"It belonged to Pat McGrath, a good friend and neighbour of mine who died 20 months ago. He was in his early 50's when he passed away and I got a chance to buy it recently.
Wideline frame, 6T motor and alot of character. Hasn't even been turned over since his death - I got it running and after a bit of fettling took to the road. Its been a while since I've had anything that old on the road and it felt pretty good".
Matt is selling his Triumph chop project together with some rare parts including 21" and 16" Borrani rims he bought from me a while back. Its on ebay now here
Phil from Doncaster sent me these pics of his recently finished T140 shortly to appear in 100% Biker (Good magazine, terrible name). Built almost entirely by himself, friend Mark and his dad including paint, seat trimming and polishing. That is one shiny engine. They have another in the pipeline with a reverse head, how wierd........
If you have anything relevant (and that is pretty much anything) you want to show off or sell, send it to me tri650@live.co.uk
Dave (the man behind the Warbird photo in the last post) now lives the good life 60 miles West of Sydney at Katoomba. Photos are from their annual Hot Rod/Rockabilly Festival in January and of his Triumph projects in the worlds most orderly workshop.
Rob describes himself as a born again biker, but unlike most retired chaps he doesnt wobble around on a Virago or do nut and bolt restorations on classic bikes that will never get ridden. His first foray into bike building was this Thunderbird Chopper and with his long time buddy (whose name i forget) is currently building this Rickman Bonneville and a reverse head 5TA flat tracker.
I sold this little Coventry Eagle in a very sad state a few years ago to some lads from Sheffield but they obviously saw no future in it and sold it on to Rob who built this beautiful little creation from the remains.
Last time Wayne from GWM Steel Fabs (Formerly Murray Kustoms Scotland/West Australia) sent me some progress shots of this work they were hi-jacked by folk for blogs aound the world.
These are his latest, nick 'em by all means but be nice and mention him (and me).
Pics of workshop invaders, some more welcome than others, from.....well i did know but i seem to have deleted the email, sorry. Hopefully i sent stickers
Marcello, Italy, hopefully... he did send me the pic quite a while ago.
Jon regularly sends me photos of his superb stable (absolutely not a collection eh Jon) of classics. The Goldie street scrambler was out and about the lanes of North Yorks on New Years Day and he just happened to mention the family Vincent, photo one from 1954 and the other taken over 50 years later, still wearing its alloy rims and still regularly used.
Tommi's 1100L from Finland.
Andrew (Goosegreen) shows off his new apes, by now he will either have taken them off or have a neck like a prop forward.
Nicks Shovel and his friend's Gramps bike shop in Florida mid '80s.
Finally three great works in progress from John at AJ's Speedshop.
DJ Kinsley sent some photos of his newly restored 70's Z1 Drag Bike that his dad found in Dolan Springs, Arizona. It has a new and previously unrun motor with a Vertex mag, Denco frame, Cerianis, Hurst brakes, Phoenix slick, Tomaselli clip ons...all great period parts plus the duplex drive chain set up.
Since his well publicised journey to the Trip Out last year, gardener, skater, instrument-less musician, poet, cat lover*, cyclist, writer, traveller and motorcycle adventurer (these are just the talents i know of), Dave from Nottingham has become a regular correspondent.
He crashed his faithful Bantam late last year and on his 30th Birthday last month rode the rebuilt bike to London (and back) to visit a friends exhibition only to return and crash his push bike when the handlebars broke !
"Learning to be Content" from his book "The Music of Machines"
"all words, images and errors - Dave Bevan 2012. photocopied on the sly at various locations" to get yourself a copy go to Happy Going Nowhere Blogspot. I've read mine several times, well worth whatever meagre sum he charges for it.
Now i'm being tempted by a visit to Nottingham with tales of local coffee bars run by nubile young ladies and a drop in at the legendary Duke's second hand record shop.
* OK an appreciation of cats isn't necessarily a talent but writing about them sort of is..
This photo arrived in December from someone in Sweden, i asked for details and a name and address to send stickers to but heard nothing. Would love to see more of it.....
Marcus and his brother from Ballymena about to set off for a tour of the Sperrins.
John and his 96" Softail, originally from Dorking now soaking up the sun in NSW.
Another from down under. David "Dog's" Bonnie in 1991. Check him out at White Line Psycho
Dave was happily going nowhere when a BMW attempted to destroy him and Bantam, they both copped it but the stickers manned up. Full sorry tale on Guys blog.
Reinhard got lucky with this '68 Cheney T120. Class.
Steve from Northampton has the worlds first and only Kawasaki 400 with a Big 4 sidevalve motor. Possibly the best bike ever to take along to a Norton Owners club meeting.
Geoff up in Cleveland spent last weekend kicking progress in the balls by converting his Twincam Fatboy to carburettor. Now it looks better and goes better.
.....and finally, you want to cycle into town for your groceries, beer, gas bottles, chainsaw and welder and you want to take the dog ? Ben Wilson's Donky Bike is for you then.
Send your stuff to tri650@live.co.uk and i send you free stickers. Original Eat the Rich UK stickers that is, not blatant copies without the EtR logo that you have to pay £2 each for.....
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