip.
March 10, 2015
Beach Blanket Bingo
When Eric von Zipper adore someone, they stay adored! So was the tenet of cheesy biker chief of the Ratz gang on the klutzy Beach movies of the sixties. As well as Frankie Avalon crooning to a spunky Annette Funicello; there were deadhead surfer dudes, scanty gals dancing on the SoCal sands, and Paul Lynde pitching in with his campy nasal quips.
Harvey Lembeck played our chain swinging leather clad biker. Sometimes seen squirreling around on a Triumph. Others a Honda.
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