Ed Fisher's 40A Bike

I've been studying this picture of a young Mr Fisher for longer than is probably good for me. I've always wanted to piece together something that pays tribute to the bike, but never had a frame suitable.

The frame is now here, James Holland has taken the two odd halves of a frame that I sent to him and jigged them into a mating pair. This will now be the foundation of the tribute Tiger 100.

Another blog re-emerges from the fallout.

Chas is resurrecting his blog with a Sporty build.
Check him out HERE

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.

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!

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 

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.

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.

1953 Tiger 100C For Sale

This matching numbers 1953 Tiger 100C appeared on here a couple of months ago, built by Keith and the boys at Big D in Dallas Tx, it is now up for sale on the bay.

CHECK IT OUT 

This is the real deal, and they ain't getting any easier to find. Shame it's half a planet away.

Martin's Tiger Ton Forty

Martin's build looks to be on schedule, almost ready for the three days of unbroken dry weather that we all may bask in sometime this year.

It was on here some weeks ago, have a close look at the pictures, all is not as it seems.

Rear Wheel.........................Sorted!

Notice the cut axle plate, more scars from a previous life.

About 10 days ago I posted the previous back wheel, showing the cracks down the centre of the Morad rim. I phoned the guy who supplied it and he said send it back, well I didn't send it, I took it back the other day. He was genuinely shocked when he saw it, his second in command took me aside and said "He will go ballistic after you leave" doesn't want his name attached to bad quality, even if it's not his fault.

It was a good job I went, rather than have a new rim fitted to the KTM hub and still have the inherent problems with the brake anchor, I came away with this hub and D.I.D. rim. Much better, this has got a flat brake plate and adaptable anchor setup, the great slab of boiler plate you can see hanging down was already on there, but it's eminently workable now.

This hub is aluminium rather than magnesium as the KTM one was, but it's smaller, neater and all around better looking.

Barn Find.........................Read It And Weep

Pete Dalton over at Quality Custom Cycles has got himself a bit of a reputation for unearthing some pretty desirable stuff, only it looks like he's peaked this time.

Not wanting to steal his thunder or rewrite what he has posted, just have a read of THIS

..........................does it get any better? Hard to imagine it can do really.

At Bloody Last................ 56 T100 Cases

Finally got some cases, easy you'd think, set of everyday pre-unit Tiger 100 cases, not the case at all. Martin dropped these off yesterday. 1956 Big Bearing, everything a fellah needs.

Ya can just see the bearing bulge hangin' it's bottom lip out in this pic, makes all the difference an eighth of an inch sometimes.

They all do that sir................................

A milling cutter will clean up what's left of that, shame but it really is a case of"Beggars can't be choosers" here. A few spots of weld on the inside where a couple of screws have broken through, and one or two heli-coils may well come in handy, but certainly a hell of good foundation to build from. Time to get the scrubbing brushes out first though.

A Beginners Guide To Relacing A Wheel

First saw this on The Brit Bike forum.

Wheelbuilding has always been a black art to me, people I know who do their own all say it's easy, and on the face of it, it probably is.

Marc put a tutorial up on the forum and it's about the clearest explanation I've ever seen. Rather than allow it to get lost as it sinks down the post list, it's got it's own page HERE or access it anytime from the page bar beneath the header logo.

Thanks Marc.

Boneshakin' Benny's Bonnie Blowout

It's a TR6 really, but that didn't sound so good as a header.

Benny has put this ex Phil Piper project up for grabs on the Bay of Doom.

The motor has been recently rebuilt and reported to run strong, sittin' on Sportster forks and 21" shod hubs it's got all the makings of a sweet ride. 

Although not a great fan of custom frames, they do offer a blank canvas to allow the creative juices to flow upon and the constraints of standard architecture are removed.

Q-Bikes

Q-ships, also known as Q-boats, decoy vessels, special service ships, or mystery ships, were heavily armed merchant ships with concealed weaponry, designed to lure submarines into making surface attacks. This gave Q-ships the chance to open fire and sink them. The basic ethos of every Q-ship was to be a wolf in sheep's clothing.

That's what it says on Wikipedia any way, think about that when ya have a look at Martin's pre-waralike Trumpet.

There's a lot more to be said about this......................

Another Fine Job From The Croydon Mafia

Jimmy handles most of the paint down at The Baron's, and he's just put the finishing touches on his very tidy six and a half rigid.

Dick built up the drive train and gave direction and encouragement. The quality of the build these boys pull out of the bag is amazing. Bit like chefs I suppose, you can give 'em all the same ingredients but they all won't come up with the same flavour and taste.

Pics by Gary Margerum

GKM...............Gentleman's Kwarterly????

The new Greasy Kulture issue has hit the streets, Guy has pumped up the volume with a bigger format and more content. As you can see it's gone all Coffee Table Chic for this issue, with the dark and moody Mr Thomas looking all serious on the cover with his latest 45 build. The features are still the best around, with the normal fill of bitchin' bikes to look at, and well crafted write ups.

You just won't have to hide it when the in-laws turn up unexpectedly.

Grab yaself a copy HERE

Wes White would appreciate a bit of ya time

Wes White of Four Aces is after one of 15 sponsorship deals being offered by Champion Spark Plugs, this will go towards the expense of this year's Salt Assault at Bonneville to . Part of the deal is decided by a "vote off" this means logging onto the Champion site and casting a vote. This can be done each and every day up until the end of January. 

Never met Wes personally but he has always been helpful with enquiries and any other stuff I've mailed him about, Good Man I reckon.

We'd all like to get a shot at glory by running on the Salt Flats I'm sure, but he's out there pointing  his rigid Trumpets at the horizon and doing it.

Check it out HERE

Drag Artist's Delight

Peter has just released these pics of his finished T100 vintage drag bike. You may have noticed the engine detail photo at the top of the page and wondered what the relevance is, well this is it.

Peter, -  and I hope he doesn't mind me saying this - was mentored by The Baron of Speedshop fame during the build, and his exacting eye for detail and period correct parts shows.

Pictures by Gary Margerum

If you need more, and who can blame ya, it's featured in this month's BSH out today.