TRIUMPHS AND TATTOOS

TRIUMPHS AND TATTOOS. Went to Cyclefest bike show at the Coliseum in Fort Wayne and the Triumph got a third place trophy last weekend! We beat out some high dollar machines! I had a awesome time with some old friends and met some new M/C rider friends.  a lot of people were excited over the 67 Bonneville. Also did some sick tats this week, I thought I would post the rat fink and a few others.

Wing Tattoos

Wing Tattoos

I usually like wing tattoos a lot but I am not sure how I feel about this set of them. Apparently on the back of a guy, which is a little strange, these wings seems to be formed by what appears to be long and thin root type of material rather than be made up of wings covered with feathers which one would normally expect to see. I have never seen a set of wing tattoos just like this before and while I do find them interesting I don’t really like the design very much. I prefer the traditional looking wings.

These are meant to be angel wings of some type I am sure but I do not know what type that may be. This strikes me as something that would come out of the woods or the trees or something like that. I am not at all sure and I am not going to guess. All I can say is that they look earthy. If anybody out there know what these are meant to be I would love to hear from you. Really.

Wing Tattoos

There are many different styles and types of wing tattoos and this is a picture of one that you do not see very often. It’s a much smaller one than what is popular now and only takes up a small part of the back of ones shoulder. I can only guess as to its meaning and to the meaning of the intertwined rings in the middle of these wings. The wings are probably meant to be angel wings and that typically stands for a supernatural being who is looking over us and looking out for us. It can also stand fro grace and beauty and possibly the whimsical ability to fly away whenever the world get to be too much. We’d all be flying away if that were possible, wouldn’t we?

As far as the rings go your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps they are meant to stand for a bonding of sorts. A joining of two souls if you will. Or perhaps the connection between two hearts. Something having to do with love and a relationship I would think. As far as wing tattoos go this much smaller on could be a good alternative for someone who wants one that doesn’t cover the better part of their back.

Triumph during assembly process with 500 tank on it, it took some time coming up with the correct tank.

Bike during building process

Here is some photos of bike during building process. This bike was totally pre assembled before taking apart to paint and detail all parts. Top end was fitted on workbench. I had a 650 Honda sitting in the corner of my garage, and i could not stop thinking about how the front end would be perfect for my Triumph. One of my friends gave me the Honda, so i stripped it in a hour and fitted the fork clamps to my new 67 Triumph front frame section. The trees fit perfect, other than having to cut off the Honda fork stops on the lower clamp, and cut off the gauge mounts on the upper clamp. The disc brake on the Honda just wasn't cutting it, so it had to go. Digging through my parts selection i came across this dual leading shoe brake off a 69 Bonneville and decided that it was exactly what i wanted on this bikes front end. These late drum brakes are self energizing and work almost as good as a disc brake. Headlight ears and shell are 81 Kawasaki 750 spectra. Fork gaitors are Kawasaki spectra also. Axle had to be modified and right fork leg had to have a solid brake stop welded to the inside edge to fit slot in brake face. Gauge mount is made from a hummer flywheel cover with a small chain welded to edge mounted to ignition mount on top fork clamp. Tach cable had to pass through headlamp shell.

Fresh built Bonneville TT  bobber.  Two years in the works by David Knox.  67 engine # T120TT DU65218 and 67 frame # 53152.  Frame up paint on all parts.  Front wheel is 69 dual leading shoe model with the chrome grill on the front of the brake, the Dunlop rim is straight and true with good chrome and fitted to a WEBCO styled front end with rubber gaitors with a custom central mounted tach with welded chain trim and cable running through headlight housing.  16" Harley style rim with vintage Arco 500-16 tire with cone hub on rear. Rim is true, but has some slight chrome issues.  Custom made adjustable heavy duty brake and clutch cables for easy pull.  BOYER ELECTRONIC IGNITION  and SPARKS BATTERY ELIMINATOR with a new 200 WATT WASSELL STATOR.   AMAL RACING LEVERS.   All top engine mounts are correct.  Original 1 3/4 inside diameter flat tracker TT pipes.  Motor ran good before teardown, so i just refitted new top end and oil pump assembly.  Front mounted top end oil feed.  New 40 over pistons and rings with 9-1 compression ratio.  Motor has a 64 dual carb head with new valve guides and grind, and has 1 1/8 intake tubes attatched to WEBCO intake spacers, and a set of low mile 930 Amal Concentric carbs connected to a pair of new, long, screened, velocity stacks.  Motor runs well and will start on the first kick, and idles nicely "SEE VIDEO"  Head was retorqued along with the rocker boxes after inital fire up. Transmission shifts nicely through all gears. Custom oil system with a rubber mounted fire extinquisher tank. Very clean 2 1/2  gallon slimline fuel tank with  TT Special decal. The decals did not come out till after TT models were discontinued.  Vintage type brass petcocks straight to each carb with no reserve on either side.  Two tone vintage styled paint scheme in vivid black and artic white. Paint is pretty nice, but not perfect.   This motorcycle was mocked up before paint so i knew everything fit together well. THIS BIKE IS NOT A CORRECT TT SPECIAL.  This bike is sold as is with no warranty.  I put all my best parts and effort in this bike and was going to ride it this spring but it is time to move, so it has to go! Thanks to Jerry at CJ's Triumph shop in Fort Wayne, and Dave Kitson of D+A Classic Bikes in Decatur In. and all my favorite ebay sellers for many of the missing links and new parts you see in the photo's