December 10, 2013

Blue Trial

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The Top Cat Cub as built by Charles who otherwise specializes in BSA “Otters” a special oil in framed B40 lightened and set up for pre 65 observed trials. www.bsaotter.com
A great resource for other off road shenanigans.
Like this blue frame article though. It uses an Electrex ignition which is probably the way I’ll go with my Cubby.

December 9, 2013

Leicestershire Trials

During research for a suitable ignition system for the Cub restoration I navigate the Boyer Bransden website. They’re known for a broad range of electronic ignitions for vintage points and distributor motorcycles and cars. In their gallery I spied a nice trials Cub owned by Julie from Leicestershire.
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There are some good details I can hopefully use on my restoration. It’s a nifty looking machine.
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December 8, 2013

Mr Mojo Risin’

” There are things known
and there are things unknown
and in between are the doors.”

Jim Morrison 1943-1971

The Lizard King would have been 70 today; His poetical lyrics from the late sixties gave voice to a generation of disillusioned youth.
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However a downward spiral of booze and drugs ended in a small apartment down by the Seine.
He did own a motorcycle though: a CL77 305cc Honda Scrambler.
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It was appropriately painted amphibian green with Californian pin striping like some Con Dutch special.
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The Scrambler model really is a nice looking moto still today. The high pipes give it an urban adventurer appearance.
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December 7, 2013

“Honey! Let’s go for a spin!”

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Wall of Death! Pillion here sits across the handle bars with no hands as the captain of the near vertical centrifugal escapade takes his steed up to the perimeter advertising banner. Round and round she goes! This is a Two-Wheeled skill that requires years of practice including setting up and breaking down the wooden walls. Confidence inspiring pairing here!

December 6, 2013

Fit for a prince

We had Prince Wills recently seated ably aboard a Daytona at the Motorcycle Live show a few days ago… Here’s more in the British fold with him trying a Metisse special.
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Looks like he needs one for the Royal Estate.
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Here’s a classic shot of our man McQueen showing how to handle one of these machines. Air below you and dirt below that.
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One item presented to The Duke of Cambridge was a sit-on motorbike for wee Prince Geordie for when he gains a few more pounds and finds his feet. This is all good for the promotion of two wheeled mobility in Blighty!

December 5, 2013

Freedom

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the Triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

Nelson Mandela (1918 -2013)

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December 4, 2013

Oh Yes!

British bulldog fronted UK insurance company Churchill has jug-eared actor Martin Clunes haring around the English countryside with the company’s titular mascot as passenger in a sky blue Triumph combination.
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Clues we know as Doc Martin as well as one ‘arf of Men Behaving Badly. 

December 3, 2013

The Color of Munny

Actress, model and animal fur activist is a Triumph owner and rider. She fits her leathers very well and looks quite smart on this black Bonneville. It’s Olivia Munn.
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This is post 1,000….

December 2, 2013

Kate can go pillion!

Last weekend had the Motorcycle Live show in Birmingham. A two wheeled extravaganza where all the makes were on show with the latest and greatest models. There was also an attendance from VIP HRH Wills Cambridge.
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He took time to visit the Best of British Triumph stand seeing if the current Daytona moto. “Suits you sir?”

December 1, 2013

Fast & Furious

At the relatively young age of 40 actor Paul Walker was killed in a car crash in the early hours of Li’s Angeles. He’s know as the main protagonist in the road racing action movies of this posts title. Alongside the likes of Vin Diesel he would hammer around the streets of various cities in high HP cars.
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He began as a qualified marine biologist maintaining that passion whilst tagging Great White sharks on survey expedition; he was also a humanitarian traveling to earthquake hit areas such as Haiti and Chile. And, like his character Brian O’Conner, could hand a car with talent.
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But I found an appropriate moto themed image of well dressed Walker with matching black Bonneville taken from a French men’s fashion magazine. God Speed indeed…

November 30, 2013

Workbench

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I finally built myself a workbench to sort out tools and give me a decent platform to wrench on the cub project – as well as other house tasks too. Handy dandy pegboard to mount the tool selection for ease of selection. The basement has become my man-cave! Still a fair bit of organizing yet but it will develop as I work with it.

November 29, 2013

From First to Last

We did Pierce Brosnan so let’s leap to Daniel Craig’s Bond. A more real Bond, with guts, foibles, honor, grit and of course a couple of PERFECT Aston Martins. In Casino Royale he speeds about in the superlative DBS V12 the second generation DBS with sublime looks and a lion of an engine.
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From the front grill lines harking back to the DB5 to the clean form of pure speed it is one if my all time favorite cars.
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In the latest outing we have the classic Bond car return. The drive across Rannoch Moor and down Glencoe to the titular Bond scottish seat of Skyfall is a great image with a dour sky mirrored by that classic silver gray car.

November 28, 2013

Swooping flight

We may as well continue this Jane’s Bond series! Next on the list is the broody Timothy Dalton he could run, jump, swim and wear a tux like the best of ’em.
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However what we’re here for is the Aston Martin vehicle he uses to appropriate car chase effect with tire spikes and side mounted snow skis.
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Its a mid eighties model V8 Vantage Volante in British Racing Green. Styling from the ‘Lagonda marque factory is still in its 80’s midlife crisis look; but it was flippin’ fast! Not my cup of tea in looks but at least our agent is driving around in it… The Bond outing was The Living Daylights.
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“Just taking the Aston out for a spin, Q”.
“Be careful 007, it’s just had a fresh coat of paint”.

November 27, 2013

The Persuaders

For seven movies he was the eponymous James Bond and never once drove an Aston Martin; Lotus Esprit, Citroen Deux Chevaux and a Space Shuttle. However Roger Moore also starred in a TV show with Tony Curtis and his character, Lord Brett Sinclair, toted around in a Bahaman Yellow AM DBS.
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Very seventies in styling… Tony Curtis’ car was a Ferrari Dino 246 GT..
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A little gem of italianna.

November 26, 2013

We’ve got all the time in the world

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Bond #2 was George Lazenby, still quite a controversial selection; but in my mind better than Roger Moore bringing a serious role to the proceedings. His car was a new model Aston Martin DBS a 6 cylinder

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On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was the adventure when JB met Tracy Do Vicenzo played by the truly delightful Diana Rigg taking a break from her fame making Emma Peel in The Avengers.
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This has the ending where Bonds nemesis Blofeld has the newly married Mrs Tracy Bond shot as they sit in the Aston overlooking the Riviera.
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“This never happened to the other fellow!”