Well unfortunately the forum has crashed due to a corrupted file that was loaded. The backup that I did is also not restoring it. I have contacted our hosting service to see if they have a backup that we can restore. All else failing I will have to reload it from scratch once again. If you would like to mail me I can be contacted on triumphtalk@gamail.com
DaveM
Admin
TriumphTalk
MAGGIE VALLEY - The Wheels Through Time Museum may be moving out of Western North Carolina, but its expanding its reach.
The museum, which moved to WNC in 2002, preserves the history of hundreds of America’s rarest vintage American motorcycles and has presented it to more than 280,000 visitors in five years.
The museum’s founder, who said he hasn’t decided where it will relocate, is looking to broaden its impact through a new museum initiative “Taking Wheels around the World.”
The new program will allow the museum to share the history of American motorcycles with a larger audience by preparing multiple touring exhibits, said Dale Walksler, curator and founder of Wheels Through Time.
To pursue its new initiative, Wheels Through Time will downsize its collection with an auction scheduled for September. About 150 of the rare machines will be offered in a sale hosted by RM Auctions and held on the museum premises. The museum is at 62 Vintage Lane, 30 miles west of Asheville.
Additionally, the museum will be create a scholarship fund for “ambitious, young students in need of support in their efforts to make an impact on the future of our American motorcycling heritage,” a museum press release announced. The Wheels Through Time Scholarship Fund will provide assistance for education for students dedicated to contributing to the motorcycle industry.
It may seem hard to believe at times, but other drivers almost never
actually want to hit you. Most of those near-misses come about because
they don't always know you are there, even when you are right in front
of them, seemingly in plain view. You can be obscured or completely
hidden by glare, by other things on or along the road, by the cars roof
pillars, the handicap hangtag, or by other traffic. Of course, not all
drivers "think motorcycles"
and make the effort to look that extra bit harder to see if there might
be a motorcyclist hidden by that obscuration or in their blind spot.
Instead of assuming that they will ignore you even when they see you,
you should help make it easier for drivers to spot you, especially as
the population ages and more drivers have greater difficulty in picking
you out.
To overcome the fact that you might be hard to see and harder to notice,
wear bright colours, especially on your helmet and jacket. Run your high
beam during the day. Think about things that can hide you and your bike
from other drivers, things that can be as common as the sun behind you,
the car ahead in the next lane, or a couple of roadside poles that line
up on the driver's line of sight toward you. Make an effort to ride in
or move to a location where drivers with potentially conflicting courses
can see you before they stray your way.
Triumph hit a home run with the Daytona 675 triple, and you can bet that the Street Triple will be a huge hit as well. Triumph has been paying close attention to the market segments over the past few years, and jumping in with new and revised models to fill the gaps in their model line up. What’s next? A 675-powered adventure sport. Rumour has it that Triumph will be introducing a “Tiger Cub” in the near future. It’s not much of a rumour. It will happen. The question is when. It will likely be in the 2009 model year and in street trim, similar to the Tiger 1050 big brother. The Tiger Cub will be leaning more toward a heavy Supermoto capable of lightweight touring, using 17” wheels and equipped with street oriented accessories, maybe even standard hard panniers like other existing Triumph models. Other manufacturers are already tapping into this market with bikes like the Kawasaki Versys 650 and Suzuki V-Strom 650. The Tiger Cub would share a similar role. Hopefully we will see a true Dual-Sport oriented Tiger Cub to follow. A true Dual-Sport using the 675 triple could present some serious potential and steal some of the market share away from the Kawasaki KLR650, the BMW F650 series, and others. It only makes sense.
Triumph has produced three special bikes to promote a new range of “Street Legal” Exhaust systems developed with Arrow Special Parts for the Bonneville, Bonneville T100, Scrambler and Thruxton and were showcased at this year’s Milan Show. In addition to the distinctive styling, the new systems will provide significant weight savings, power gains and improved engine tones. The new Exhausts will be E-marked as road legal for noise and will be available from March 2008. The remainder of the special parts fitted to these specials are either Genuine Triumph Accessories, prototype Accessories which may be developed in the future, or aftermarket parts. Read on for a more detailed description of each bike.
Bonneville
This Silver 2008 Bonneville is fitted with the new "2 into 2" Arrow Exhaust System which features a brushed Stainless Steel finish. Further upgrades include Ohlins Rear Suspension, a Triumph Scrambler Skid Plate in a special Anodised Black Finish, Locking Triumph Fuel Cap and a black suede Bonneville seat.
Scrambler
Showcasing the new High Level "2 into 1" Arrow Exhaust System, the Scrambler benefits from a selection of parts focussed on Off-Road Styling. Triumph has used the Matt Black paint scheme, which has previously been offered as a limited edition on the production bikes, and combined this with a number of anodised black options, including skid plate, engine dresser bars, headlamp grille, handlebar, rear brake master cylinder and one-off wheels featuring anodised black rims to continue the theme. Off-Road Tyres, Knee Pads, Handlebar brace and cover, Ohlins Rear Suspension and a Leather seat, with a distressed finish, complete the look. For Milan Triumph changed the seat to a distressed brown leather option.
Thruxton
The Milan "Show Special" Thruxton features the new "2 into 1" Arrow Exhaust System, offered for the Thruxton, Bonneville & T100.
This bike benefits from the most "Special" parts. Race-bred suspension comes in the form of Ohlins Rear Suspension coupled with Upside Down Forks. Brake performance is up rated with 2 Piston Brembo radial calipers, 320mm Brembo Front Brake Discs and a Talon Rear Brake Disc. Billet Clip-On handlebars, a CNC adjustable yoke assembly and Translogic LCD Instrument Assembly confirm the transformation from classic cafe racer to a modern interpretation of retro cool.
Ten spoke cast alloy wheels and wider section rear tyres complete the racing look, whilst Accessory Knee Pads, Skid Plate, Seat Cowl and a Black Suede seat provide the finishing touches.
