Before you ride ’em, you gotta buy ’em.
Don’t let the media tell you what to buy, allow me!
An extreme and absurd view for the heck of it
by Ujjwal Dey with illustrations by Wayfarer & friends
On record, Elvis Presley bought nine Triumphs in 1965. Now Triumph is trying to find them. Triumph Motorcycles also confirmed that Elvis Presley gifted motorcycles to Memphis Mafia in 1965.
In collaboration with Graceland archives and recollections from Jerry Shilling, a close friend of Elvis Presley, Triumph Motorcycles has confirmed the truth behind the famous motorcycle myth surrounding the music legend. Elvis purchased nine Triumph motorcycles in 1965 as gifts, so he and his closest friends could go riding together in the hills of Los Angeles.
The King showcased his love for motorcycles in films such as “Stay Away Joe” in 1968, where he rode a red and silver Triumph 650 Bonneville ‘Desert Sled.’ However, his affinity for Triumph motorcycles began earlier in 1965.
As of now, all nine of the original motorcycles have been lost to history, with no formal records of their whereabouts after the summer of 1965. Triumph is launching an appeal to motorcycle enthusiasts worldwide to help locate or uncover the fate of these historic bikes. Researchers are eager to hear from anyone with leads or information regarding the bikes’ whereabouts.
READ DETAILED ARTICLE FROM TRIUMPH
A MOTORCYCLE MYTH CONFIRMED: ELVIS PRESLEY AND TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES
- The ultimate biker gift – Nine Triumph motorcycles bought in 1965 by Elvis Presley for him and his Memphis Mafia
- Help us find the Memphis Mafia Triumphs – Are these historic motorcycles lost to time?
- A unique opportunity to own a one-of-a-kind ‘Elvis Presley’ Triumph and matching guitar – Raising money for the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation
Triumph Motorcycles has uncovered the truth behind a famous motorcycle myth – that Elvis Presley did give an extraordinary biker gift to every member of his Memphis Mafia in 1965.
With the discovery of the original cheques in the Graceland archives, signed by the man himself, as well as recollections from Jerry Shilling, Elvis’ close friend, it can be confirmed that Elvis bought nine Triumph motorcycles as gifts, so he and his closest friends could ride together in the hills of Los Angeles.
THE STORY
Elvis Presley was an enduring music legend and a cultural icon. The biggest selling solo artist in history and a genuine movie star – making 31 films during his career in Hollywood. He was also a passionate biker, riding bikes in several of his films including a red and silver Triumph 650 Bonneville ‘Desert Sled’ in the 1968 comedy western “Stay Away Joe”.
But, Elvis’ introduction to Triumph motorcycles came several years earlier, with this story, which is as rock and roll as the man himself.
In June 1965, Elvis had been on the set of the musical ‘Frankie and Johnny’ at Samuel Goldwyn Studios, Hollywood. Taking a break from filming, Elvis spent his down time with his closest friends, known as ‘The Memphis Mafia’ at his Bel Air home.
Jerry Schilling, Elvis’ friend and member of his famous ‘Memphis Mafia’, put a down payment on a new Triumph T120 650 Bonneville at Robertson & Sons on Santa Monica Boulevard. When he brought the bike home, Elvis asked to take it for a ride around their Bel Air neighbourhood. Jerry, of course, obliged and Elvis jumped on the bike. He was impressed, in fact when he returned, he told his transportation manager, Alan Fortis, to “order one for all the guys, but… it has to be tonight!”
Robertson & Sons managed to deliver seven Triumphs that night, a mixture of 650 TR6’s and the high-performance, twin-carburetted 650 T120’s. They rode together around Bel Air, riding late into the evening – only stopping when neighbours called the police to complain. The remaining bikes arrived two days later and the nine of them made sure they made the most of down time from filming, riding the Pacific Coast High together on Sundays.
Jerry Shilling, a close friend of Elvis recalls: “Elvis loved to ride and I knew that when he saw my new Bonneville he’d want to try it… and when he did, he wanted all the guys to have one so we could ride them together!”
