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The Many ‘Triumphs’ of King Presley

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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

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Deadly Attachment: new biker fiction

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by Ujjwal Dey with illustrations by Wayfarer

Love Triumphs Where Fate Falters

As a handyman, Richard had little to offer than stained clothes and bleached hands. He had worked odd jobs so often and so many, the obvious thing to do was to list himself on classifieds for any small home-repairs. Decidedly, he climbed out into the cold night to the back alley where he had chained his Triumph Bonneville. Few had chopped a Triumph since it was such a collectible.

Click here to read a romance that never ends, only on Bikernet.com

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New 250 Motocrosser from Triumph unleashed

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On September 23rd, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in California was the venue for SuperMotocross World Championship Final, and the spectators had the additional thrill of witnessing the first Triumph 250cc motocross bike in action.

Two Triumph motocross motorcycles made a grand entrance into the arena accompanied with pyrotechnics and fanfare.

The highly anticipated production model motorcycle was ridden by Jeff ‘Six Time’ Stanton, a former champion who had previously won a championship at this very Coliseum. The other motorcycle saw Ricky Carmichael, also known as the GOAT (Greatest of All Time), riding with his own graphics and non-standard specification components on the Triumph 250.

Complete revelation of eagerly awaited Triumph 250 is scheduled for November 28, 2023, and was announced on the giant screens of the stadium.

Marking this moment, Triumph also launched its new Triumph Racing website and social media channels. Follow the action @OfficialTriumphRacing on Instagram and Facebook.

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100 WFC: Shallow Grave

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100 word fiction contest continues…. #100WFC

Shallow Grave
by Rhys
(illustration by Wayfarer)

Gary finished his Triumph chopper metal flake gold with helmet to match. Out for a shakedown run. Cruising back roads all seemed good, until a truck rounded the bend on the wrong side. Both rider and bike slid off the road.

Gary awoke in the ditch his bike several feet away. In incredible deep pain, a bone protruded through his jeans. He yanked off his helmet and flung it up onto the road hoping a passerby would see it. A car stopped. The driver snatched the lid and left. Did he hear Gary’s screams?

The DWP crew found Gary’s lifeless body a week later.

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Yup, its a weekly contest open to all. Just sign up for the free weekly newsletter by clicking here.

Then email us your 100 word limit fiction to the editor wayfarer@bikernet.com

WINNERS SO FAR:
1. for the month of May 2023: “Been There Done That” by Steven Sanner
2. for the month of June 2023: “A Hundred” by Chris Dutcher
3. for the month of July 2023: “First Time” by Rhys
4. for the month of August 2023: “Hilary” by Gearhead

100 WFC: First Time

By General Posts

100 word fiction contest continues…. #100WFC

First Time
by Rhys

Got wind of a ’63 Triumph for sale. I went over to see it. It was a badly chopped Tiger with peanut tank, apes, and blanket for a seat. I had ridden an old Hadaka 50 before so thought I was cool. Kicked it over the megaphones rang…. I popped the clutch and immediately the front wheel lifted pushing me back and went flying down the street. I hung on for dear life until the front wheel came back to earth and the bike bucked and stalled.

Shaking a bit and sweating I walked the bike back to the owner and said….. I’ll take it.

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Yup, its a weekly contest open to all. Just sign up for the free weekly newsletter by clicking here.

Then email us your 100 word limit fiction to the editor wayfarer@bikernet.com

Invasion of the Small Capacity Engines

By General Posts

Small is Big: Motorcycles with less power, more styling, high sales volumes

Just as the world was recognising the perks of weekend motorcycle getaways and big V-Twin engines, there was also economic collapse, trade tariff wars and then the curse of the climate. Everyone complained about the weather and then somebody actually did something about it. Like all solutions, the proposal was a ban.

In this Article we dive into the world of small things making big waves in motorcycle industry

Click Here to Read this Comprehensive Overview of All Things Big About Small

Bajaj-Triumph Frankenstein Baby

By General Posts

Triumph decided to counter Royal Enfield’s might in the sub-750cc segment by attacking its homebase.

They decided to tie-up with Bajaj who have successfully launched KTM and Husqvarna bikes in India.

However, the last time Bajaj challenged Enfield’s cruiser segment by ridiculing Enfields as ancient clumsy elephants, they failed miserably and the viewers were disappointed with the dismal method of launching the new Bajaj long-distance bike called ‘Dominar’. Since then, the Dominar brand of Bajaj is the black sheep in the family which no one talks about and no one really wants to buy.

It would be a big surprise if these two new proposed Frankenstein babies of Triumph and Bajaj can dent anything in Enfield ‘s lineup. It is forever expected to be launched ‘soon’. It missed its deadline to be showcased at EICMA where Royal Enfield shined again as a sole saviour of two-wheeled automotive segment from India.

Most likely, the Bajaj-Triumph franchise / partnership will just grab the market-share away from Honda 350 and Jawa 290. Honda 350 is available at only a handful of Big Wing Dealerships. Jawa 290 has poor customer experiences for their authorised service centers.

Worse still, it will dilute the great brand image that Triumph motorcycles already enjoys in India with decent sales of their models YoY. Hell, they are bigger than Polaris and surely more popular than Honda or Kawasaki with Triumph’s range of models, including classic retro styling, adventure-tourer, racing finesse, off-road ready models and more.

Have a look at the spied models of Triumph-Bajaj in the below video

Pssst!!! Hey, you got to peek into the Cantina for true classics !!!
CLICK TO KNOW MORE….