Edward Turner conceived the Square Four engine in 1928. At this time he was looking for work, showing drawings of his engine design to motorcycle manufacturers.[1] The engine was essentially a pair of 'across frame' OHC parallel twins joined by their geared central flywheels,[2] with one four cylinder block (or Monobloc) and one head.[3] The idea for the engine was rejected by BSA, but adopted by Ariel. Thus it became the Ariel Square Four.
In 1953, the ‘four pipe’ 997 cc Ariel Square Four Mk II was released, with a separate barrels and a re-designed cylinder head, with four separate exhaust pipes.[4] The Square Four was now a genuine 100 mph motorcycle.[5]
In 1954 Ariel built prototypes of a Mk3 with Earles forks, but the model was never put into production.[3]
In 1959 Square Four production, and that of all other Ariel four-stroke models, ceased
1958 4G Mk II Square Four Specifications
| Engine | 997 cc, 4-stroke, square four, air-cooled, OHV, 8-valve |
| Bore/Stroke | 65.0 mm x 75.0 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 7.2:1 |
| Max Power | 45 bhp @ 5500 rpm |
| Max Torque | |
| Fuel System | Single SU carburettor |
| Lubrication | Double gear pump |
| Ignition | 6V 20A/h battery, coil ignition |
| Transmission | 4-speed |
| Final Drive | Chain |
| Overall Length | 82 inch |
| Overall Width | 32 inch |
| Seat Height | 30 inches (787 mm) |
| Wheelbase | 56 inches (1422 mm) |
| Dry Weight | 425 lb / (197 kg) |
| Suspension Front | Telescopic Forks |
| Suspension Rear | Twin link-and-plunger units |
| Brakes Front | 8-inch (203 mm) sls drum |
| Brakes Rear | 8-inch (203 mm) sls drum |
| Tires Front | 3.25 x 19 inches |
| Tires Rear | 4.00 x 18 inches |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 5 imp gallons (23 litres) |
2008 Traverston V-Rex - First Ride
3/17/2008
By Adam Waheed
The weather couldn't be more gorgeous as I motor down one of
But this ain't no Harley. True, it does share a fair amount of Milwaukee DNA as evidenced by the high-revving V-Rod-sourced powertrain, elegant instrumentation and chromed-out switchgear. However, with the machine's chiseled body panels, stuffed elongated stance and eccentric suspension componentry, it looks as if it were plucked right off the floor of
Despite the bevy of people that gravitate to the bike like Keith Richards to a bottle of liquor, a one-off prototype this bike is not.
The Travertson V-Rex began as a fairy tale two-wheeled creation engineered in the binary world by Australian designer Tim Cameron. A life-long motorcycle rider and enthusiast, Cameron has been sketching motorcycles since he was a school boy.
"A lot of my influences come from aviation and science fiction," says Cameron. "I don't pay too much attention to categories and styles of bikes. I've used motocross bike features on road bike designs and as long as it works visually, I'll use it. I just want to create something that leaps off the page."
Like many motorcycle enthusiasts, Cameron was fed up with the stagnant state of cruiser design, so when sketching his 'Dream Bike', one of his objectives was to try and move contemporary cruiser design into the new millennium.
"Currently, cruisers appear to be in stuck some kind of generic time warp," said Cameron. "I wanted to project them into the future rather than poke around in the past for that look that I was after."
Cameron never anticipated his design evolving past the computer screen. But when a certain Frenchman by the name of Christian Travert stumbled upon the 3D renderings on the Web, Cameron's digital vision was about to transform itself into moving metal.
Travert emailed Cameron with the subject line "Dream Bike on the Streets of America". And after he name-dropped his 227 mph, jet engine-powered Y2K motorcycle that he helped build, Cameron knew Travert was legit.
"At first, I studied Tim's rendering for a few weeks. I finally found technical solutions to accommodate the look and ride-ability," says Travert. "From day one I was looking for production."
Thousands of hours later, the first production V-Rex rolled out of the Travert's 12-employee,
With a 79.2-inch wheelbase, the V-Rex is similar in length to a raked-out custom chopper. But unlike those over-stretched pieces of steel, the V-Rex's 670-pound claimed dry weight feels low and centralized. This is due, in part, to its unique short steel frame which uses the V-Rod-sourced engine and cast-aluminum fuel tank as stressed members.
In order to keep true to Cameron's sketch, Travert engineered a unique front suspension system that looks and works much like a swingarm/monoshock setup you typically see on the rear-end of most motorcycles. The curious looking front-end utilizes a double-sided cast-aluminum swingarm that holds the front wheel in place. The swingarm pivots on the vertical steering head axis, while damping is provided by an adjustable shock mounted vertically behind front wheel. The end result is a system that retains all the bump absorbing ability that one would expect from a conventional fork, yet it still delivers a light, nimble feel at the handlebars.
Handling rear suspension duties are adjustable twin shocks mounted horizontally beneath the rear of the engine (pulled off of Harley-Davidson's Softail model), while a single-sided aluminum swingarm guides the belt drive to the 280-series Metzeler tire. Travert's rear suspension design absorbs road impurities well, but the rear shock's limited travel means extended rides on the soft saddle will include frequent rest breaks.
Pushing the futuristic-looking cruiser back and forth exposes just how easy the bike maneuvers in low-speed settings. For a motorcycle of such size, its weight feels centered and turning it around in the tight confines of the parking lot was far easier than you would imagine.
Hop aboard and you'll notice how slim the bike is, especially between the rider's legs. The low, form-fitting leather saddle is, initially, one of the most comfortable we've sampled and the reach out to the swept wing-shaped handlebars puts you in a natural, relaxed riding posture. The low forward-mounted footpegs might be a bit of a stretch for shorter riders, but for my body measurements the entire ergonomic package felt well-balanced.
