Here’s the Bonnie fresh from its engine refit back in ’10. All splendid in its original Gulf color’s, drum front brake, upright bars and just a couple of dozen new miles on the Smiths clocks.
April 16, 2014
‘Enery Ford’s assembly-line idea sounds like a good ‘un
The factory line at Triumphs Hinckley plant is a stark contrast to my meager basement Cub rebuild. The stocked production process can spit out an engine every 85 seconds and, when under full throttle, a motorcycle every 2 minutes 25 seconds….
I need me a blue polo-shirt and khaki trousers..
‘Ave you got a torque wrench Bob?
April 15, 2014
More engine parts
Laid out on manilla sheet. Here’s the timing side and gearbox innards placed apart like some dissection tableau. More akin to a jigsaw now. I need to read up on the correct order of reassembly.
April 14, 2014
A Head Case
All parts present & correct. Best way to get ready for component assembly. Lay it all out in exploded view fashion. Here’s the cylinder head and barrel: including rockers, valves, piston, covers, studs bolts and gaskets. New valves, machined head and rebored barrel. Internal combustion here we come!
April 13, 2014
Blowin’ Cobwebs
I decided to bring the Bonnie out of hibernation today. Well a little paw around the block and stretch if the kegs down to the Lake. I did have to fit a new battery carrier too. And some gremlins had decided to take residence over the brutal winter in its electrics. A main lead from The battery had a hidden wire disconnect. Once that was sorted she fired right up a settled quickly into a heart beat.
The fog enveloped the lakefront in atmospheric style.
She ran like a champ. A few dropped gears, but I had the wrong boots on to engage stoutly. I do need to change gear oil though.
Like yesterdays image; but better, ‘cos it’s mine!
Roll on Spring!
April 12, 2014
Into the mist…
Even from behind the old ponies look fab! This is a Royal Signal Corps steed, ready for the off. Spirited stunts anyone?
April 11, 2014
Winged Matchless
After yesterdays ‘EM’ I was kindly sent this image from Bill in Carlisle UK of this superlative Matchless G50. The Walmsley set-up puts it way above the rest…built from the ground up by Lancastrian Fred Walmsley they’ll take any vintage racer worth his mettle to a chequered finish. $50k and one could be yours!
April 10, 2014
Charles Benoit et Abel Bardin 1922
Once the largest motorcycle manufacturer in France Motobécane was crucial to Gallic all two-wheeled transport for over half a century. Literally “motorized” “bike” its logo is quite striking with the capital “M” and facing Mercurial or Hermes heads. I saw this on a locked up bicycle today and had to capture as part of my ongoing collection of M’s (my wife’s name begins in this strong symmetrical letter).
April 9, 2014
Hump Day
By mid-week sometimes I don’t know if I’m coming or going: this chap certainly does though! Reading a motorcycling periodical at the same time too. Hope he doesn’t hit that hump!
“Protective headgear sir?” “A Bowler Sir! It’s the hat that won The West would you know!”
April 8, 2014
Not your ordinary cutlery…
Assembled! After a few pairs of forks from past rebuilds under my belt; familiarity breeds confidence. These took 15 minutes to put together and are ready to slot into the triple trees atop the frame currently growing into a true chassis.
April 7, 2014
Grass Track
Carrowdore 1957; 17 Bertie Mann Triumph Cub, 43 Tommy Robb James.
Old action photographs can show so much more than their content. This field race has a pair of lightweight motos but NOT lightweight racers haring around with speed blurred spectators behind. Summer fun in Blighty!
April 6, 2014
A King of Scotland
Oft-time biker and Scot James McAvoy enjoys motos like the best of us passing his bike test before a car one. He’s looking somewhat surly with this new Bonnie. James was in Atonement with Keira Knightley who we also know from That Coco Chanel advert for their Madamoiselle parfum, in a skin color, snug race suit aboard a matching Ducati 750…
Those Italian motorcycles can certainly look good on the right company…
April 5, 2014
It’s the front end for forks sake!
Rebuilding the forks this weekend! Tubing, bushes, seals, springs, bolts ‘n’ all: it’s all about oil management under compression. We need to absorb bumps and jostles on the lane so the hand grips aren’t wrenched out of your control. The new stanchions and recently powder coated lower legs will give it a nice appearance. But I’ll be putting bellow’d boots over the shiny bits to stop mud ingress to the all too precious seal.
April 4, 2014
Friday Night line-up
A bevvy of moto-riding ladies all sitting proudly on their bikes in front of this House of Chrome somewhere on Long Island NY. Left to right: Beemer, Trumpet, Harley, Beeza(?), Ariel & Matchless. What’s not to like?
April 3, 2014
Tom Swift
Back in 1920 youth of the day had one adventuring inventive lad called Tom Swift to read about. His first foray in print was a tale regarding motorcycles.
After acquiring it after a friend crashes it he restores it and learns how to operate it on the dusty lanes of Upstate New York. The teenage protagonist chases down patent thieves on his derring doings.
The original hardcover book has appropriately contemporary graphics from the time. Victor Appleton was a pseudonym for Edward Stratemeyer, creator of other notable YA (young adult) tomes such as Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and the Bobbsey Twins. He prolifically penned, though some ghostly, over 1,300 stories.
geordiebiker.com 