THE 1964 TRIUMPH 650 TR6 AND BONNEVILLE T120
The bikes that Elvis bought are considered most likely to be 1964 models of Triumph’s game-changing performance roadster, the 650 TR6 and 650 Bonneville T120 – essentially the same bike with one or two carburettors and different states of tune. The ’64 Bonneville came in the sophisticated Gold and Alaskan White and the TR6 in the distinctive ‘Hifi Scarlet and Silver Sheen’ with gold pinstriping, black frame and forks.
Named after Triumph’s multiple land speed records at the Bonneville salt flats, the Bonneville T120 is recognised across the motorcycling world as a genuine design icon, responsible for establishing Triumph as number one in the 60s for performance, handling and style. The 1964 US-spec ‘Bonnie’, with its higher bars is considered a desirable classic.
HELP FIND THE MEMPHIS MAFIA TRIUMPHS
All nine of the original bikes are currently lost to time, with no formal record of where they went after the summer of ’65. Triumph is now launching an appeal to fans around the world to help track down or uncover the fate of these bikes.
Triumph’s researchers are keen to hear from anyone who has a lead on what happened to one of these bikes, or perhaps a last known location.
With the collective eyes of the Triumph and Elvis communities on the look-out, it is hoped that one of these historic bikes will one day come to light and make history by being placed on display alongside other historic Triumphs.
If you have any information related to the whereabouts of one of these historic bikes, please contact Triumph at elvistriumph@triumphmotorcycles.com.
A ONE-OF-A-KIND ‘ELVIS PRESLEY’ CUSTOM TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLE AND MATCHING LES PAUL GUITAR
The discovery of this great story has filled in a gap in the history books and added a new, previously untold chapter to Triumph’s own story. In celebration of this newly uncovered shared history between two iconic and enduring brands, Triumph and Elvis Presley Enterprises have commissioned a one-of-a-kind custom motorcycle to raise money for a very worthy cause.
This custom Bonneville, based on a brand-new T120 model, features a custom design scheme by award-winning Georgian custom artist J Daar and is inspired by the 1964 Memphis Mafia bikes and 1968 Stay Away Joe Desert Sled, as well as being influenced by Elvis’ most iconic 1968 Comeback Special look. The design features gold block lettering, representing Elvis’ name written in lights, as well as silhouettes on a red background, echoing the set design of his most famous ’68 Comeback Special performance.
The bike was unveiled by Triumph USA Marketing Director, Adam VanderVeen, at the 2023 Barber vintage motorcycle Festival in Birmingham Alabama, where it was on display on the ‘Isle of Triumph’ alongside a host of historic Triumphs, including an original 1965 Bonneville of the same generation that Elvis purchased, on loan from the Barber Motorsports Museum.
Speaking at the show, the custom motorcycle artist J Daar said: “I was honoured to pull the sheet off this amazing motorcycle. Tribute bikes are always special, but an homage to The King is one of the coolest projects I’ve worked on. This bike is something the new owner can be incredibly proud to have in their garage. Not only is it a unique design celebrating a great story, but it’s also a great way to raise money for such a worthy cause.”
Also on display at Barber Fest was a special one-of-a-kind Les Paul guitar by Gibson, customised to complement the one-off Bonneville T120 and donated by Gibson to be auctioned along with the motorcycle. The choice of guitar was inspired by another instance of Elvis’ generosity. When rehearsing for the ’68 Comeback Special, Elvis was practicing on a replica Les Paul, which he gifted to his chef. The design adopts the same red, silver and gold scheme as the motorcycle, as well as the prominent Elvis graphic featured on the fuel tank and side panels, and incorporates silhouettes of The King around the body, inspired by his iconic ‘’68 Comeback Special’ look.
Beth Heidt, Chief Marketing Officer for Gibson commented: “We have had the honour of working in partnership with the Elvis team to celebrate his legacy over many years, so when we heard that our friends at Graceland and Triumph were working together on a custom motorcycle to raise awareness and funds for a good cause, we wanted to join in honouring Elvis’ spirit of generosity – and similar to what we did with our ’59 Legends Collection in support of The 2022 Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride, this customized Les Paul model pairs perfectly with the amazing design scheme of the bike.”