Turning the upside-down mounted key counterclockwise and flipping the Harley-sourced engine switch brings the bike's fuel-injected system online. Thumb the starter and the 1350cc DOHC V-Twin rumbles to life, emitting a healthy bark even at idle. There's no neutral light or any safety-related starting lockout, so caution needs to be exercised when starting. Once in gear, a slip of the hydraulic clutch, a light dab of the throttle and you're underway.
On the road there's no hiding the V-Rex's economy car-like length, but to our surprise it initiates turns and changes directions quite readily. A simple nudge of the handlebar is all that's necessary to get things happening. However, Travertson's unique front-end setup does take a bit of getting use to. Unlike a conventional telescopic motorcycle fork which will dive under braking or when loaded, the V-Rex does the exact opposite. This makes the bike feel like it wants to stand up and run to the outside mid-corner.
Another factor that limits the V-Rex in the handling department is its ground clearance, or more specifically - the lack thereof. The clearance deficiency reduces cornering prowess, especially on right-hand turns. Parts of the exhaust drag at even the most modest lean angle. Fortunately, the Travertson crew recognizes the problem and has an upgrade that they claim will increase ground clearance by 1.5-inches. Problem solved.
Okay, so motoring through the twisties isn't exactly the V-Rex's forte, but luckily straight line cruising definitely is.
Those who have ridden a V-Rod know that the low-end and mid-range can be slightly lackluster compared to the typical Harley mill. But for those of who aren't shy with the throttle, once the engine is revved up higher in the rpm range, the rider is rewarded with a healthy dose of acceleration. In fact, straight-line speeds in excess of 100 mph aren't much of an issue, and the bike's low, stretched length allows plenty of straight-line stability.
The V-Rex rides on a set of machined 18-inch wheels shod in fat Metzeler Marathon touring rubber. Continuing with the V-Rex's eccentric theme is a perimeter-mounted single front disc which gets clamped by a six-piston caliper that was lifted off of a Buell sportbike. Handling rear braking duties is a two-piston caliper pinching a single disc. Stopping power on the V-Rex isn't astounding, but when both brakes are applied, the setup is capable of slowing the machine down in a reasonable amount of distance.
In a sea of cookie-cutter motorcycle mediocrity the V-Rex stands out. Cameron's creation gives us a possible glimpse into the future of motorcycle design, while the Travertson team proves that innovative engineering solutions can be applied to even the most outlandish concepts.
To a motorcyclist looking for a new production cruiser, the $43,900 price tag might seem a bit out of reach. But when you consider that other 'custom' production bikes like Orange County Choppers start at roughly the same price, the forty-grand MSRP doesn't seem so unreasonable.
So you want one now, eh? Well, if you're a person who's always shied away from the limelight, then you might want to choose a different ride because wherever you're at on this one, you're sure to become an instant celebrity - for the V-Rex garners attention from every angle, all of the time.
2008 Triumph Daytona 675SE Special Edition
Lean machine.
For 2008, Triumph is offering a Special Edition version of the awesome Daytona 675. This model features a sultry Phantom Black paint scheme offset stunningly by gold finished wheels and gold colored decals. Completing the picture for a sleek overall look are black engine covers.
The
FEATURES:
Wheels
For 2008, Triumph is offering a Special Edition version of the awesome Daytona 675. This model features a sultry Phantom Black paint scheme offset stunningly by gold finished wheels and gold colored decals. Completing the picture for a sleek overall look are black engine covers.
Bodywork
Gold wheels contrast with the all black paint for a classic, race-inspired look.
Engine Covers
Gold decals add a sophisticated touch to the Phantom Black paintwork.
Steering Nut
A gold-colored steering stem nut adds a subtle yet complimentary touch.
2008 Triumph Rocket 3 (Rocket III)
The ultimate power cruiser
The Triumph Rocket III has defined a unique niche in the clone-like performance cruiser market where it sits in a class of its own thanks to its striking looks, stunning performance and incredible specification. At 2294cc it’s the world’s largest capacity production motorcycle. But, despite the impressive capacity of this amazing machine, it was designed first and foremost to be ridden. A good turning circle, seamless fuel injection and a low center of gravity combine to make manoeuvring at low speed surprisingly easy.
Triumph offer an enormous range of genuine accessories for the Rocket III including the new patented adjustable rider backrest.
The
FEATURES:
Engine
The incredible 2.3 liter, in-line, water cooled, triple cylinder engine means that even two-up the Rocket III accelerates incredibly hard without obvious effort. But despite its size, the engine is incredibly smooth as the balance, input and rear drive shaft contra-rotate against the crankshaft, which makes for minimal torque reaction.
Transmission
Shaft drive is ideally suited to dealing with such a strong production engine and gives the added benefit of being highly durable and virtually maintenance free.
Brakes
The Rocket III’s front brakes - twin four-piston calipers mated with 320mm floating discs – are built to sports bike specification and provide awesome stopping power. The rear brake, developed especially by Brembo, is a single twin piston caliper and 316mm disc.
Fueling
Twin butterfly valves for each throttle body are used to give precise control over the engine and this set-up allows the ECU to vary the mixture flow and ignition map dependent on gear selected and road speed. The torque curve is thus tailored specifically for each gear ratio. And the result is impressive – over 90% of the engine’s prodigious torque output is available at just 2000rpm, giving incredible levels of flexibility and making the five-speed gearbox almost redundant.
Suspension
The Rocket III’s chassis is something quite special and centrers on a large tubular steel twin-spine frame, which houses the motor, while 43mm upside down forks and spring preload adjustable twin rear shocks, built specifically for the Rocket III, add control, composure and supple compliance.
