Le Moto Vert

TBT ’99 – here’s a younger me heading off to work on my green Kawasaki Ninja 600. When we lived in downtown Chicago it was the best way to commute along Lake Shore Drive up to Evanston. The bike was a 1996 ZX6E… solid and quick.

T120 Engine

Computer Aided Design – AutoCAD – here are a couple of views one of the timing side, the other the primary. Line weight is perfect to achieve a good level of apparent solidity.

Covenant

Alien – on the return flight home over the Atlantic I watched the latest film in Ridley Scott’s space epic where: “no one can hear you scream.” A small but pivotal character Sir Peter Weyland who funds the Prometheus expedition to the Engineers system. Played by the quietly talented Guy Pearce he is the creator of Android David a critical character that proves to be a key player in the entire Alien series. Here’s a motorcycle sitting portrait of the British born antipodean on a classic Matchless. Photo by Robert Ascroft

In Control

Coffee Bar – we noticed Dublin is home to numerous cafe’s, nearly as many as the Guinness imbibers pubs. So to celebrate here is a perfect cockpit set-up on a mercury silver BSA cafe-racer. Tachometer and sloped clip-ons mean business.

Irish Hog

Bottle Cap Bike – headed home back through Dublin.

Pig & Chicken

AWOL – during the past couple of days we’ve been in the wanney wilds of the Border Forests at Kielder.

Normal service will resume presently…

“A pint? Why that’s nearly an armful!”

Blood Bikes – Since 2012 a voluntary force has been utilizing the agile capabilities of motorcycles to get much needed medical supplies, as well as life giving blood, through busy traffic to hospitals and medical facilities across the North East. Using fast touring bikes such as this Triumph Trophy they managed over 10,000 deliveries in 2016.

http://www.northumbriabloodbikes.org.uk

Benburb Street

Dublin Mural – some evocative wall art along a tram -railed street. You can see this peeping at the end of a lane across the River Liffey walking down the hill from the Guinness Stotehouse.

An Muinín

1916 – The Easter Rising. A time when the people of Ireland wanted to take their country back from The domination of Britain. It was also the year at his Triumph Model H was built. Seen at the National Museum of Ireland: Decorative Arts & History. In pristine condition it included a 2017 Tax Disc so is roadworthy too!

Toucan Twin

My Goodness – a stout tank’d pre-unit custom Triumph in polished aluminum and black with a white frothy head atop the pint-sized tank. Brewed in Dublin since 1759 Guinness is one of the most recognized and successful beers in the world. The iconic harp motif is modeled after the Brian Boru instrument displayed in the Long Room of Trinity Colleges Old Library and itself is a symbol of Éire.

Toucan Traveler

Beyond the Pale: head-on portrait of a black & tan clad cailín astride a speed-striped Triumph Thruxton. Serious pout under a shade visored helmet. It’s reminiscent of a pint of Guinness; which just so happens to be appropriate as we’re flying to Dublin for the weekend. Then onward to Geordieland to see the folks.

He is the Law!

The Cursèd Earth – one of the all time classic comic covers has Judge Dredd blasting out of the prog towards the lawlessness that was a post apocalyptic land beyond Mega City One. Outlaw biker Spikes Harvey Rotten is on his shootin’ side and the all-terrain Raider Command 2000. Which was also sold as a Matchbox toy. Artwork very ably carried out by Cliff Robinson (after Mike McMahon).

Plastic

Kit – simple plastic model of a BSA C15. Grey molding still fresh on the sprue ready for removal and assembly. This looks like a typical 1:32 scale kit. I’d keep it as-is and frame it.

ATGATT

Luminous – here’s a fella enjoying the November roads today. Wrapped in his spacesuit-like Aerostich, white Arai lid and rumbling along Sheridan Road on a rocket red cycle. I was in my car driving from job site to job site…

Blighty Bloke Berlin Bound

BeeBeeBeeBeeBee – after the remembrance weekend here’s a fun card promoting a victory over Germany. On His Majesty’s Service