The World's Greatest Old Bike Mag.

The cover of this month's Vintage Bike Magazine, showing a piece of true Triumph exotica, the fabled pre-war Bronze Head adorning an early Tiger 100.

There is only two thing wrong with this magazine, firstly, it should be twice as thick and secondly, it should come out twice as often!

Written by men who are passionate about the subject with a lifetime in the industry, it goes to levels that other monthly classic comics fall lamentably short of.

Here's how they describe themselves;

Vintage Bike is written for those interested in British motorcycles in general and the Triumph in particular. The magazine includes how-to-do-it articles, stories by and about owners rebuilding and riding their bikes, and authoritative interviews with people who were there during the colorful history of the industry by such well-known authors as Kevin Cameron, Mick Duckworth, John Healy and many others.  Subscribe now. Articles and resources here on our website include an index of back issues.

Do yourself a favour if the description appeals to you, your life will be richer for subscribing to this magazine.

Smiths Chronometric Tacho

Long time readers of this drivel may recall my love of the D shaped Smiths Chronometric speedo. Here's a tacho in the same body, never knew such a thing existed! Damn I want one so bad it hurts!

Killer A10 from sunny California

Jordan sent these pics of his mate's killer A10, custom Beezers are getting thin on the ground nowadays but this beauty makes a pleasant change. 

Ya gotta love the detail especially the chromed frame castings, this bike nails it!

Todd Asin, Small City Cycles

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Like one of the master chefs seen on the idiot's lantern Todd Asin can take the simplest of ingredients, available to everybody, yet somehow blend it into something very special. The frame has had a small stretch in the lower rails to straighten out the neck to rear axle line, other than that the running gear is pretty much stock other than the springer front end.

Trophy Bird

When Triumph introduced the 650 Trophy in 1956 it was called the Trophy- Bird, whether this was to cash in on the bikes that desert Racers had been putting together themselves while waiting for a 650 competition bike is unknown.

This is one of those bikes, an original conversion, shown here as bought by Bill in Oregon back in 1981. A 1950 6T Thunderbird motor fitted into a TR5 Trophy rigid frame. 

The early TR5 frame is noticeably smaller and lighter than the normal 500/650 rigid frame, constructed of smaller diameter tubing without some of the cast lugs at the frame joints. Notice the front engine plate arrangement with the dynamo sitting through where the normal front down tube extends to meet the front horns of the rear section.

Sadly Bill sold the bike on to make way for other exotica and it was disassembled, with the new owner restoring back to a normal TR5 Trophy, which is also a highly desirable and rare Triumph in it's own right but it would have been nice for this snippet of history to have survived.

Special Hot Rod Bonnie From Japan

With good unmolested rigid frames becoming harder and harder to find, it looks like there may be an alternative, and it's been hiding in plain sight.

This is a 1942 Triumph 3HW that belonged to Jun over in Japan, a quick look at the frame reveals a few similarities to the later twin chassis that we know and love.

Pretty similar as you can see, although some of the tubing maybe of a slightly smaller diameter and gauge to later types. Interesting to see that it has the larger top steering bearing and possibly extra gusseting on the lower bearing, this is a feature seen on the rare post '54 rigid twin frames.

B type 6T cases set up in the 3HW frame, using only new engine plates, no cutting or modifying of the frame involved here. The gearbox is the same set-up as the later rigids so no drama there either.

It all makes for a sweet looking roller, and in this shot the tubes definitely look slimmer. 

The girders look right, which of course they are, and to my eye the stance is perfect.

Sweet as a nut! A big thank you to Jun for sending the pix and making my day!

Harleys? We Don't Need No Steenkin' Harleys!

This was published in this week's Harley dealer newspaper and as a poster to honour the work put in by the H-D fellahs at the sharp end of the business. Maybe they should have gone to a more bike orientated ad agency, or need to sack the proof reader.

That there is Gary Scott on a T120!!!!

Reproduction Girder Forks You Can Trust

Fashion is indeed a fickle thing, and no more so than in the custom bike game. I t seems that the Seventies long fork revival has run it's course, people are realising, that what didn't handle in 1974  still doesn't go 'round corners 40 years later. 

Keeping an eye on the blogs and forums shows a definite swing towards girders of manageable length. Up until a couple of years ago the options were severely limited, either use an original pair that were made prior to WWII , with all the risks with internal corrosion that comes with them, or try to get a set of period custom forks which would inevitably be too long.

Then in the last two or three years reproduction forks have started to appear from the sub-continent. They are cheap and certainly look the part, but what of the metallurgy behind them?, who actually made them? We'll never know, but I do know that a well respected bike builder from the Midlands had a set and found several discrepancies in the dimensions side to side.

Now, like a knight on a white charger, help is at hand.

Jake Robbins, a highly regarded restorer of both original girders and complete pre war bikes has started to make complete sets of forks for the discerning builder.

The type shown above and below are exact reproductions of the heavyweight forks fitted to the 5T and Tiger 100s immediately prior to the war. They feature the correct form of tapered tubing and cast lugs as per the originals. Initially these may appear expensive, but if you ever have six months to spare, try and find a set of genuine forks that are for sale and see what they are going for, on top of that price factor in the rebuilding expenses involved, and if you don't get them re-tubed by Jake you'll never know what effects internal corrosion of the tubes has had. All of a sudden the price is not that bad, and peace of mind is priceless.

