A couple of really sharp race roundel signs. One displaying unstoppable #9 Gary Nixon ‘flying’ on a dirt oval steed; the other is Eddie Mulder #12 (The Squirrel).
September 21, 2011
Worldwide Coverage
A Logo used for a couple of years (1932-33) on the early models was this globe variant. Here shown on what could be a 2/1 250cc or 6/1 650cc designed by Val Page.
Here is a stunning example of a NT500 from 1933, the worldly badge just visible. Remember this was the time of the SS100 Brough Superior ‘Superbikes’!
September 20, 2011
VP’s Bike ~ The Bonnie
A neat thin strip vertical ad highlighting the sublime Bonneville as the sporty choice of business executives. Looming office buildings flank the parked ride between lesser ‘motorcars’. It’s rival of the time was of course the E Type Jag; serious competition indeed!
Still a damn fine machine…
September 19, 2011
Googled!
Bonneville, Thundebird, Speed Triple, Hinckley models, Speed Twin. A few of the sample you’d see when requesting a google image search for Triumph Motorcycles. Eye Candy All!
September 17, 2011
Under the Blue Sky
I enjoy looking at the various ways riding is captured with the image; one simple one is the ride-along shot. Here it’s taken with a little more angled cropping to achieve a dynamic view, effective with great early 70’s Triumph and bubble visored rider who is obviously intent on the open road ahead. Just need to find myself a photographer as well as driver to go alongside me to get some similar shots…
September 17, 2011
Heeeey!
A well known bike to millions of American TV viewers of the 70’s is comng up for sale. The ‘cool’ Triumph we see The Fonz riding on during the opening credits of Happy Days. It’s a 50’s 500cc TR5 Trophy with rigid frame. A moto used by the desert racers in SoCal at the time; this one beginning in the hands of Bud Ekins. When Happy Days was in it’s conceptual infancy Hollywood called their biker pal Ekins to supply a chopper for a new cool character to ride on; he put high bars on, stripped the front fender and sprayed the tank silver… an icon was born!
Roll-on 3 decades and Ekins was clearing out his not inconsiderable collection passing a warehouse of bikes, parts and memerobilia to another Triumph dealer ‘Mean Marshall’ Ehlers. This old Trumpet was sitting forlornly amongst it all. Now Mr Ehlers needs to sell it so this bike is up for grabs to the highest bidder through Bonhams.
Full Story: www.cycleworld.com/fonzies-triumph
September 16, 2011
T-Shirt, Triumph Shirt
Nice clean graphic of the logo name and a quarter of the Union Flag,
September 15, 2011
Shinya Kimura
One of the great recent motocycle craftmen on the west coast is Shinya Kimura; he shapes, hones, whittles the frame, tank, fairing of Triumphs…
A great short film about his ethos in bikebuilding.
“The Needle”
September 14, 2011
Triton fit for a Queen
The classic True Triton: pre-unit Triumph engine enveloped by the curvy Norton Featherbed frame. A choice combination shown here at speedwith appropriately dressed rider: Frank Thomas boots, gauntlet gloves, puddin’ bowl lid. Poetry in motion.
September 13, 2011
That 70’s Show
There was a time when some riders got bored with the staid styling of the Triumph machines. They responded with a few choice add-ons to achieve a hot-rod, chopper, dude look. Some weren’t so successful as these two images show…
First off: a pipe bending excercise that even Uri Geller would be astounded by. I believe you can fire spears out of them. But windows will be broken nonetheless!
Hi-Back? Ape Bars? Captain Britain? At least getting this lost soul back to stock would be a fairly straight forward proposition. I believe my Bonnie met this fate sometime in its shady past before I rescued it.
September 11, 2011
of Handicraft and Flea
No riding this weekend, but a couple of fun motorcycle themed items seen at the Wicker Park Renegade Craft Fair and Wolff’s Flea Market respectively. A ceramic tile to dress up your workshop backsplash; and a kids bike, pedla power, looking like a v-twin.
The moto-graphic on the tile is an interesting take on two wheeled transport; I can’t tell if it’s a Harley or Ariel.
I can see a young (very!) Geordie Biker riding one of these along Brommey Road in Wooler back in the mid-70’s! It looks like fun, just needs a card in the spokes for a motorcycle noise…
September 11, 2011
A Triumph Rat Packer
How better to tootle around the studios of Hollywood in the sixties than on a white Bonnie; here’s Dean Martin with pillion, actress Stella Stevens, enjoying the British Bike in the California sun… the movie “The Silencers” starred Martin as secret agent Matt Helm in his first outing.
September 9, 2011
The Road ahead…
A beautiful panoramic image of a modern Thruxton (yes close to the top of my want list!) being sped along a clean stretch od asphalt. Nicely composed photom wheel spin blur, a little background movement, classic!
Another couple of great black and white photographs of the Thruxton and fair haired owner.
September 9, 2011
Red Carpet Treatment
Go on, give the Triumph an entrance it deserves! This is Nicholas Biebuyck and he is a motorcycle specialist with Bonhams auction house. What a fun job that would be! incipeindustries is a design review blog that he has created. It explored the wide world of design ranging from products, places and people. A great site!
September 8, 2011
Everyday Cool…
It’s been a while since we’ve had a bit of the King of Cool, Mr. Steve McQueen. Here’s a couple of Triumph-centric shots: one with a great T-shirt; probably quenching a dry thirst after a ride in the desert; the other pushing his moto around some film lot, shades & hanging fag seal the deal.
geordiebiker.com 