“We are excited to be partnering with an iconic brand like Triumph to bring this one-of-a-kind custom Bonneville T120 to life while benefitting one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes Community Services in Memphis,” says Dana Carpenter, Executive Vice President, Entertainment at Authentic Brands Group, owner of Elvis Presley Enterprises. “The added generosity of our friends at Gibson for contributing a matching custom Les Paul guitar, strengthens the legacy of generosity and community that Elvis Presley stood for.”
This custom Bonneville T120 motorcycle and matching Les Paul guitar have been donated to the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation to raise money for one of Elvis’ favourite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counselling and services for abused children and their families.
More details about the auction will be available soon at graceland.com
If you haven’t already, Check Out the Brand New 5-Ball Racing Garage Online Shop !!! CLICK HERE: You will find unique Motorcycling Gear designed by Lifelong Bikers.
Doggone life of the furry government servant
with inputs from Hot Air Cold Love at https://hotaircoldlove.substack.com/
Apparently, dogs are not detectives. This thought crime just got solved.
So, are all the decades of man’s best friend working alongside in forests and mountains, in rain and sunshine, in war-zones and disaster rescue efforts, the hound that will follow “his master’s voice” to hell– all just myth, legend and an old husband’s tale?
As per the research and the statistics, the dog’s days of working as a police dog are over. Maybe now — the customs officer will have to smell your luggage and bark orders if deemed unfit for boarding your flight. Maybe its the humans who are causing the loss of canine jobs (which is my gist of the new report mentioned below)??
Can you imagine all the working animals replaced with humans instead of machines? No more canary in a coal mine. No more snakes eating rats in paddy fields. No more ox ploughing farms, no more donkeys or mules carrying fool’s gold (also called simply as a fool), no more horse carriages nor armed cavalry, no legionnaire crossing deserts on a camel….
So what would you write? A western or a historical fiction or a scifi or a satire or just adopt a rescue dog to play with during writer’s block? Well, he could take you out for a walk and we know that’s always good for creativity (New Yorker story link).
Anyways, chew on this news for now!
Police Say Dogs Help Solve Crimes. Little Evidence Supports That.
In 2020, Salt Lake City abruptly terminated its canine unit for pursuing and apprehending suspects. Not much changed.
https://undark.org/2023/07/24/police-say-dogs-help-solve-crimes-little-evidence-supports-that/
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Send us your 100 word fiction and win Bikernet swag and goodies — check out latest entries by clicking here.
Wishing Keith ‘Bandit’ Ball a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous Birthday from the Bikernet Crew.
The Grand Supreme Editor of vast Bikernet Empire comprising News, Features, Tech, Freedom & Rights Legislation, Novels, Reviews, Event Coverage, Women on Two-Wheels, Biker Artwork, Leathers, Handbanged Choppers, Bonneville Racing, Charity, Veterans’ Support, et al takes another turn around the Sun today.
At 75 years young, Bandit is just getting fired up and ready to find new adventures.
Hold on tight, the Thursday Weekly News is in the shop today.
The mysterious weirdness about the legend of the ganja
by Amy Irene White with images from the Bob T. collection
10/29/2021
One of the most exasperatingly ridiculous brick walls in Washington DC is, the age-old conundrum of legalizing marijuana.
Throughout the years, marijuana has gone through many transformations in the public eye.
House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) were scheduled to conduct a legislative hearing on Wednesday, October 13th, which included consideration of the bipartisan VA Cannabis Research Act of 2021, HR 2916. So far, there have been no updates, when I wrote this.
The legislation “would direct the VA to conduct clinical research with varying forms of medicinal cannabis to evaluate the safety and effects of cannabis on health outcomes of veterans with PTSD and veterans with chronic pain.”
CLICK HERE for a Feature Report on the State of the Myth, Mystery & Legend of Ganja
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by Sebastian Toma from https://www.autoevolution.com
Ducati is celebrating 20 years since Troy Bayliss won his first World Superbike championship. A special edition of the Panigale V2 has been made, and it comes with several goodies on top of the regular model. It had to be painted red, and Bayliss’s race number is also on the special edition Panigale, which also features graphics inspired by the 2001 championship-winning bike.
