August 24, 2013
One of my favorite books as a young kid was Richard Scarry’s illustrated sort books. They all involved animals as people in all traditional ethnic roles. Cats, dogs, foxes, worms, rabbits, pigs and usually a large lumbering bear. So when I found this vintage photograph it reminded me of his world made real.
It seems bears have good balance. And for a reminder of his loose illustrative style. Lively, chaotic, family, work, food: Busy.
And here’s a fox on a motorcycle. Reynard seems like a better rider than Ursa…
I learned about the wide wide world in this book…
Posted in Book, Graphics, Photography |
2 Comments »
August 23, 2013
Spaghetti westerner Clint Eastwood took time off in ’68 when filming Where Eagles Dare to enjoy The Big Smokes roads on a latest and greatest Norton P11 Rambler
A trusty A to Z to ensure your destination is gained on the same day, rather than later that week. Otherwise when crossing The Thames ask a bobby instead…
It seems that The Man with No Name liked the twin three quarter litre moto so much that he is later seen on a blue high piped Commando..
Back to that Alistair MacLean adapted adventure war movie. Still one of my favorites; combining Clint with Richard Burton was inspired. “Broadsword calling Danny Boy, come in, over”.
The delightful and beautiful Mary Ure and Heidi Pitt as Allied Agents playing Bavarian Fraulein look on as Schaffer (CE) and Major Smith (RB) sup at their steins of lager. Moments of respite during location shooting allow our Harry Callahan sitting in an Austrian snowfield looking over the nearby Alps.
Let’s have another look over that Norton 750…a popular motorcycle of the time and used to some sucess as a desert sled.
“Well punk? Are you feel feelin’ lucky?”
Posted in Movie, Norton |
3 Comments »
August 22, 2013
This fair’d, sleek iteration of a Vincent Black Lightning will do a ton and a half easily, remember in stock trim it could make 150mph. However fettle it up sparely and feed it a high octane fuel, find a l-o-n-g straight road and let ‘er rip. Hold on sonny Jim yer leathers might flap around a bit! And the horns? Well the horns are just fer show…
Posted in Photography, Racing, Vincent, Vintage |
Leave a Comment »
August 21, 2013
A barrel arrived today for the Triumph Cub project. In terrific shape with a clean bore, nearly complete fins and a piston too!
Eye spy with my beady eye a hole of 63.75mm. Hopefully minimal hone and top deck milled then she’ll be good un for the job at hand…
…some assembly required of course!
Posted in Restoration, Triumph Cub |
Leave a Comment »
August 20, 2013
Our favorite 60’s TV duo john Steed and Emma Peel managed to get into all sorts of scrapes and escapades. It usually involved a fight or chase scene with our action gal Diana Rigg. Here we have a hunting redcoat clad Triumph Cub rider chasing her over field and moor. This is the nimble Mountain Tiger Cub model.
They always managed to catch their guy, and conclude the episode with some quippy remarks.
…and let’s not forget Cathy Gale, the original feminist sidekick …
Posted in Film and TV, Gals, Triumph Cub |
3 Comments »
August 19, 2013
Early morning rides can be the best! No traffic, cool fresh air, long shadows following you…
“Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance”
Carl Sandberg
Posted in Chicago, Photography |
2 Comments »
August 18, 2013
My trusty pair of 8-hole Doc Martens 1460’s are the perfect boot for the old bike. Hefty for kicking the engine over from cold. Non-slip soles when dabbing your feet down at lights amidst the occasional oily smear. High coverage over the ankle for protection. Chunky toe for solid shifting. And, above all else… They are The Business!
Posted in Clothing |
Leave a Comment »
August 17, 2013
Our lad Guy Martin pulled out a hat trick with his three wins this weekend at the Ulster GP. All being closely followed on his heels by the Dunlop lads amongst others. With an unmatched average lap speed of 132.938mph on his second of seven laps in the Superbike he pipped Michael Dunlop by 0.054s. At that speed that is as close as you can get!
The big Suzuki is running well, the team are on top form and Guy can celebrate with a good cuppa or two! “Well done wor Chief!”
