SAD ANNIVERSARY

Two years ago today i started Eat the Rich UK posting my only photo of my first bike, a C12 taken in 1968.
There wasnt really a game plan but somehow we are still going. The first year saw 70,000 page views according to the Google machine and we are now up to nearly 250,000 so a least i'm not talking to myself.
The Scarlett designed stickers and Ts we got this year have been a success, if you want some i'm sure you know what to do.
Thanks as always to everyone for dropping in, leaving comments and sending photos, keep them coming and i hope your New Year is a good one.

Sadly we got news last night of the death of Paddy Bentley following a road accident. A boyfriend of my eldest daughter Becca for a while he was the happiest most friendly bloke you would ever want to meet, i probably only saw him 3 or 4 times a year but he would always make a chance meeting into a full on reunion. Everyone in this town will miss him. RIP.

CALENDAR GIRL

One evening last summer Laura borrowed my BSA to use in some photos for a calendar she was making as a present for her man Chris. He knew nothing about it until last Friday so we had to have a media blackout until now. The finished article is a corker, hopefully i will publish the pages on here at the start of each month. How long do you recon it will be before i forget ?
These are just a few pics i took on the night, Scotty's are a whole lot better..

HIT YOURSELF ROUND THE EARS AND RUB SOAP IN YOUR EYES

Treat yourself to full screen and full volume. Your late Christmas present from me via Nitro America.

READERS PHOTOS

Vespa Paul on Chelsea bridge, more of Paul's photos coming soon.

Bens brilliant little BMXped Pucher, London.


Adam, south.

Roland's B31, France.

Oliver. Same Oliver as XS progress a few days ago.

Sjoerd, Netherlands. Tried to email you for address to send the stickers but mail just keeps being returned by the system.

Pat, Swindon. Just bought an A10 Flash and a load of engine parts from Pat, a top bloke.

GAY BIKERS ON TEA

1964. The Leather Boys struggle to hit 3 figures on the North Circular, Reggie struggles with Pete's sexuality (another Pete) and Rita Tush' struggles with her hair.
The book had consensual Lewis leather shirt lifting but the film censors of the pre-swinging '60s allowed only one gay in the village.
Here are the best bits with some good footage of the original Ace cafe, London fog and Mike Baldwin off of Coro'.

MARIE

Magnificent in the 80s but now given in to celebrity shiny chipmunk cheeks and tax disc holder lips.

NORTH WEALD AUG 2011

Jenny Linn-Cole's photos from North Weald Bike Fest last August, somewhere else i should be next year.

THE TUESDAY TRITON

BE MERRY

XS PROGRESS

Ollie's XS650 before and after. Not finished yet, are they ever ?
Over the years i have sometimes been faintly embarrassed by the custom bikes built in the UK compared with say the US and Scandinavia, the 4" thick billet yoke, wide glide, short forked, wide barred, everything too big, themed paint, 3 spokers in an Evo chop sort of crap. The engineering talent has always been there but it seemed as if people never stood back to look at their work as the bike progressed. All change. I guess the internet has helped greatly but now Britain has style.
Bikes like Ollies show how you dont need a fully equipped workshop and spray booth, if you have hand tools and an eye for whats right you can build a cool bike. Go and do it.
Merry Christmas and no offence like...

TODDYS GIXXER

Andy Todds' GSXR11. Made PB magazines top 10 best modified GSXRs nearly 20yrs ago. Just makes you want to jump on and be antisocial.
A few years down the line he went on to become half of Martek engineering taking UK Streetfighters to a whole new level.

IN LOVING MEMORY

A year ago today

ROCKSOLID

Hugo Pereira and his brother worked in the UK for a few years for Nick Gale building high end Harley Customs for the rich and famous but are now living out their dream back home in Leiria, Portugal with their own custom shop. They started Rocksolid Motorcycles 3 months ago building quality bikes for down to earth people. They take a good photo too.
Hugo misses the great British autojumble but not as much as i miss the great Mediterranean sun.








They have a couple of great blogs, take a look at Rocksolid and Cestos Team.

BLACK WINDOWS

ULTIMATE ALTERNATIVE TRITON TUESDAY

I still haven't bought myself a bike, I'm working on the principle that when the right thing comes along i will know. I have missed out on a couple of Tritons and passed on a Bandit turbo but nothing has made me wildly excited. There were quite a few Norvins round here back in the early 70s but now Dick (owner of the middle bike) owns them all and he doesnt sell bikes.....and he is looking fitter than me so no doors opening there.

THE TUESDAY TRITON

BEAUTY IN DECAY

Urbex (Urban Exploration) is basically gaining entry to old disused buildings and taking photos. There's a lot more to it than that, those who do it will travel thousands of miles looking for new previously unseen sites of dereliction. The top picture of the gas masks was taken at Chernobyl*, being a totally deserted town it is a mecca for Urbexers whose code of honour is to take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints.
I had never heard of it until Ellis showed me a book last weekend. I don't propose to post a load of links, have a Google over the holidays or if you have no interest at all just wish you knew where that scrapyard was.
*A search for images of Chernobyl is not a good idea if you want a good nights sleep

WANTED

Photos, projects, vehicles past and present, current builds whatever you think may be suitable to put on here and if you have a business you want plugging drop me details.
All year i meet people who tell me they have things for me, now's your chance. Between Christmas and New Year it will be cold and miserable, the best time to mail me your stuff.......tri650@live.co.uk
and you will get stickers !

RUNNING REPAIRS

From Tewkesbury this year.

THIS IS THE BOOK THAT MUST HAPPEN TO YOU

The best book i read last year and this year 'cos i read it again. Bike journalist Dan Walsh did what people dream of and set off on a bike firstly to Africa and then an epic 2 year journey from Canada through the US and down through South America as far as Buenos Aires where his bike and luck ran out. He travelled without GPS, spares, maps or even a licence and just about got away with it. It's not the usual travel book, as much a story of the people he met along the way as the places he passed through.
I tracked down Dan at Rollerburn and introduced myself, he was the big guy with the girl filming the event. It wasnt a great meeting of literary minds (there was only one there for a start), i said i loved the book, he said thanks.
Read it over Christmas and wonder why you never did something like this...

7/11

1991 GSXR750 Streetfighter with 1127 motor, supposedy 1216 Wiseco but no proof apart from it goes like hell. 40mm Mikunis with St3 Dynojet and KNs, Dyna coils, WP swingarm, very clean and tidy but crap paint. Breaking next week unless you have a fancy..

THEY SHOOT HORSES

Last week i bought a van from a guy in Wakefield and made the mistake of looking at his '67 Mustang. So now do i want one ? , only one i could find in budget was this brokeback fastback, £1200 buy it now on Ebay, looked again today and its gone. How drunk do you have to be to think this is a good idea ?

INTERIOR DESIGN

At this years Hayride.

YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Kawasaki Z750 twin 1976. Imported from US but last owner couldnt get it to spark so left it in the garden for a year. Looks about all there, everything is sound but rusty. Fork stanchions are good, front disc looks new, engine turns over.
First person with 400 quid gets a good winter project. Chopper, Cafe Racer, Bobber blah blah.......or of course you know whats going to happen to it.. tri650@live.co.uk