The special edition of the Panigale V2 ditches the stock Showa and Sachs suspension system in favor of an Öhlins kit. The front is taken care of with the NX30 fork, while the rear is kept under control with the TTX36. Öhlins’ influence on this bike does not end here, as the Swedes also make the steering damper. Right next to that part, on the triple clamps, one can observe the production number of each bike.
For maximum weight reduction, the special-edition Ducati Panigale V2 1st Championship 20th Anniversary comes with a lithium-ion battery, as well as a single-seater configuration. The saddle is sewn with contrasting red stitching, and the craftspeople at Ducati also embroidered Bayliss’ race number, 21, along with the Italian flag.
Thanks to the lightweight components, the bike lost about three kilos (6,6 lbs.), adding up to 174.5 kilograms (385 lbs.) Seat height is 835 mm (32,9 inches), which may be tall for some, but being tall enough is just one of the things one must consider before buying a motorcycle in this segment.
Ducati fans will also remark a set of sport grips, a titanium and carbon fiber exhaust system, and Troy Bayliss’ autograph on the fuel tank. The latter also reminds us of each of the three years when Bayliss won the championship title.
The extras with the special edition of the Panigale V2 end here, but future owners will still have a great bike to ride. Ducati’s Panigale V2 comes with slide control, wheelie control, ABS, traction control, and various other systems to help keep the rider with both wheels on the road.
The red Italian super sport bike comes with a 995 cubic-centimeter V-twin engine called the Superquadro, with four valves per cylinder and the famous Desmodromic valves. The unit can provide 155 HP at 10.750 rpm and a maximum torque of 104 Nm (76.7 lb-ft) at 9.000 rpm. The famous Ducati V2 sound is standard.
For those of you who do not know who Troy Bayliss is, you should know that he is one of the most loved motorcycle racers of our time. He managed to get the World SuperBike Championship title three times in his career, in 2001, 2006, and 2008. To this day, Troy Bayliss is the first rider to have won a Moto GP and WSBK race in the same season.
from https://www.roadracingworld.com
Racing Legend Dick Mann passes away – from a press release issued By American Motorcyclist Association
AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer and Racing Legend Dick Mann Passes
Mann, a two-time AMA Grand National Champion, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998
PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Dick “Bugsy” Mann, one of the most versatile racers to ever throw a leg over a motorcycle, passed away on April 26 at the age of 86.
Mr. Mann, born June 13, 1934 in Salt Lake City, Utah, was a two-time AMA Grand National Champion (1963 and 1971), and became best known for being the first person to achieve a motorcycle racing Grand Slam, which involved winning across all five types of circuits included in the Grand National Championship: road racing, TT, short track, half-mile and mile. When he retired from racing in 1974, Mann had 24 national victories, which — at the time — placed him second in all-time wins within the AMA Grand National Series.
While Mann got his racing start in scrambles, he soon got hooked on turning left on dirt ovals, and after some time learning his trade, headed to the professional racing circuit in 1954, turning expert in 1955. He achieved his first national win at the Peoria TT in 1959, quickly establishing himself as an elite racer in the series.
Mann also helped pioneer the sport of motocross in the U.S., competing in several of the early AMA professional motocross races in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Perhaps Mann’s most fulfilling national win was his victory in the 1970 Daytona 200 aboard the then-new Honda CB750. He’d been racing the Daytona 200 for 15 years and finished second three times, and in 1970 finally got to the top step of the podium, holding off rising stars and future Hall of Famers Gary Nixon and Gene Romero, as well as former world champion and Hall of Famer Mike Hailwood. That win wasn’t just Mann’s first victory at the 200, but the first time a Honda had won an AMA national.
Despite retiring from professional racing in 1974, Mann returned to his trail-riding roots in 1975, qualifying for the United States International Six Days Trial team, competed for the U.S. on the Isle of Man, and brought home a bronze medal.
Beyond being a legendary racer, Mann’s mentorship of the next generation of American racers and future Hall of Famers like Dave Aldana, Mert Lawwill and Kenny Roberts, was just as important.
In 1995, Mr. Mann was presented with the AMA Dud Perkins Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his significant contributions to the sport. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.