Posted in Guy Martin, Racing |
2 Comments »
August 16, 2013
This low mileage trumpet badg’d red colored Thruxton is for sale locally…. Need to win the pools!
Only one word for that: “Phoarr!” But I’m afraid my dentist and endodontrist skipped away with my fun-funds earlier this year….
Posted in Chicago, Triumph Motorcycle |
4 Comments »
August 15, 2013
These kits were more popular back when motorcycles were a utilitarian tool, and when snowmobiles were limited to the greater latitudes or Minnesota. tack some skis to the front hoop; whip off the rear one and bolt on the mini track. I think this would be a lot of fun in fresh powder. And it’s a Cub too…
“Shackleton, Shackleton! You need a couple of these glacier ski-doos mate!”
Posted in Uncategorized |
Leave a Comment »
August 14, 2013
Orlando, is quite the moto aficionado… Here he is taking great enjoyment from a WWII BSA M20. The half litre 13 pony do I all ride of couriers, scouts and dispatchers alike.
Of course half the fun of these pieces if military equipment is the hands-on needed to keep em rubber side down and destination bound. Twiddle carbs, sort timing, adjust valves, petrol on, tickle, retard and KICK. He just needs a blackout hood on the headlight for period correctness.
Posted in BSA, Military, Movie |
Leave a Comment »
August 13, 2013
Pointy ear’d Legolas the wood elf from Tolkien’s Middle Earth realm was played in very fine style by the British actor Orlando Bloom. Fast with bow, swift of foot and strong of friendship he was an appropriate foil to the doughty dwarf Gimli.
Orlando went on to add the pirate blacksmith Will Turner in the as popular Pirates of the Caribbean series… To date he has been in a third of the top 15 biggest grossing films. So what does he ride? We he seems to have picked up a custom modern Bonneville with hand beat tinware, spare details and fun stance. Just needs some leathers and a lid to top it off. Fleet footed? On that Triumph he is!
Posted in Movie, Triumph Bonneville |
Leave a Comment »
August 12, 2013
Barbarella Catton the Canadian actress more commonly known as Haji, passed away at the weekend aged 67. She appeared in several Russ Meyer films, including Motorpsycho (1965), Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965), and Supervixens (1975). All classics of their genre.
Meyers satirical sexploitation film went directly against the grain of the mainstream movies of the day. A Zappa to the motion picture world you could say… Or was Zappa a Meyer of the music world?
Of course we have our early biker film, before Easy Rider, and fairly gritty in its nature. The women are buxom, the characters crude, narration camp, yet the female empowerment seeps through the stories. Haji fits the bill on all accounts. The seminal Faster, faster pussycat! Kill! Kill! Is the zenith in his career.
After watching these you can see where Quentin Tarantino gets his inspiration. . . and I do believe that’s a Triumph on the poster of Motorpsycho..
Posted in Gals, Movie |
Leave a Comment »
August 11, 2013
Though seen use from Egyptian stone block moving with trunks and Leonardo da Vinci sketches for his helicopter air-screw rotation; it was the development and patent of a Welsh ironmaster Philip Vaughan that the modern ball race bearing was created. Its 1794 timing came at an ideal moment for the burgeoning Industrial Revolution. However it was Frenchman Jules Suriray who patented the first ball bearing. Used to great low resistance rolling effect by Englishman James Moore astride his velocipede in the first Paris-Rouen road race later that year.
Bearings are of course very important in ALL wheeled and powered contrivances: today I measured for and ordered the bearings for the Cub wheels (two for each) and the crank shaft and main gear shaft.
However a bearing is only as good as its lubrication and cleanliness… Spin Doctor
Posted in Bicycle, Restoration |
Leave a Comment »
August 10, 2013
Perfect weather with blue blue skies and nice riding temperatures. Took the bike out for an hours spin up the road. Although you need to head out a fair bit to get good roads there’s a small section through a Forest Preserve area along the Skokie Lagoons. It’s only a couple and a half miles long but you can run up and down it at least twice for good measure…
It shows up its wiggle on Google Maps…
The bike was happy too 🙂
Posted in Chicago, Photography |
1 Comment »
geordiebiker.com 