Triumph Thunderbird Custom by Von Dutch

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1958 Triumph Thunderbird Custom by Von Dutch

PLAN A VISIT to NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM

https://nationalmcmuseum.org

WINTER HOURS: Thru March
OPEN: Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 4pm
CLOSED: Sunday and Monday
Closing permanently Sept. 5, 2023

A young man in Los Angeles named Ken Howard began tinkering with his Indian Scout around 1946. Removing the shapely Indian fuel and oil tanks, he installed a smaller gas tank, a simple oil tank. He added upswept exhausts and taller handlebars atop risers. Employing one of his best skills, he painted and pin-striped the fuel tank. The story goes that he street raced it, crashed it, reworked it over and over, making it his own.

Liking what they saw, Von Dutch did similar types of custom modifications to his friends’ bikes as well. There may have been others detailing what came to be known as bob-jobs that way in 1946. Some car builders were likely an influence, but evidence points to Howard, aka Von Dutch, as a spark for a revolution in motorcycle style. And we are still living with the impact and inspiration of his work. Luckily, many machines he painted decades ago retain his paint work and fabrications.

This 1958 Triumph Thunderbird is typical of Von Dutch’s work for customers in the 1950’s and 1960’s. It was created when he worked with the famed Bud Ekins to build modified motorcycles in the Los Angeles area. The leather Bates saddle with pillion pad is typical as are the small tank and narrow rear fender with sculpted custom tail light. The fork is stripped of most lugs, chrome plated and a perch style headlight bracket is used letting the headlight float. Where some would go to a spool hub, Von Dutch ran with racers who knew the value of a front brake so the stock unit, polished, remains. Upswept pipes make the bike light, sleek in appearance as do the low bars. The polished engine cases with a few custom bits is on full display beneath the small tank. A few parts are drilled for lightness.

Some refer to this paint job as “scalloped,” others call it a “seaweed” design. The paint is likely nitro cellulose lacquer and has therefore dulled a bit over the decades. Either way it’s quite understated and nothing like many typical red, orange and yellow flame jobs on black that soon followed. The reversing green/blue metallic scheme is timeless.

While Von Dutch focused more on customs and bobbers than choppers, his style influenced generations of customizers of all types, still does today. And you could say he’s one who opened the door to the style that evolved into the less functional, more outrageous chopper in the 1960s.

This Von Dutch Triumph is largely original, never restored and is part of the Jill & John Parham Collection. You can enjoy the Von Dutch Triumph, other Von Dutch creations and many other custom bikes from all eras when you visit the National Motorcycle Museum before it closes its doors in early September.

Specifications:

  • Engine: OHV Parallel Twin, Non-Unit
  • Bore & Stroke: 71mm x 82mm
  • Displacement: 649cc / 30.5 Cubic Inches
  • Induction: Amal Monobloc Carburetor
  • Compression Ratio: 8.5:1
  • Clutch: Multi-Plate
  • Starting: Kick Only
  • Horsepower: 34HP, Stock
  • Transmission: 4-Speed, Foot Shift
  • Primary: Roller Chain
  • Final Drive: Roller Chain
  • Frame: Lugged Steel, Single Down Tube
  • Suspension: Hydraulic Fork / Twin Shocks, Swingarm
  • Wheels: 19” Front, 19” Rear
  • Brakes: Drum, Front & Rear
  • Wheelbase: 56 Inches
  • Top Speed: Approximately 95
  • Weight: 310 Pounds

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A Cool Custom Strider Bike by Edge

By General Posts

Greg “Edge” Scheuer delivers for world-famous Flying Piston Builder’s Breakfast

“The entire take on my build was to recreate the famous picture of Marlin Brando from the 1953 film, “The Wild One.” Using one of my grandchildren as a stand in for Brando. I have two grandkids that are both about three so the timing was good.

Luckily, I had a build team which is the only reason the bike is finished.

The photo shoot with my two grandsons’, Wilder and Finn, was a hoot but eventually we got there. Special thanks to Prince Jeff Najar for the opportunity to work with the Flying Piston Benefit.

See you in Sturgis!”
— Edge

CLICK Here to Read this Photo Feature & what makes this entry so wonderful!

About: Strider Bike & Flying Piston Benefit Breakfast
Visit: https://flyingpistonbenefit.com/

DON’T MISS THE BUILDER BREAKFAST
Join us Sunday, August 7th: 8:30 – 11AM at Buffalo Chip
Get to Meet Billy Lane & Darren Mckeag

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Many more great custom builds – and not just for cheering kids. Let’s put a smile on your face this weekend !!!

Have a look at the Free Extensive “Bike Features Section” on Bikernet.com by visiting (click here / see URL):
https://www.bikernet.com/pages/bike_features.aspx

This area won’t feature the same bikes that magazines do. This will cover bikes with style and class, a few nicks, some for sale, others because of what they do, not how they look.

Five Motorcycle Sales Trends Shaking the Vintage Market

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Prices for classic motorcycles are changing

by James Hewitt from Hagerty.com

There’s a Hagerty Motorcycle Price Guide that uses thousands of transactions to track values on 9751 motorcycles. Here are five trends that stood out to us in the most recent update, released in June.

The smart take in the motorcycle community of late, much like for cars, is that a full-on, concours-level restoration rarely pays — at least financially speaking.

Click Here to Read the full Feature Article. See Photos of the Motorcycle Brands & Models.

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