Honoring Motorcycle Racing Legend Dick Mann – from a press release issued by American Flat Track
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 28, 2021) – AMA Pro Racing joins the motorcycle community in mourning the loss of the great Dick Mann. Mann passed Monday at 86 years of age.
The winner of two Grand National Championships, Mann was touted as one of the greatest to ever compete in various motorcycle racing disciplines. Mann is best known for being the first person to ever win all five types of circuit included in the AMA Grand National Championship: short track, TT, half-mile, mile and road race.
Mann continued to contribute to the legacy of motorcycle racing by influencing some of the greatest names in flat track including Gene Romero, Gary Nixon, Mert Lawwill, Kenny Roberts and Dave Aldana.
Mann was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1993 and the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.
Progressive American Flat Track will observe a moment of silence in Mann’s honor during its opening ceremonies at Saturday’s event at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Statement of Condolence on Passing of Dick Mann – from a press release issued by American Honda
Hall of Famer earned Honda’s first big motorcycle-race win in the U.S.
April 28, 2021 — TORRANCE, Calif.
Following Monday’s passing of Dick “Bugsy” Mann at the age of 86, American Honda today honored the versatile racer.
A true Renaissance man, Mann was noted for his adaptability as a rider, and for the longevity of his professional motorcycle-racing career, which included charter membership in the exclusive Grand Slam Club (for riders who earned Grand National wins in road racing, short track, TT, half-mile and mile competition), two AMA Grand National Championships and a bronze medal for Team USA in the 1975 International Six Days Trial. According to Racer X Illustrated, Mann even scored a win at the first AMA-sanctioned professional motocross race. Those successes came with a variety of brands, but the Utah native’s primary tie with Honda centered on a single race—the 1970 Daytona 200.
It was Honda’s first factory effort in the legendary endurance event, with a four-rider project aboard CR750 machinery (the racing version of the now-iconic CB750 four-cylinder, which had started production just a year earlier). Conversely, Mann (then 35) had a long and relatively successful history at the race, though victory had eluded him to that point.
After launching from the front row of an all-star starting grid, Mann eventually secured the lead, then preserved the bike in the race’s latter stages to score a 10-second win over Gene Romero, with Don Castro third. In the process, Mann ran a record average race speed of 102.697 mph. It was Honda’s first AMA National Championship race win, and it established the CB750 at the top of the performance hierarchy. (Over four decades later, Motorcyclist magazine would name it the Bike of the Century.) As such, the victory was significant not only for Honda, but for its American subsidiary.
“For a Japanese company with its first, completely unproven big bike, it was hard to top that,” Bob Hansen, then American Honda’s National Service Manager, is quoted as saying in Aaron P. Frank’s book Honda Motorcycles.
“Hansen prepared the machine, and I rode it as best I could, just as I was contracted to do. That was it,” said the humble Mann in the same book.
Mann, who would back up the Daytona 200 win the following year aboard a BSA, was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1993, and he is a charter member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
“Everyone at American Honda sends their heartfelt condolences to Dick Mann’s family, friends and fans,” said Bill Savino, Senior Manager of Customer Engagement at American Honda. “Dick tallied a number of accomplishments over the course of his long career, but he’ll always hold a special spot in our hearts for the role he played in proving that Honda motorcycles could perform with the very best.”
Dick Mann at Daytona in 1971 on his BSA road racer.
Mourning the first Honda US champion / MotoAmerica Superbike
by Eileen Curry from https://www.thewestonforum.com
The American motorsport world lost one of its first great champions. American Dick Mann died on Monday at the age of 86; He was an iconic character in the early Honda years.
Dick Mann was seen as a versatile racing driver who was quick to adapt to new conditions. His long career contained countless seasons in various categories of motorsport, all of which were easy to handle. Mann was a founding member of the exclusive “Grand Slam Club” in the USA, an organization that welcomed national winners in the fields of road, short track, tourist prize and drag races over the half-mile plus the full mile.
In 1975 he won a bronze medal with Team USA in a six-day international trial, and Mann won the AMA National Championship twice. Especially impressive: In AMA’s first-ever motocross race, the race driver emerged from Salt Lake City victorious.
