Enjoy this sumptuous Triumph Cafe created by MULE; based on a modern Hinckley Bonnie. Speed Twin colour scheme and beautiful period details such as th elarge 4LS front brake, Ace bars, skinny single seat and lumpt tires. Yupe, I’d take one… …in a heartbeat!
On weekend trip to Fort Wayne Indiana we stoped in at Pierceton, a small town on Route 30. A couple rode in on a pair of bikes; one with a distinctive twin sound, parallel rather than 45 degree V. Here’s the well built chopper with Bonnie engine; hard tail, forward controls and nice hefty (but not too big) forks and well valanced fenders. The split harley tank with green flame set it off.
Seperate octagon oil tank, long brake rod and low-slung battery box, typical details for this chopperization of a Brit Iron.
Gary was one of the greats who made Triumph a big name in performance motorcycles in the’States. Taking flat-track and road race set up motos to numerous victories such as the Springfiled Mile, Daytona and other great venues. (he was also a Burns Birthday lad; same as me January 25th)
Through it’s many modern iterations the Hinckley Speed Triple has always turned heads with its sublime appearance. My favourite is the nineties version with solid look, black lump of an engine, bright orange tank, clip-ons. A classic looking bike…
An airman in WWII sitting proudly with his Royal Enfiled, oh and his Hawker Hurricane in the background. The Battle of Britain pilots relaxed aboard speedy motorcycles.
After the refreshing ride on Saturday morning I stopped in at Bobs Deli, a local 7-11 in Highland Park. What was needed was a good cold, classic bottle of “ice cold”. The moto cools in the background, I cool in the shadows.
Fab seventies movie poster graphics: like the movie trailer in image form, all the high impact scenes in one swoosh of flame. The female protagonist astride it all! The front wheelie spun bike is an English Twin: woo-hoo!
I spent the better part of this morning into the afternoon installing an in-line screw on oil filter. It entailed draining the frame ‘tank’ then checking the mesh filter and assembling the C-Clamp attached bracket into a very small space under the rear swing-arm. Reconnecting oil lines became problematic with different sized hoses: 5/16″ ID into 1/4″ ID adapters anyone?
All this was carried out in the storage garage under the office, warm, steamy, filthy floor. I was a true wet, oily, mucky mess! Nothing a good shower, swim then shower at the Y couldn’t amend! Well it’s on now so I can keep the oil clean for the engine!
This chap has certainly got a Tiger by the tail; it’s a late 70’s LH shift single carb 750cc Triumph Tiger. That crazed look is familiar!
Beautiful weather on this Saturday morning saw the bike taken up along the shady swoops of Sheridan Road; delicious. New rear shocs are a smooth treat over rough spots.
When the Ninja 900 (ZX900A, GPZ900R) came out in ’84 it caused a stir in the motorcycle world; lightweight, narrow, strong as a horse (or 105 of them!) and sporty lookin’ too! Here’s the ’85 I owned for a few years, great bike with heaps of old world power. Although just running in the ‘States for a few years it lasted in Europe and Japan for over a decade surpassing two other successive models.
Well, Kawasaki has a new Ninja in their stable, less race honed but more everyday riding intended. Offering fast fun, far fun, fabulous fun! It’s 1000cc engine a perfect blend of useability, yet turn it on and it growls. And, at $11,000 darn good value for money in relation to other offerings. The new is the new, new!
Here’s Joe Brown, hard mountain man of the 50’s and 60’s, riding what looks like a Speed Twin up Snowdon in North Wales. Well it’s one way to get to the craggy Cloggy over on the north side!
Our Hero Baz haring around the Goodwood tracks on a vintage Norton; adorned with his No. 7! Pure Majesty!
Working on electrical niggles on the Bonnie; there doesn’t seem to enough juice in the battery…
The Iconic X75, restyled Trident by Craig Vetter in the early 70’s was meant to be the shot of styling adrenaline the company needed to unseat it from the shoals of economic strife. However it was not to be relating to various mismanagement politics; however it’s still a powerful look for the very capable triple. Here one Jean François Vicente has taken a late 90’s Hinckley Adventurer and graced it with the vetteresque bodywork, the striking orange and yellow colours, hefty upside-down forks, modern roadgoing tyres and three upswept pipes. Spiffy!
Growing up in North Northumberland one of the highlights of late summer was the annual arrival for two weeks of the ‘shows’. A small travelling fairground called Slaters. Among the shuggy boats, ‘big’ wheel, and octopus rides as well as the gaping mouth clowns and pingpong goldfish bowl arcade was the “Speedway” ride. a rolling carousel of bikes and chairs. It was, for a 7 year old, the first effects of speed and centrigugal forces sitting atop a ‘motorbike’ although it was fixed!
