Monday 6 February 2012

HERE IS THE STORY OF THE HURRICANE, THE BIKE THAT FOR BEEZA CAME TOO LATE . . DESIGNED BY VETTER IN THE STATES, REBADGED A TRUMPY WHEN THEY CLOSED THE GATES . . . . .

CRAIG VETTER WAS JUST A PUP WHEN HE DESIGNED WHAT I FIRMLY BELIEVE TO BE ONE THE SEXIEST, SHARPEST AND CERTAINLY MOST ADVENTUROUS 'FACTORY' BIKES EVER TO SEE BITUMEN . . . THE TRIUMPH "HURRICANE" . . . THE FACT IT WAS SLATED TO BE A BEEZA OUT OF SMALL HEATH, NOT A TRUMPY OUT OF MERIDEN, IS BESIDE THE POINT, IN MY VIEW IT WAS THE LAST TRULY SHINING MOMENT IN THE FINAL, DARK DAYS OF THE ONCE GREAT BUT NOW TERMINALLY ILL BRITISH MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY

RELEASED IN '73, THE STUNNING, REWORKED ROCKET III WAS ON THE COVER OF JUST ABOUT EVERY BIKE RELATED MAGAZINE OF THE DAY, AND WITH BLOODY GOOD REASON . . . FROM THE GORGEOUS LINES OF THE TANK AND SIDE COVERS, THE LOW PROFILE, MOULDED LOOK SEAT, THE SLIGHTLY EXTENDED FRONT FORKS AND FINALLY THOSE TRIPLE STACKED MINI MEGA'S ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE . . . FUCK ME, IT WAS THE MOST RADICAL FACTORY BIKE OF THE DAY AS FAR AS STYLE WAS CONCERNED.

The reason I'm rabbiting on here about this old tarty trilple is that this very morning I was riding a particularly fine example owned by an older mate of mine who has proudly had it in his garage since 1978. I had the priviledge of first riding it twenty years ago and then to throw a leg over it once more after a complete carb overhaul and total top end rebuild was a genuine mind blowing and totally unexpected treat, thanks a million Big fella, I feel honoured and will not forget it. The thing still pulls like a schoolboy, as all the Rockets and T150/160's do, smooth, balanced power coming on like a fucking turbine and that fantastic noise exiting the mufflers is truly an experience to treasure, what a way to start my week off . . .yee ha, fully psyched to hook into the Shoveller as I await the iminent arrival of my Mullins trees and kicker pedal . . . bring it on !!!

Back to the point, I got home and went looking for a decent shot of the Vetter ride, but, once again, I got struck up the arse by a rainbow and stumbled onto Craig Vetter's actual site which is dripping with photos, stories, little known facts and much more about the entire bloody history of one of my most loved bikes ever . . . THE ONE AND ONLY, "HURRICANE" !!!!!

***** CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW OR ON POST TITLE TO VISIT THE VETTER SITE AND RELISH THE UNIQUE AND TIMELESS BEAUTY OF THE BIKE HE DESIGNED AS A VIRTUAL KID . . . . ALL SHOTS COURTESY OF THE CRAIG VETTER SITE
Main Hurricane page

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