The American competed for Honda at the Daytona 200 at the Daytona International Speedway in 1970 on the four-cylinder CB750. The 35-year-old surprisingly won his first Japanese factory outing in Daytona. Day to day, it made Honda a legend in American motorbike racing, and the manufacturer had never before been represented at an AMA event. Because he defeated GP star Mike Hailwood in that race, this success had an important place in his resume.
In 1971 he repeated the victory of Daytona over the Bosnian Serb Army. In total, Mann handled 240 AMA races, of which he won 24. At the age of 40, he ended his road racing career and returned to his trial roots. Until the 1990s, Mann regularly competed in races, and in 2006 he opened an exhibition in his honor entitled “Superman” in the American MotoGP Hall of Fame. During his career as a racing driver, he built motorcycle tires and other parts for off-road motorcycles.
Mann passed away on April 26, 2021 at the age of 86.
A beautiful story is told about a great mystic, Nagarjuna
By the Wayfarer with images from Sam Burns
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“I Dig Carnations!”
The motorcycle industry couldn’t be sadder. Another Champion is gone. Gene Romero, husband, father, best friend, legend and Champion.
Born, Gene Ronald Romero, May 22, 1947 in Martinez California, Gene called San Louis Obispo home. He cut lawns and cleaned pools to get his first motorcycle. His father, Gene senior, was a tough and proud man who imparted the traits of hard work and honest living to Gene and his two younger brothers, Carlos and Terry. Their mother, Emma was a saint. She had the intolerable job of raising these three, rough and tumble boys, while keeping up with the demands from the patriarch of this respectable Romero family. Her German lineage added a meticulous, sensible and loving aspect to their upbringing. But just don’t get between any of the Romero brothers (or senior) because chances are you may find yourself on the loosing end of the stick.
Always the cool one, Gene had those Elvis Presley good looks. He had class, talent, determination and the best sponsors you could find. He was one of America’s greatest motorcycle racers. He changed the course of professional motorcycle racing when he brought non-motorcycle-oriented sponsors into the sport from outside the industry. When local sponsors like, Bill’s muffler shop or Joe’s Garage seemed to be the only available course, Gene pursued and landed national sponsors like Busch Beer, Ocean Pacific, Evel Knievel and factory Yamaha.
Romero honed his racing skills on dirt and scrambles tracks in the Central Valley of California. As an amateur, Romero used his scramble skills to become a top TT Steeplechase Rider. Not surprisingly Romero’s first pro finish came at the age of 19 at the Castle Rock TT in July 1966. He adopted the nickname “Burritto” with two Ts instead of the conventional spelling with one T. His first national win was two years later in Lincoln, Nebraska riding a Triumph.
Romero had won 12 AMA Nationals during his 16-year racing career and received AMA’s most popular “Racer Of The Year” Award.
His greatest moments may have come in 1970 when he became National Champion, of the AMA Grand National Championship Series and in 1975 when on a completely different style of motorcycle, he became the winner of American Road Racing’s most coveted prize, the king of them all, the Daytona 200. That would be the equivalent of winning the IndyCar Championship and the Indianapolis 500…. an analogy unintended as patronizing… in fact it is flattery. More than once you’d hear his Indy 500 racing car cronies say, “Gene, you motorcycle racers are crazy!”
Chris Agajanian recalls Gene always having a unique way of expressing himself and not soliciting sympathy from others, like when he had a six-month stint in a full body cast.
“He was a huge personality. An old school spirit and akin to his pal “The Intimidator”, the other #3. Don’t cross him or you’d wish you hadn’t. He did it his way ‘til the very end. He had those Elvis Presley good looks and some of the best witticisms around.
Lying there in a full body cast and asked how he was doing, he quipped, “It’s no problem, I’ve had worse things in my eye.”
Still, his best quote was memorialized in the greatest motorcycle movie of all time, the Academy Award nominated documentary “On Any Sunday”. At the time, Gene needed a third place or better finish at the Sacramento Mile in order to be crowned the 1970 AMA Grand National Champion. He remarked when interviewed; “I don’t want to hurt anybody – but I’ve got to get third no matter what… I’m going to get third or come see me in the hospital – I dig carnations.”