1930 AJS 498cc Model R8 Motorcycle Combination
More about (AJS) A. J. Stevens & Company (1914) Limited
Originally built only as a 350 - latterly known as the ‘
Statistics released today by Bennetts, the nation's favourite bike insurance provider, reveal that bikers need to be extra vigilant on the roads on Friday 14th March - it was the most prolific day for motorbike accidents in 2007.
Based on actual claims data, the report shows that the first half of the year is worst for biking accidents and riders should pay most attention between March and June. Bikers planning to take to the roads over the May Bank Holiday weekend also need to ride with caution. With many already planning to take advantage of the long weekend, the data reveals that 2nd May shares the top spot as the most dangerous day to ride, closely followed by 3rd May.
It's not just the date bikers need to look out for; it's the type of car too. One in seven motorbike collisions involved a Ford Focus in 2007. The Ford Focus replaces the Vauxhall Corsa as the car most likely to be involved in a collision with a bike, with the Ford Fiesta and Transit Van coming in second and third place respectively.
Bennetts' Marketing Director, Mark Fells said of the findings, "Our annual report shows that bikers need to be even more alert than usual on 14th March and 2nd May. We hope that by releasing details of the most dangerous dates to ride and the vehicles most likely to be involved, all road users will become much more aware of each other and reduce the number of accidents happening on our roads".
Top five most dangerous dates to ride:
MacCoy lapped in the top ten on his Triumph Triple during the first day of practice in Australia, but slipped back to 17th on Day 2, saying that he was struggling for grip.
During the race the Australian worked his way up to ninth after just four laps, and by 1/3 distance was in fifth, and the only rider lapping in the 1:35s. At that stage he was almost five seconds behind the leaders.
By halfway he’d reduced the gap to 2,3 seconds, then a lap later 1,6 seconds - a distance that he’d halved yet again by the time he next came past the pits. For the last five laps the leading five riders were separated by just eight tenths of a second, with McCoy at one stage occupying fourth place behind three Hondas, but in the scurry for the line he slipped back to sixth, finishing a quarter of a second behind Hannspree Ten Kate rider Jonathan Rea and just over a second adrift of the winner, Andrew Pitt on his Honda.
Second and third places went to Joshua Brookes and Robbin Harms, both on Hondas, while Fabian Foret took fourth place on his Yamaha R6. McCoy’s teammate, Ilaio Dionisi, did not finish the race.
The Triumph Italia duo of Ivan Clementi and Mark Aitchison finished just 0,177 seconds apart in 11th and 12th spots, from a field of 35 starters.
Triumph now lies third in the manufacturers championship, behind Honda and Yamaha, after just two races in the British company’s first assault on the World Super sport championship.
Triumph adds another VIP to the fanbase! Actor Ryan Phillipe recently purchased a Bonneville in black (pictured here). He joins a growing list of actors, actresses, musicians and artists who own and actively ride Triumphs.
Also see the following pages
Triumph motorcycles was founded by (believe it or not) two Germans named Siegfried Bettman & Muaritz Shulte. Siegfried changed his old company name to triumph, and the company was born in 1902. The first thing they did was take a small Minerva engine to a bike and there was their first motorcycle. Later they designed their own engine.
Around the First World War Triumph developed the H model, later followed by the Model R and the popular 1920’s model P with 500cc’s. Despite the high production of motorcycles during these times, Triumph hit financial problems in 1936 and was sold to Jack Sangster.
Jack Sangster appointed Edward Turner as manager which was an excellent move. Edward managed to turn Triumph around and by upgrading the old designs and renaming them Tiger 70, Tiger 80 and Tiger 90 increased the sales tremendously.
In 1937 Edward launched the Speed Twin 500cc model which started the competition with the then traditional single engines. A smart trick was that the Engine of the Speed Twin fitted nicely into the Tiger 90 frame. The overall pricing at the time wasn’t much more that the single models. The Speed Twin became a huge success.
Triumph upgrade the Tiger 90 to (yes, you guessed right) the Tiger 100 model and together with the Speed Twin dominated the market for a while. The Tiger 100 was said to be able to reach the 100 mph mark – a highlight at the time.
Once again the older models were updated and for the overseas market (usa) the Thunderbird model was introduced in 1950 with a 650cc engine (t-bird was it’s nickname). Nine years later the famous Bonneville was launched from the development of the tiger 110. Bonneville nickname came from the Bonneville salt flats where the modified model was timed at an amazing 214 mph (345 kph) in 1956 – however it was never recognized.
The Bonneville model was updated many times over the next years but it kept most of it’s original design. By 1972 over 250.000 models had been sold. In 1969 the three cylinder T150 Trident was launched. A powerful (740cc’s) retro model. The frame which was used was that of a Speed Twin, adjusted for it’s time. The ride was said to be good but not everybody like the style in those days.
The triple cylinder engine used in the Trident was also used to Triumph X-75 Hurricane. A custom style bike which lead the Japanese factories to their versions of custom bikes later on.
But between 1973 and 1983 the company had hard times keeping it’s head above the water. Even a redesign of the Trident to a modern T160 Trident which had a remarkable good reputation on the market, could not help the financial struggle of Triumph. Triumph was fighting against the high tech designs that companies like Honda were making. Triumph went into liquidation in 1983 after which it was bought by John Bloor.
John Bloor decided to develop a new range of Triumph Motorcycles in secret before launching them. It took 8 years to develop a range of 6 roadsters which could use many of the same components and had same styling features. All major cost savers.
The base model to all roadster was the trident model with a three cylinder 750cc or 885cc engine. The bikes used a strong frame with Japanese brakes and suspensions. The Trophy 1200 and Daytona 1000 were launched and a great success.
In 1664 the street look bike was launched called the Speed Triple also the 885 cc engine. Carefully timed Triumph launched a new Thunderbird model with a stylish retro look at was also based on the 885cc triple engine. The old stylish look was a great success worldwide.
