Triumph Street Cup

I had a most unique opportunity last weekend to test ride a brand new Triumph Bonneville Street Cup for several days. I had made contact with the good folks at Triumph North America, located right here in Atlanta, and they agreed to sign me out the Cup for a long weekend. I picked the bike up from Triumph HQ on Friday morning, and was told to keep it until early the following week. In exchange, I would write an honest evaluation article for Born to Ride magazine, whom I regularly write for.
The weekend that ensued was one of the most exhausting, exhilarating ones I've experienced so far this year.

I logged over 300 miles on the Cup across the several days it was in my charge. I cracked the highways and interstates in and around the metro area, and flogged it down curvy country roads near my home. I rode solo, and with a group of riding friends. I rode morning, daytime, and late at night. The bike was an absolute blast to ride. It garnered praise everywhere I rode, often mistaken for much older than it is. The Street Cup is a 900cc twin power plant, but is light, nimble, and compact. I felt completely in tune with this bike.

Saturday, I attended the American Flat Track races at Dixie Speedway in Canton, with my friends Monte, Lynn, and Test. We rode over, across the top end perimeter and up interstates to the raceway. I was on a press pass for an upcoming BTR article, while my friends served as CMA representatives. For the first time in about 30 years, motorcycle racing had returned to Dixie. And the racing was spectacular. The highlights for me were the "hooligan" races, and the main event, the renewed Indian/Harley rivalry. More on that soon...
We rode home about 10pm, in the fast-flowing, at times treacherous Sat. night north Atlanta traffic. The Street Cup roared all the way back, giving me confidence across every mile. After Sunday church, I rode the bike some more, ticking off more miles in the beautiful, pollen-filled Georgia springtime. I coughed and wheezed- the Cup did not. At least one of us was unaffected.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. After a brief Monday morning ride, I reluctantly returned the Cup to its rightful owners, Triumph North America. I found myself falling in the love with the little Bonney, as the perfect blend of sport and classic. A new motorcycle genre, perhaps? The Sport Classic? Actually, Triumph has been running and ruling that road for years, with no end in sight. This bike just further establishes their dominance of moto-cool.
Full eval article forthcoming...

Alive Again



It's been a good 10-months since I aquired this '82 Honda CB750 Nighthawk, after it sat behind an auto shop in Suwannee for, well, God knows how many years. I've only been able to sporadically wrench on it, as time and money allowed, but today marked a milestone.

The bike is alive again.

I took it out for a short check ride, which was exciting for me. Yet it revealed several issues. The bike idles way too high, and I'm having difficulty dialing it down. The brakes need bleeding and adjusting, and the front fork seals are gone.

But the bike is alive again.

Hard to believe that I was 18-19 years old when this bike was built. It bears the scars from decades of  use and maybe abuse, and obvious neglect in recent years. So the thrill of getting it out on the road again was palpable.

Ansley's boyfriend wants to buy it, and plans to keep it here so he can ride with me until he's more comfortable getting out on the roads himself. That's fine- gives me reasons and opportunities to ride it more myself! Gotta keep it in good working order for the young man...