Steve, motorcycle, sorting, sorted!
Looks like the sublime Metisse scrambler; knobbly shod, high piped and Meriden companions behind.
February 28, 2013
Focused
February 27, 2013
Dusty Trail
On the continuing theme of sun, bikes, fun and yikes; here’s our old friends Bud Ekins and Steve McQueen haring along some back roads SoCal trail.
I like to see Triumph Twins put to good use, heeled over the way physics dictate forces, speed and balsnce; knobby tyres hardly touching the gravelly path, and the riders concentrating on the way ahead. “Watch out for that ditch lad
February 26, 2013
Not your fathers heroes.
To celebrate The Man in Blacks birthday here’s a very little known film that Johnny Cash wrote the soundtrack for (along with Carl Perkins and Bob Dylan). It starred Robert Redford as a happy-go-lucky racer, Big Halsy Knox, who chases the adventures offered of both track and ‘field’; he takes on a mechanic sidekick, Little Fauss, who looks up to him, and true a early 70’s buddy movie ensues.
There are allegiances made and broken; a love interest, in the form of a drop-out muse played by Lauren Hutton, as the fabulously named Rita Nebraska; and of course super racing cinematography both on-board and track-side.
But Cash’s droll voice powers through with his balladeers songs.
Rollin’ Free
Ballad of Little Fauss and Big Halsy
Happy Birthday Johnny!
February 25, 2013
Hawaii or Bust
Sons of the Desert: nope not a Laurel & Hardy adventure; but a jaunt across rutted, scrub patched scorched back country in SoCal or Baja. Knobbly tires shod on a tough old purely functional sled. Looks like way too much fun!
Is that an AMC Javelin poking its nose in?
February 24, 2013
Street Tracker Euro Style
Sunday evening moto fare: as tasty as a Sunday roast, accompanied by mashed tatties, veggies with Yorkshire pudding lashed with dark gravy; here is a street going Triumph tracker ready to show off up and down the main drag. Flat soles Redwings, turnips, and an open face lid complete the leather-clad owners appearance.
A race numberplate and big Triumph tank logo adds to a racing legend.
The photo appears to be taken in Sweden, possibly Stockholm.
February 23, 2013
Fast Bend eh? Use a Triumph!
An actor who has been taking notable strides in several great film of late: Michael Fassbender. From a younger Magneto in X-Men; Carl Jung in a Dangerous Method; Lieutenant Archie Hicox in Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds; the android David in Prometheus to name a few. Well he’s a biker too, being german-irish I believe his ride of choice is a big Beemer GS but it looks like he wouldn’t mind a mean muscular Triumph Speed Triple. He’s posing a bit too much though… Get on yer bike and ride it Mike!
February 22, 2013
Not so careless torque
The Tau of Life: The echoing O’s of the Norton logo repeated in the speed tipped wheels of this racer creates a strong Moto-image. Force times by its displacement vector.
Horsepower is torque times revs divided by 5252.
February 21, 2013
Steam On!
What a ride it would be: racing a steam train. The powerful coal driven powering along and a Speed Twin following alongside. The 1960 Evening Star 2-10-0 heralded the closing pages of the steam age, a ’60 Triumph eyes the future of road speed.
Fire up the engine stoker, keep shoveling!
February 20, 2013
The leg bone’s connected to the…
I titled yesterday’s blog about Aldana’s leathers and omitted an image of them! Well here he is in all his skeletal glory!
Not only a set of deathly leathers but sitting atop a big Yoshimura tuned Kawasaki Zed at Daytona.
More shots of him in action steering the big lad into corners…
These are the days of the early superbikes which, with nary a nod to the rider would spit them off if pushed too far. The engines were ahead of the frames so racing them meant nerves of steel and the skill of a rodeo cowboy. No wonder he could wear a Superman outfit when haring around a dirt oval sideways…
Well, let’s get back on track, so to speak, he still races, albeit in a senior class, and here’s a shot of him aboard a latter day Triumph Daytona 675 at a Mid Ohio race. Smooth as silk.
Legend!
February 19, 2013
Skeleton Leathers
That means it’s Dave Aldana time! Racing with the best of ’em back in the seventies on the AMA Grand National Championship. An exuberant and daring style combined with a showy attire garnered him fame and success in a wide range of motorcycle races: flat track oval, speedway, motocross or road racing.
Starting out as a newcomer for the BSA team with the likes of Dick Mann, he cut his teeth on the big Rocket 3 triple; the British Superbike of its day.
Here’s a super line-up L-R: Jim Rice, Dave Aldana, Dick Mann then Mike Hailwood, and Don Emde all making up the ‘Wrecking Crew’. Then Mert Lawwill.
He went on to race smashing looking Norton’s both on dirt…
…or the road (track) the lovely John Player Norton. Truly sublime.
Here he is in good form on that Birmingham Twin. Classic Racing.
To be continued…
February 18, 2013
Aphrodite’s Ride
A Racer in seafoam…
A Venus…
…and another Venus.
All have perfect form for the beholder.
Aphrodite of Milos (Greek: Ἀφροδίτη τῆς Μήλου, Aphroditē tēs Mēlou), 130 BCE Venus de Milo.
The Birth of Venus (Italian: Nascita di Venere) 1486 Sandro Botticelli.
February 17, 2013
Gimme a Brake!
The brake project ensues. After several weeks of slowly accumulating, cleaning, assembling the components for the upgraded stopping power on the Bonnie I was finally able to put parts back on the bike. After much finagling several fitments I have come to realize the basic upgrading from one model to a latter one may be a little more involved than one might think.
Hope to wrap this one up on a week or two (weekends only); hope she stops like a crowbar in the spokes!
February 16, 2013
Neunelfer Chicago
Plenty of smashing cars at the Auto Show but the 911 Carrera 4S sure looked purdy… Its sparky twilight blue gave those classic Porsche lines a a pleasing appearance. Hints of the exactly half Century original design shine through. From its nose to its tail.
I bet it goes and stops like the best of ’em! I know it’s out of the realm of my ownership but I can look…
February 15, 2013
Don’t forget your Shovel…
One notable two-wheeler was seen last evening at the Auto Show: a custom Harley Davidson propped up next to an all black ’69 GTO. The engine was a shiny piece of art and the cycle work a careful balance of cleanliness and line. For example the rear drum brake was hydraulically activated with the line running within the frame tubes, a suicide gear lever under the left thigh and omitted front brake as well as the throttle lines inside the handlebars created the perfect minimal handlebars. p.s. this moto is actually an award winning custom chopper by Gas Monkey Garage which is televised for The Discovery Channel’s Fast ‘n’Loud show.
The black car? A slick ripplin’ black highway speedster.
Here’s a stock photo of FRED, in the desert… The rose color looks canny under a bright sun with a scrub landscape behind it and blacktop stretching into the distance.
February 14, 2013
Little Red Corvette
Four Wheels Good: well sometimes! Under the glistening lights of the vast halls of the McCormick Convention Center the Chicago Auto Show displays the latest in automobile offerings. Of course the common or garden varieties are there but I like to look at the tasty fast, expensive and unattainable autos…
Jaguar F Type sport model sir? Yes please!
The brand spanking new Corvette Stingray? Abso-bloody-lutely!
John Cooper Works Mini? Aye aye captain!
Well what about an old late 1940’s Ford Truck? Could be just the ticket! And price!
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