Have monitored the Japanese market closely for the past years Triumph adjusted it’s modular building of motorcycles and developed the first purpose built model – the Daytona TT600. Triumph proved it could compete against the design of Japanese bikes with this successful range of models. The launch of the new 2003 model was even more stylish. Also sports touring models were developed like the Sprint ST & RS.
John Bloor pulled a great introduction of the super famous Bonneville. With a very similar look Bloor introduced the Bonneville model again to a new market which now once again trusted the triumph brand again. The same stunt was done with the speed twins.
Once again our very own CarlS makes us all proud as he heads up yet another Patriot Guard mission, well done Carl.
Stomach Flu Keeps Protesters Away From Soldier’s Funeral
Sunday, February 24, 2008 12:19:56 AM
EUSTIS -- Hundreds of people showed up to honor the memory of a local soldier who was killed while fighting in Iraq.
Dozens of flags waved outside of Bay Street Baptist Church in honor of Sgt. John Osmolski.
The 23-year-old was killed by a bomb six days before he was supposed to come back home.
Protestors from Kansas that lead a campaign called “God Hates America” were scheduled to picket the service. However, they canceled at the last minute, saying the group came down with the stomach flu.
Friends, family and former military men and women said it allowed them to focus on what was really important.
The men and women who held up flags at the church are part of a statewide organization called the Patriot Guard.
The group travels to more than 50 memorial services, funerals and welcome home celebrations of soldiers each year.
In The Name Of The Fathers
By Stuart Barker
In the 1960s, the 59 Club was the biggest, most famous motorcycle club in the world, and a notorious hangout for outcasts and misfits.
Banned from almost everywhere else in London, the 59 Club was the only place these boys called home. Yet the men who welcomed some of Britain's toughest bikers with open arms were priests.
If you rode a motorcycle and wore a black leather jacket in London in the 1960s, there were few places you'd be welcome. The Biker Boys of the time had such a bad reputation that most caf's, cinemas and clubs banned them. The only place they could congregate was at a truck stop in North London called the Ace Caf'. There, the original ton-up boys would work on their bikes, swap tales of riding exploits, eat greasy trucker food and take part in illegal burn-ups. A favourite pastime was to put a rock'n' roll record on the jukebox and race each other round the block, trying to get back before the song had finished.
If you didn't ride a bike and didn't adhere to the ritual dress code of leather jacket, duck's arse haircut and battered jeans, you didn't dare go to The Ace. Many citizens were terrified to even pass the place. In polite society, these disaffected young men had no friends. They were outcasts, despised and feared in equal measure. Like everyone else, Father Shergold Shergold feared the Rockers who hung out at The Ace but, being a keen bike rider himself, he felt they could be 'saved' from a life of crime if they had some purpose and somewhere to belong. In the November 1966 issue of Link - the magazine of The 59 Club - Father Shergold recalled: "Because of their dress, their noisy bikes and their tendency to move in gangs, nobody wanted them. Dance halls refused them, bowling alleys told them to go home. Youth clubs were afraid of them. Even transport caf's didn't welcome their custom.
Shergold wanted to go to the Ace and give out religious posters for the benefit of the bikers but feared the reception he would get. Eventually he decided to try. Concealing his dog collar under a white scarf, he rode off on his Triumph Speed Twin. Father Shergold's recollection of the trip shows the terror which the Biker Boys instilled. "Just past Staples Corner about a dozen bikes, ridden by sinister figures in black leathers, roared past in the opposite direction. I felt sick with fear. By the time I reached the bridges at Stonebridge Park I was in such a panic I opened the throttle and fled past the Ace as fast as I could. I realised I was being a coward, so I turned back. Again panic seized me and I went past. Then I turned back again and finally rode into the forecourt. By now, the Ace was practically deserted but I consoled myself that I had at least penetrated into the lions' den, even if the lions were out on the prowl."
Father Shergold returned a few weeks later, armed with leaflets and making no attempt to hide his dog collar. "It was packed. Hundreds of boys were milling around, laughing and talking. I thought, 'This is it. I shall almost certainly lose my trousers or land up in the canal'."
But there was no need to worry about getting a ritual dunking. Father Shergold was treated with every courtesy and was amazed at the positive reaction he got when he invited the bikers to attend a special service specifically for bikers at his church the following evening. Father Shergold arranged to have various bikes on display in the church itself and some bikers even wheeled their machines into the church to be blessed!
The service was packed, and the incongruous sight of dangerous, law-breaking bikers attending church proved irresistible to the media. "In my address I compared the motorcyclist to the knights of old," said Shergold later, "and suggested we should try to uphold the same ideals of courage, courtesy and chivalry."
The following day, Father Shergold's service was all over the television news, and headlines in the national press proclaimed 'Ton-Up Bikes Blessed', 'Ton-Up Kids in Church' and 'Pictures of 100mph Gang that may cause a Storm.'
Impressed by the turnout, Father Shergold realised the Bike Boys needed a place where they could hang out and socialise. Father Shergold had already been involved with a church-run youth club called The 59 Club, which had been founded by the Reverend John Oates. It was opened in 1959 by Cliff Richard and Princess Margaret, and Cliff and The Shadows (who had just hit it big with the single Move It) played at the opening night. The club was based at the Eton Mission in Hackney Wick and Father Shergold thought it would be an ideal place for his Bike Boys to hang out. In October 1962, the first bikers night was held and attended by around 100 riders. Things just grew from there. The Bike Boys kept the name of the youth club even though theirs was a separate venture. Within a few years they would make the name famous the world over.
