February 20, 2011
60’s in the 70’s
In an attempt to stir nostalgic values to the 750 Bonneville in the seventies here they advertise with sixties imagery, harking to diners and hot-rods, sunsets and black & white photo’s; the chinzy 80’s airbrush look detracts fom the bike, coloured to look like the ’68 zenith Bonnie. Note the NVT logo used for this Calirornian dealership (Norton Villiers Triumph); the conglomeration of the remnants of a once sucessful British motorcycle industry.
February 19, 2011
Rebel Yell
Punk Rocker Billy Idol, also a biker has used the triumph logo and a drawing of a twin for a concert poster.
February 18, 2011
A Triumph Scooter
Triumph short foray into the world of the runabout included the four stroke 250cc Tigress and a year or two later the two stroke Tina; The artwork is enduringly 50’s. Just think about all those Mods and Rockers all on Triumphs!
February 13, 2011
Chicago Motorcycle Show
Triumph Motorcycles had a stand with their latest models this year (for the first time) at the International Motorcycle Show held at the Rosemont Convention Center.
That iconic logo…
The Scrambler model is upright an comfortable. I’d take one of these please sir!
A coffee and cream T100 Bonneville harks to the sixites models. Sublime.
Whereas a T100 set up to look like the later 70’s model Bonnies with cast wheels looked superb also.
The chunky tires, single seat, rear rack give the scrambler a focus. All I’d need is a Belstaff wax jacket and off I go!
The Thruxton racer model is my favorite. Drop bars, alloy rim wheels, rearsets and a stainless exhaust adorn a juicy red bike. I’d be at one with the road upon this steed. My ’72 Bonnie is going to be adapted to this style.
February 4, 2011
Toy Triumphs
A police 5TA Speed Twin – with rear ‘bathtub’ fairing.
Same Speed Twin 5TA Die-cast but this time a faired racer.
A Lesney Matchbox Triumph T110 with sidecar. Great detail of the pre-unit engine on the timing side.
And finally a modern detailed Triumph Bonneville from Altaya. Good enough to ride!
February 2, 2011
Triumph Bonneville – Gulf Colours
Here’s someones modern interpretation of the Bonnie in the sky blue and orage of the Gulf Oil racing colors (just like I want to achieve with my bike!) looks good, especially with the orange frame.
The blue rims may be a little overkill, perhaps just black would be fine, but this does look like a cafe McQueen would be seen on!
February 1, 2011
The White Helmet Display Team – Royal Signal Corps
These guys are another early memory of motorcycling. They would ride around arenas across the country, as well as at the Royal Tournament, in perfect syncronized fashion, either piled up on one bike, or through flaming hoops, or on one great feat, ride towards each other in a X-shape just missing each other by fractions of an inch. Bike skills and control are superb. They are a volunteer team within the Signallers and are one of the oldest motorcycle display teams in the world. 80 years.
Their bike of choice: a 750 Triumph, with loud TT pipes, knobbly tires and a red flash’d tank to match their pistripe trousers. More tuned to their machines against the modern street stunt riders who rely on wheelies, burnouts and stoppies.
The classic flaming jump.
The Pyramid
Juggling backwards.
Sidesaddle standing with no hands, cool control.
9 guys as well as the rider on one bike.
Atop a ladder and riding around.
Two wheeled gymnastics.
January 29, 2011
Triumph Scrambler Video
Here’s a great short video to get the blood flowing! A customized Scrambler taken through its paces in a derelict urban setting; great stuff!
January 29, 2011
A Fast Triumph at Bonneville ~ Gotta love the color!
Taking a bike up to speed on the Salt Flats must be exciting; that bike being a Triumph must be exhilarating! Here’s a team from Madison WI who have a blown 650 engine from a ’66 TR6 ‘horned into a stretched drag frame, set up to hare along the black line between the mile markers.
January 24, 2011
Von Dutch tank on a 70’s Bonnie
Here’s a beautiful lightly custom Triumph, bobbed and given a nice monochromatic appearance centered on a tank painted and pinstriped by the hand of Von Dutch (a.k.a. Kenny Howard); motorcycle and hotrod custom painter and pinstriper extraordinaire from the sixties. This bike sold recently at an auction of Bud Ekins items by Bonhams.
January 24, 2011
Bud Ekins 1930-2007
Triumph motorcycles in the sixties can’t be discussed without mentioning Bud Ekins; one time owner of a Triumph dealership in California, desert racer and Syeve McQueen stand in (“The Jump” on The Great Escape) he appears to have an old school coolness when atop his bikes. He ran the ISDN (International Six Days Trial) winning a gold medal 4 times and silver once, no mean feat.
January 23, 2011
Logos and branding
The use of the Triumph logo with another marque, somewhat like the bike in the previous post. Let the good times roll! Now the converse could be achieved with Triumph represented with the Helvetica of the Kawasaki logo…
January 18, 2011
Kawasaki W800 – Bonnie lookalike
Several years ago Kawasaki came out with the W650, a short lived cult classic which had the looks of a British twin, even more so than the then newly debuted Triumph Bonneville, and the unleaking, electric unfailing reliabiliy of a modern bike. Well Team Green have come out with a larger one, to compete directly with the Bonnie perhaps, but this time in classic Kawasaki colors of the time. This should sell by the truckload… sign me up!
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