The forks featured below are what is known as the custom fork and are substantially less money, although they feature the same tapered tube and geometry of the Triumph fork they do not mimic any original design. 

They are a great looking set of forks and have an authentic looking air about them that was never obtained by custom fork manufacturers in the States. Priced the same as a decent pair of custom springers they will light up any custom built around a British bike.

To see more of Jake's great work check out his web site HERE 

Indonesian Curves and Sensuality, Darizt Design

It's not often this blog wanders far from the British side of bikes but there's gotta be an exception every now and again, especially when it's as exceptional as this. There is, currently, some great work coming out of Indonesia where guys are turning their traditional skills to bike building, and coming up with results like the bike shown here.

Check out the blog HERE

Triumph Of Mystery Lost To History

Scored this great little book from Franz and Grubb a week or so ago, it's full of really useful information that is as relevant today as it was when it was first published in 1968.

This picture appears on page 72 with no more information than that seen in this scan. Searching Google reveals nothing other than one other picture that is shown below.

It seems amazing that such a major piece of modification and ingenuity has somehow been lost to the mists of time, unless anybody out there knows any more.

The Class Of 57

This month's CBG is worth picking up, for obvious reasons. Only thing missing is a T100RR  to make the full house of bikes that were produced when Triumph were on top of their game.

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

After a seat for Skankweasel, and have placed an order with Pedro of D H Customs  for one of his hand worked leather solos. He does some lovely work and at a great price for something hand made and unique, well worth considering if you're in the market this winter.

Long Stroke A7 In The Works............Swiss Stylee

Switzerland................Watches, Toblerone and big mountains, well now kool bikes can be added to the list. Luke, who has been building for years has now gone public with this 47 Long Stroke A7.

Looking every bit the custom build rather than a radical unridable fashion statement, it ticks all the boxes here.

Check out his blog at Manion Frameworks

Pre Unit Triumph Hot Rod Up Fer Grabs

Geoff is selling this sweet 750 pre unit Hot Rod. 

T140 crank and barrels with a V type splayed head, and all the benefits of an alternator.

The tank is a repro of a one year only '49 3T.

He's looking for offers around 7 grand, all taxed, ticketted and ride away goodness.

E-mail me for any more details.

Addy at left hand top of this page.

Thunder From Down Under

Sidecar Speedway

Can't pretend to know anything about it myself! Mossy sent these pics over from The Great Southern Land, taken by his pal John Davey at a Vintage Speedway event I guess.

A quick search on Google revealed that these 180 bhp, methanol burning, brakeless monsters are still competing in a few countries around the world but predominantly in Oz.

There are, I'm sure, a lot out there who find it sacrilegious to do this to a Vincent but here at BIW we reckon it's what they were made for! 

It's In The Bag...................Thanks Lucas!

This oil tank form The Factory Metal Works has been on my watch list for months. Looking, nay lusting, at it almost on a daily basis, already plumbed for Triumph fittings and cooler than a walrus' cod piece, I knew I had to own one.

Well there's no time like the present, (or no present like the time if you're a clock maker at Christmas) and the order went in.

All the stuff from Lucas, that I've seen, reeks of quality workmanship. Don't let the price put you off with his parts, that will be long forgotten when you're still admiring the piece in years to come.

I went for the unpolished, centre fill option, there's no shame in showing these welds off to the world, although a hinged seat now becomes a necessity, I can live with it.

Greasy Kulture 35

Issue 35 of GKM has just dropped on the mat, as ever well worth the read.

A real bonus is the first real English article that I've seen on Mark Drews' legendary T110 show bike featured below;

It amazes me that in the article it says that it's a bit of a Marmite bike, that people either love it or hate it. Now I don't like Marmite, but I can't  honestly understand anyone not liking this.

If you don't know the bike, or you do and want to see quality pics of it, hit Guy up for a copy

HERE

1959 Tiger 100, The Last Of The Line

Pete in sunny Cali seems to have an uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time. While he was actively searching for a late TR5 Trophy he came across this running '59 Tiger 100 at a price that couldn't be refused.

It is quoted that less than 900 T100s were built in 1959 as the curtains were coming down on the all alloy 500 range of pre-unit Triumphs, as the unit construction "C" class range was introduced.

Pete has done a quick makeover on the Tiger, giving it a far more purposeful look by fitting a '57 Trophy front end and new 13" Hagon shocks.

The front end is finished off by a pair of pre-unit T120C bars and an 8" front brake.

The high exhausts are a pair of sleeved down 650 pipes mated to period Superior silencers, the alloy guard is hand made along with the mounting hardware. All topped off with a 3 gallon sports tank and a Bates solo pad, make it a bike to put a smile on the most hardened of faces.

Roland's got the MOJO back!!!!

Our old mate, and my good friend Roland has relaunched OUTTA CONTROL and is giving his lovely B31 a makeover,

Like it ever needed one.........................

Get over there, if you know the man you won't need tellin', if you don't, then you'll wish ya did.

The Epsom Salt

Pete, along with the Baron and his band o' trusty buddies are off to do battle at Bonneville at the BUB Speed Week.  They intend to have a crack at the A-PF and/or the A/PG 650 records ,A stands for special construction class i.e. purpose built frame, and P stands for pushrod, F for fuel and G for gas (petrol).  For gas class you have to use the fuels supplied on the salt by ERC, it comes in several octanes, outside that you are automatically in the fuel class whatever you use. 

Current records stand at 123.814mph and 126.976mph set by Keith Martin's  Big D Cycle.