The 59 Club grew into the biggest bike club in the world with more than 11,000 members, and the club's roundel badge with the number '59' in the centre became the envy of bikers everywhere. It was in the same year of that first meeting - 1962 - that Father Shergold brought in another priest, Father Graham Hullett, to help him run the club. By then there were so many members that new premises had to be found and the club moved its HQ to Paddington in central London. Father Graham also rode a bike and he too saw something in the bikers that the rest of society failed - or refused - to see. "These were the same kind of lads who would have been flying Spitfires or bombers in defence of their country 20 years earlier," he says now. "Other members of the church thought myself and Father Shergold were very brave, but we weren't really - we were just mixing with people who rode bikes. Being a biker myself, I saw these lads as being just as good as anyone else. They had a different way of life but they were just as good as the rest of mankind."
Father Hullett soon became heavily involved in the club, and gained a reputation as a man who would do anything to help those in trouble. He used his own money to bail wayward members out of jail, he broke up fights and smoothed nasty situations over, and even loaned his own money so that 59ers who were broke could take part in the annual pilgrimage to the Isle of Man TT races. One member who remembers his kindness is Len Paterson who, as a 17-year-old, was a self-confessed delinquent who was heading for a long stretch in prison before the 59 Club saved him.
Even before he gained his bike licence, Paterson had black marks against him. "I started riding at 14 and had my first endorsements before I got my licence," he remembers.
Paterson was unemployed when Father Hullett discovered he was so broke he couldn't join his fellow club members at the TT. Hullett loaned him the equivalent of two weeks wages to go to the races. "I had a fantastic time at the TT," says Paterson, "and I've been eternally grateful to Father Graham for the chance to go. He was a rock and he was one of us. Although he wore a dog collar, he was really approachable and he never once talked about God or religion to me - he seemed happier talking about bikes."
It took him two years, but Paterson paid back every penny. He also remembers Father Hullett helping him out of a more desperate situation. When one club fight got out of hand and ended up with Paterson severing another man's jugular, Father Hullett again came to the rescue. "The guy was lying on the floor with a fountain of blood spouting out of his neck," recalls Paterson." I thought I'd killed him. But Father Paterson somehow sorted it all out, the guy survived and it didn't go to court. I had already been nicked for threatening behaviour and actual bodily harm and had that gone to court my life would have been totally different. I was a yob and would have ended up in prison had it not been for Father Graham.'There were other times when Father Hullett faced down violence. He once tried to stop a member of The Road Rats biker gang coming into the club with a shotgun, breaking the gun-toting biker's fingers as he pushed him back. "The Road Rats were a good group," Hullett says, "but our club had a policy of only letting in real bikers or pillions. The Road Rats were mainly bikers but they had a lot of hangers on. I used to stand at the door and let in the genuine bikers while refusing entry to others. I got nervous because I knew some of them had shotguns. One time a biker I knew well shot and killed another biker on Chelsea Bridge. I was pretty nervous most nights."
But even the toughest of the Bike Boys respected Father Hullett, says Paterson. "There was one guy who shot someone and stuck an axe in another guy's head. He wasn't the most pleasant of people but he had a tremendous amount of respect for Father Hullett. That speaks volumes about the kind of guy Father Hullett is."
While the threat of violence was never very far away, the club was more about having fun and blowing off steam than it was about fighting. Len Paterson has many fond memories of the illegal 'burn-ups' from Chelsea Bridge to the 59 Club's headquarters in Paddington and back again. "The burn-ups from Chelsea Bridge to the 59 Club and back were legendary. Edgware Road, Park Lane, Sloane Square on a Saturday night - they were unreal. Every one of us was taking our lives in our hands. How most of us survived I don't know. The soldiers used to come out of the army barracks in Chelsea and sit on the wall to watch this lunacy. Imagine 40 or 50 bikes all racing as hard as they could through the streets of London. You couldn't do it now but the cops pretty much left us alone back then. There was no quarter asked or given either - we were on the wrong side of the road, scratching round corners, forcing cars onto the pavement. You just had to get back to Chelsea Bridge first. It was madness but it was fantastic."
The classic Rocker image and bad boy reputation was a magnet when it came to pulling girls too. Now happily married with three children, Len Paterson remembers the fringe benefits of club membership. "The club was great for pulling birds," he says. "All the waifs and strays who came to London ended up either at Chelsea Bridge or the 59 Club. You didn't need a helmet then so they just jumped on the back of the bike. The standard line was, 'Do you want to have a go on the Big Dipper in Battersea Park?' They always said yes, thinking we were talking about the funfair - but we were talking about our nobs!"
Now retired, Father Hullett left the club in the early 1970s over an internal dispute which he is too gentlemanly to discuss. By 1980, he was forced to sell his bike because he could no longer afford to run it. He had always wanted to get back on two wheels but funds simply didn't permit. Len Paterson finally saw his chance to show his gratitude. He secretly contacted other old members of the club and asked 59 of them to donate £59 each to get Father Hullett back on the road. "When I started talking to people to raise the money, I realised how many of them Father Graham had helped. I thought he was just helping out a few of us but it turns out he was at it everywhere, doing whatever he could do to help."
In May 2005, BBC Radio 4's Home Truths programme followed Hullett on a nostalgic tour of the Royal Enfield factory. Unknown to him, scores of club members from the 1960s who he hadn't seen in decades were waiting in hiding. Every one of them had a reason to thank the man who had improved their lives - and quite possibly saved them in some cases. When they came through the factory doors and cheered, Father Hullett was completely taken aback. There was more to come. Sitting in the factory was a new Sixty-5 Royal Enfield Bullet complete with custom 'Spirit of 59 Club' logo on the tank. Father Hullett was literally speechless when told the bike was his and all his riding gear and insurance was taken care of. His 25-year dream of getting back on two wheels was about to come true.
"I was speechless when I was presented with the bike," says Father Hullett, "and I'm still on a high about it nearly a year later. It was a total surprise, and to have all the old club members hiding there waiting to greet me... It was just the greatest day of my life."It couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke.
WHERE DID ALL THE ROCKERS GO?
The 'Bike Boys' or 'Rockers' of the 60s rode the most powerful sports bikes of their time, wore leather jackets, went to race meetings and hung around in caf's. Sound familiar? Rockers didn't really fade away, they simply evolved.