The Agajanian Family is shaken and saddened at the loss of our dear friend “Burritto”. You are forever in our hearts. Elvis has left the building and Gene has left the racetrack – with the checkered flag.…..Chris Agajanian
Just seven years after his amateur race at Ascot Park in Southern California he became the youngest AMA Grand National Championship titleholder in the sport’s history at age 22. Gene was so dominant that year that he sealed the championship by winning the Sacramento Mile with two races remaining on the schedule.
After 16 years of racing, Romero retired. Following his retirement, American Honda Motor Co decided to take on Harley Davidson at their own game. Harley had that scene pretty well sewed up with its aluminum XR-750, a bike that every year became more and more intimately adapted to dirt. Honda’s philosophy was; it takes people who understand racing, backed by R&D. For Honda, one such person was Gene Romero. He was hired to manage Honda’s dirt track program. From 1984 to 1987, Honda took home the No. 1 plate and became the series king, winning four championships in a row.
Gene raced cars briefly before becoming a promoter and creating the west coast flat track series, which over the years, has given novice and semi pro riders a place to race at more than 30 venues stretching from Southern California to the Pacific Northwest. He was inducted into the Trailblazers Hall of Fame and soon after, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998. He died just 10 days short of his 72nd birthday and leaves behind his loving wife Cheri and 23-year-old son, Geno.
The family is besieged with prayers and good wishes. Cheri and Geno would like to thank you all for your wonderful thoughts and care. Please understand the sorrow and the despondency, a loss such as theirs, can have on all of the Romero Family. He was a real champion on and off the dirt. Please respect their privacy and peace.
In lieu of a memorial service, many racetracks across the nation will be having a “Moment of Silence” in our hero’s name. There will be a celebration of life TBA. To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Gene’s Championship run, a special event is being planned for the 2020 Sacramento Mile. “The Gene Romero Memorial Sacramento Mile” will feature a limited edition T-Shirt complete with the ROMERO name on the back over his stylized number 3. Also planned will be an Inaugural “Gene Romero Vintage Motorcycle Show” featuring the industry’s finest racing bikes, an official commemorative, pictorial program containing all of the champions that raced in the 1970 Sacramento Mile, the race that was featured in the movie “On Any Sunday”, a display of Gene’s personal, race-worn leathers, helmet and his beautiful Triumph motorcycle, an electronic green-screen photo booth where you and your family can have a picture taken with “Burritto”, a commemorative VIP photo-ticket that will be sold in advance, an autograph signing session for past and present riders on hand, a discounted VIP travel package and much more. Please stay tuned for updates. Chris Agajanian has just accepted the honor as Grand Marshal for the 2020 Sacramento Mile and would love to see you all join us for the Gene Romero Classic Motorcycle Spectacular. R.I.P. Gene Romero #3 “Burritto”
Royal Enfield has revealed the all-new Interceptor 650 and Continental 650 at the EICMA 2017 motorcycle show in Milan, Italy.Watch the recording of the Live Webtelecast from Milan, Italy.
These two new Enfield bikes are made to the highest specifications applicable in USA, Europe and Asia Pacific. They meet all the safety and quality standards matching the best anywhere on Earth. They meet the strictest emission rules. And the twin engine is ready to rock the highways and give you classic stride on your daily commute in the city.
Royal Enfield Interceptor is a 650cc parallel twin engine redesigned from the original 1960s Interceptor brand of Enfield. It is THE California Cool of motorcycles. Bright colours add to the summer of 69 memories of freedom, pleasure, beauty and rebellion.
The Cafe Racer culture was revived by Enfield with the Continental GT and now with the 650cc dual tone Continental GT you have a cafe racer to tour all the cafes in your state and across borders.
Really remarkable bikes and a huge step or rather a gigantic leap forward by Enfield Motorcycles. A Company making motorcycles since before Indian Motorcycles or Harley-Davidson motorcycles ever hit the road.
The chassis and engine are the same for Interceptor 650 and Continental 650. They weigh within 200 KGs. Lot of accessories tested and available. These bikes will launch first in Europe and then rollout globally. Expected date to hit the market is April 2018. The engine is oil and air cooled. Real fun bikes for everyday folks for everyday riding. Not huge bulky hogs and not speed demons. Just a motorcycle for the gentleman who takes pride in class and comfort.
