Rebel without a Cause

James Dean looks on somewhat bemused as Jim Backus (Mr. Magoo among other roles!); possibly extolling the virtues of wearing a frilly and flowery pinafore. Jim played Frank Stark, Dean's anguished character Jim's father. "You're tearing me apart!!"

Lovely Thunderbird sits waiting for a twist of the throttle. Fancy a ride up to the Observatory?

The Wild One

Johnny Strabler taking a laid back approach to life as the Black Rebels Motorcycle Club leader in the classic biker picture The Wild One. A movie loosely based on the events of a fictiionalized hell-raising by a motorcycle gang in Hollister CA in the early Fifties. A Time magazine article spread the word about the Bad-Boy image of bikers that still lives to this day; helped with a not too bad part of Brando in the lead role.

Atop his Triumph Thunderbird 6T, this film andoubtedly promoted the popularity of Triumph motorcycles in the US when they, along with BSA, were the dominant world force of motos. A reign that would last two strong decades until the Japanese bikes came along. His white t-shirt, askew cap, black leather jacket, engineer boots and turned up jeans and surly sideburned appearance became the image of the rocker-rebel for generations.

A Fairer Race Line-Up.

Rosie the Riveter watch out! Here are some gals ready for the off at a period hare across some sun drenched desert. Hair scarves to keep the locks in check, bikini (see the second one on the Triumph dressed for a tan) as cooling attire.

A mix of British and Yankee Iron.

It's Easy... part II

Another in the poster series of speeds that can be attained on your trusty Triumph! This time chasing a UFO; no doubt from a time when more sightings were rampant after Area 51. However our intrepid 'collector' would seem more at home pursuing flitting butterflys across an English meadow; tweed, breeches, satchel 'n' all!

It's Easy...

Back in the thirties T.E. Lawrence took his Brough along an airstrip and raced a Bristol Bulldog Fighter; here's Triumph implying their bikes can take on one of 'them new fangled jets'; Actually an Avro Vulcan Strategic Bomber. Itself hot off-the-presses for the RAF!

A Wee Ride up a Hill

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!

What they say about kids and animals...

Mascot goes anywhere; loves to flap ears in breeze; supports weekend racer!

Speedy lads enjoy the desert flats...

You gotta start somewhere; whether two wheels or four!

Old London Motorcycle Supply advertisment

Everything from gauntlet gloves to gear boxes; pistons to pillion seats. An engine for £12, or a sproket for 2s 6d. Enough to keep that trusty Triumph or BSA on the roads of the big smoke.

Tyger, Tyger burning brite!

Further to the previous post, here's the original Tiger, the early fifties T110; 650cc, single carb pre-unit engine. Plenty of power: hence the name. The nacelle headlight is a clean feature of this model as is the banded tank badge.

Beautiful bike...

What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?