Today's sports bikes may be R1s, Blades and GSX-Rs, not Nortons or Triumphs, but most owners still add race exhausts or rearsets, just as the original ton-up boys added clip-ons and racing screens. The leather jacket has evolved into the one- or two-piece suit and, while the annual pilgrimage to the Isle of Man TT is still a must for many, today's Bike Boys are just as likely to head to Brands for WSB or Donington Park to watch MotoGP. The Ace Caf', original haunt of the Rockers, is still in existence, but most riders still know a caf' where they meet for a Sunday run. Then, as now, a large section of the public think bikers are noisy, no-good hooligans - no change there, then...
In essence, little has changed. While there's no longer such a link between rock'n'roll and biking, you're still more likely to find hard rock bands playing at bike meets, not Westlife. Most riders of modern sports bikes can trace their ancestry back to the Bike Boys of the 1960s. The desire for freedom is still there, the thrill of chasing the magic ton has perhaps been replaced by the buzz of a track day, but the rebel image has not completely disappeared. Strangely, no-one referred to those pioneering bad boys as 'Bikers' -it was always 'Bike Boys', 'Rockers', 'Leather Boys' or 'Ton-up Boys'.
Today, we are known as 'bikers' but then what's in a name? The spirit of those 60s rebels who found the true meaning of life in a powerful motorcycle lives on in all of us. And that's something to be proud of.
THE 59 CLUB - THEN & NOW
The 59 Club still exists today although it has changed a great deal since its heyday in the 60s. The club is now located in Plaistow, East London and, in keeping with tradition, is under the guidance of another man of the cloth, Father Scot Anderson. Sadly, internal politics and frictions mean the club is now divided between older and newer members. Many members of the original 59 Club feel their spirit has been lost along the way and they refuse to have anything to do with the club as it is now. Likewise, many current members prefer to distance themselves from the less-than-savoury reputation the club had in the 1960s.
But the club continues to bring all kinds of bikers on all kinds of bikes together to enjoy themselves. Events include trips to the Isle of Man TT races, bike shows, rallies, live bands and rockers reunion events, ride-outs and even trips abroad to join up with foreign affiliates of the 59 Club. Almost 50 years after its inception, you can still become a member of the most famous bike club in the world.
Details:The club meets on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7.30-11pm at The Swift Centre, 387a Barking Road, Plaistow, London. Tel: 07751 676091 on club nights, or leave a message on 020 7476 5957 or look at www.the59club.org.uk
For an alternative look at the club's glory years in the 1960s visit the unofficial tribute site at www.the59club.com
The Motorcycles of James Dean; First and Last
by Laurie Rockwell
If James Dean was still with us today he would have been 77 years of age on 8 February 2008. Marilyn Munroe would have been 82 years of age on 1 June 2008 and Elvis Presley would have been 73 years of age on 8 January 2008. Like Marilyn Munroe and Elvis Presley, James Dean continues to be an icon in popular culture through re-runs of movies, posters, pictures, music and the sales of assorted memorabilia.
All three will be forever young – James Dean, the youngest of all.
James Byron Dean was born in the farm country of Marion, Indiana, USA, but grew up in nearby Fairmount which is 60 miles north of Indianapolis. When he was six years-old the family moved to Santa Monica, California. Dean’s mother died from cancer when he was nine, and since his father couldn’t care for his son alone, Dean was sent back to Fairmount to live with his uncle. After high school graduation Dean moved back to California to live with his father and step-mother and to attend UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles).
His first experiences with a motorized two-wheeled vehicle were in 1945 on a Whizzer – which was basically a balloon-tired Schwinn bicycle with a 2 hp gasoline engine under the cross bar. On a good day, with the wind at your back, the Whizzer could hit 30 mph (50 kph) and the daring 14 year-old tested its limits every chance he could.
When Dean turned 15, his uncle and guardian, Marcus Winslow Sr., gave him a 1947 CZ 125cc motorcycle purchased from a local Indian Motorcycles dealer, Marvin Carter, just one-quarter of a mile down the road from where they lived. This was a favourite place for Dean to hang out when he was growing up.
In the saddle of the CZ young Jimmy became hell on wheels. He only knew one speed and that was wide open! He would frequently lay prone on the bike and crank the throttle hard to the stop and hold it there. He seemed to be copying Rollie Free who set a land speed record in that position at Bonneville in 1948 on a Vincent Black Shadow clad only in swimming trunks.
When Dean graduated from high school his uncle gave him a trip to the Indianapolis 500 auto race as a graduation present and as a send-off prior to his move back to California. Dean certainly loved speed and racing and the spectacle and excitement of the 500 seemed to cement racing in his blood.
Dean became restless and bored with university and soon dropped out of UCLA. Acting was also in his blood and he set his sights on that as a career. He supported himself through small acting roles on television and doing commercials in Hollywood, but he later moved to New York to totally immerse himself in stage acting.
Fairmount was still home to Dean and were his roots were and he frequently returned there for holidays and Christmas. It was on one of those winter respites in 1953 that the 21 year-old actor traded the CZ in on a Royal Enfield 500cc twin. Although Marvin Carter warned him to not over-stress the freshly rebuild engine he instead bundled himself up and set off for New York at top speed in the dead of winter. He made it to Harrisburg on the Pennsylvania Turnpike before the engine threw a valve.
The nearest motorcycle dealership that could repair the RE was Huntzinger’s Indian Motorcycle Sales & Service in Harrisburg. The bike was hauled there for repairs and as Dean was casually looking over the bikes in the showroom he spotted a maroon and gold-striped 1952 Indian Warrior TT prominently displayed in the shop window. It was love at first sight! Dean negotiated a trade for the damaged Royal Enfield, his agent in New York wired him the money, and the bike was his.
