Sheryl Crow knows how to write a good song or two. Here’s a still from her video for the title track from her C’mon, C’mon album.
“Like Steve McQueen
All we need’s a fast machine”
December 8, 2011
The King
…found one at last! A shot of Elvis Aaron Presley mid-creek with gal on a Triumph. “Stay Away, Joe” is the motion picture; a ’68 comedy starring the Memphis rocker as a Navajo returning to the Reservation; Burgess Meredith plays his father (oh the casting of classic movies!).
“Thankyouverymuchandgoodnight!”
Lookin’ like a Triumph TR6 650cc set up for desert work a la McQueen – was Elvis trying to look like THE King?.
December 7, 2011
The Saint
Imagine you’re haring down the A1 in your Aston Martin for a nite-out in the West-End when all of a sudden you see blue flashing lights in your rear mirrors; it’s the Fuzz! Chasing you down on their Triumph ‘Saint’; an upgraded TR7 750cc motorcycle. fairing, tank mounted radio, panniers… “you’re nicked mate!”
These days if you’re spotted at speed in your Beemer on the M3 outside of Brighton, you’re more than likely going to be hailed down with a police atop a late-model Triumph Daytona 675.
December 6, 2011
Kiss me Cate…
A moody Miss Blanchett lookin’ the part ready to rip over the Downs to Brighton. The Triumph grill-badge buckle tops off a “don’t mess with me” attitude. Remember she’s played Dylan so the Triumph provenance is strong. Wotch Out you Mod Guys an’ Gals; Cafe Cate will sort you aht!
December 5, 2011
I don’t want a Pickle…
The Motorcycle Song
words and music by Arlo Guthrie
CHORUS:
I don’t want a pickle
Just want to ride on my motorsickle
And I don’t want a tickle
‘Cause I’d rather ride on my motorsickle
And I don’t want to die
Just want to ride on my motorcy…cle
It was late last night the other day
I thought I’d go up and see Ray
So l went up and I saw Ray
There was only one thing Ray could say, was:
CHORUS
This song is about the time that I was ridin’ my motorcycle.
Going down a mountain road, at 150 miles an hour, playin’
my guitar. On one side of the mountain road there was a
mountain, and on the other side there was nothin’ – there was
a cliff in the air.
Now, when you’re going down a mountain road at I50 miles
an hour you gotta be very careful, especially if you’re playin’
a guitar. Especially if that guitar is an acoustic guitar.
Because if it’s an acoustic guitar, the wind pressure is greater
on the box side than on the neck side, because there’s
more guitar on the box side. I wasn’t payin’ attention ..
Luckily I didn’t go into the mountain – I went over the cliff.
I was goin’ at 150 miles an hour sideways and 500 feet down
at the same time.
I knew it was the end. I looked down, I said ”Wow! Some
trip”. I thought it…well I knew it was…I knew it was my last
trip, and in my last remaining seconds in world,I decided
to write one last farewell song to the world.
Put a new ink cartridge in my pen. Took out a piece of paper.
I sat back and I thought awhile. Then I started writin’:
I don’t want a pickle
Just want to ride on my motorsickle
And I don’t want a tickle
‘Cause I’d rather ride on my motorsickle
And I don’t want to die
Just want to ride on my motorcy …cle.”
I knew that, it wasn’t the best song l ever wrote, but I didn’t
have time to change it. I was comin’ down mighty fast.
But as you all know, and as fate would have it, I didn’t die. I
landed on the top of a police car. And he died. I drove away
on the road that he was on. I came into town at a screamin’
175 miles an hour, playin’ the motorcycle song.
I came into town, I jumped off my bike, the bike went around
the corner by itself, went up on the stand by itself, turned
itself off.
I walked over to my friend. He was standin’ there eatin’
pickles. I said “Hi, what’s happenin’?” He looked at me in the
eye and said “Nothin'”.
You gotta sing it with that kind of enthusiasm. Like you just
squashed a cop…
December 4, 2011
Married for 78 years…
Ralph and Phyllis met in 1925 on a street corner in Sheffield, he worked in the steelmills of the Don Valley; they finally married in 1933 and have remained happily so ever since. On the meager wage of £3 per week they invested in a Triumph motorbike which he rode with Phyllis all over on, and, as this picture shows, with her sister Muriel.
December 3, 2011
Winter ride in the UK
None of this fair-weather cruisin’ for the lads and lasses in blighty! For the autumn and winter months in you need to wrap up and get out on the roads. Pannier rack and caked on road grime for the ’65 moto at the side of the road shows a rider intent on getting out for a no matter what. The damp pavement surface, leafless trees, grey misty distance; I feel a need for a warming cuppa at the transport cafe down the road! “Make it a pint of tea; milk, no sugar!”
December 2, 2011
McQueen and his Moto
Our Man McQueen seen here with an intense look waiting for some desert scramble to commence. Beat-up helmet, goggles to keep the dust out of his eyes, old trusty leather jacket and an electrical tape #152. His bike of choice for these SoCal weekend races was typically a Triumph TR6 650cc sled.
The bike was set up with high open pipes, a large air filter and deep cushy seat; to negotiate the rocks, sand and bumps respectively!
November 30, 2011
T is for?
An early brochure cover from Triumph Motors (the Best Motorcycle in the World) shows the swooping R into the H, still part of the logo today nearly a century on. The illuminated script appearance give a sacred reverence to the name. And Lo! It did come to pass in the land of angels that there was a vehicle of conveyance balanced upon two wheels that did speed along…
November 29, 2011
The Boss
You’d think he’d be cruisin’ around on a Harley or Indian; but no, The Boss, aka Bruce Springsteen, has Triumph as his selected ride. Good Choice! Here on what looks like a late 60’s TR6C Trophy. High pipes, small headlight, no tach and single carb give that away. That was then, this is now… the passion still burns!
November 28, 2011
Bikin’ the Beverly foot-Hills…
Actor Ryan Reynold, yes The Green Lantern, here scooting around Hollywood on a cafe’d Triumph Thruxton. Blacked-out pipes & ‘gin, chopped fender & bellowed forks; Ace bars, smaller headlight and a cherry of a tank tops it off. Toting gear in a leather satchel, whilst trying to appear anonymous.
Dunno ’bout him, but that Hinkley Moto is a real head turner!
November 26, 2011
The Duke
“Let’s roll Pilgrim!” Usually seen atop a big horse, here we see the Pappy of all Action Heroes aboard a Honda dirt-bike. Dressed in his Big Jake garb, ready to give chase to some gang of outlaws.
November 25, 2011
One Week
A fairly recent film from Canada starring Joshua Jackson (of Dawsons Creek, Fringe etc.) also has a starring role for a Norton Commando. The story’s premise is our main character learns he has cancer so decides to ride across the country to the west coast in search of himself. Carefully played, beautifully shot (especially the riding scenes) and a fine movie to see.
Josh obviously enjoys Brit Iron; seen here below, begoggled, on a later model Triumph.
geordiebiker.com 