Back in New York with the Indian motorcycle, Dean stored it at a Greenwich Village garage where budding actor, Steve McQueen, worked as a part-time motorcycle mechanic. The two became “fast” friends in every sense of the word.
Not long after returning to New York, Dean was hired by film director Elia Kazan to appear in the film, East of Eden. Kazan had watched Dean’s performances in a few stage plays and knew he was perfect for the role. Dean had played small roles in a few other movies, but his was to be his first major motion picture. To celebrate, Dean took Kazan for a wild ride down Broadway on his Indian. Kazan passed away in 2003 at age 94, but that was a ride he didn’t forget for the rest of his life!
Dean signed a long-term contact with Warner Brothers in Los Angeles and moved there permanently. He used some of his salary advance to buy a Palomino horse, then a used and race-prepared MG TD, followed by a Ford Country Squire “Woodie” station wagon as a daily driver. It’s not known what happened to Dean’s Indian motorcycle, but his next motorcycle purchase was a shell blue 1955 Triumph Tiger 110.
After East of Eden had wrapped he traded in his T110 for a 1955 Triumph TR5 Trophy at Ted Evans Motorcycles in Culver City. It was also the shell blue colour, but Dean soon customized it to suit himself. He fitted Flanders high handlebars, a straight-through off-road high exhaust pipe with no muffler, knobby tires, and a single 6T-type spring seat with a pillion seat bolted to the rear fender; backwards, the way Marlon Brando had the pillion seat on his Triumph Thunderbird in The Wild One.
East of Eden was a financial and critical success and the young actor was on top of the world. He had fame and money and all those things that fame and money can bring, but two years later his fame and notoriety would soar to new heights.
In the meantime Dean had filmed Rebel Without a Cause and co-stared in the epic move, Giant, with Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor. His rapidly growing success gave James Dean the financial means to indulge in more exotic, expensive and faster machines.
When not filming movies Dean competed in sports car road races throughout California and won several first and second place trophies. He was a talented and daring driver and not just some moneyed Hollywood celebrity who showed up to attract attention.
His racing successes moved Dean to replace the red MG with a white 1955 Porsche 356 Super Speedster. Encouraged by more racing successes, the Speedster was later replaced by a 1955 silver-gray Porsche 550 Spyder (one of only 90 made that year), and the vehicle in which he lost his life on 30 September 1955 at age 24. He was driving to a race with his mechanic when a car turned left into him at an intersection near the town of Cholame, California. Dean was killed instantly, but his mechanic survived the crash.
In an odd twist of fate, Rebel Without a Cause was released to theatres 27 days after Dean’s death. Giant was not released until 24 November 1956. East of Eden had established James Dean as a legitimate Hollywood actor, but these two movies would make him the American cultural icon he still is today.
Ironically, three other cast members of Rebel Without a Cause, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo and Nick Adams all met violent deaths through drowning, murder and suicide in later years. Jim Backus (who played Dean’s father in Rebel), died from pneumonia in 1989. Of the 22 principal cast members in the movie, only 10 are living today.
In the late 1980’s, Dean’s cousin, Marcus Winslow Jr., went on a quest to locate the 1955 TR5 Triumph Trophy and have it put on display in Fairmount as a tourist attraction. After Dean’s death, his father, Winton Dean, tried to sell the bike, but didn’t advertise who the original owner was. Prospective buyers didn’t like the straight pipe or the knobby tires. To them it was just another motorcycle which were a dime a dozen in California. Realizing that the bike wouldn’t sell privately, Winton Dean sold it back to the original dealer, Ted Evans Motorcycles.
It was with the help of Ted Evans that the Triumph was traced to a man in Minnesota who had raced it and it was now heavily modified for that purpose. Through estate papers and VIN numbers it was verified that this was indeed James Dean’s Triumph. Winslow Jr. bought the bike and had it restored to as-new condition, but in the same configuration as Dean had customized it for himself.
Dean’s first bike, the 1947 CZ, was painted yellow and sold by Marvin Carter after it was traded in. By chance the bike was traded back to Carter a few years later. He still had the CZ and gave it to Winslow Jr. for the James Dean collection. For a time it was put on display at Paramount Studios in LA before returning to Fairmount.
The CZ was not restored but displayed as is. Both bikes were put on display at the Fairmount, Indiana, Historical Museum along with a large assortment of James Dean artifacts – even the bathroom sink from his New York apartment! The TR5 remains on display at the museum, but in 2005 the CZ was acquired by the Museum of History & Art in Bellingham, WA, where it remains on permanent display.
James Dean is buried in Fairmount, Indiana, and his gravestone has been stolen twice and vandalized many times by adoring fans wanting pieces of it. A memorial has been erected in Cholame about 900 yards (981m) from the crash site that took his life. In September 2005, on the 50th anniversary of Dean’s death, that section of California highway near Cholame was named The James Dean Memorial Highway.
The wrecked Porsche Spyder was bought by California car customizer, George Barris, for the sum of $2,500.00. Barris frequently took the credit for the number 130 and “Little Bastard” hand-painted painted on the rear of the Porsche, but it was actually Dean Jefferies (car customizer to Hollywood and the stars – now 79 years-old) who did the painting.
Barris sold the engine and drive-line to some amateur racers and over the next few years the shell of the Spyder was loaned to the California Highway Patrol and to schools for highway safety campaigns. Barris was often reluctant to let the remains of the car out of his sight, but these were worthwhile projects and gave in after repeated requests and assurances that the remains would be respected.
In 1959, Barris loaned the car shell for a highway safety display in Miami, Florida. In 1960, the display collapsed without warning and the shell of the Spyder was broken into many pieces. Barris was so furious that he ordered it boxed up and immediately shipped back to Los Angeles. Somewhere between Miami and the return trip to the Barris garage, the Spyder mysteriously vanished.
It has never been seen since.
