Thursday 18 November 2010

Sara's Triumph

Lots of people have photographed Sara and her Triumph. This is the Flying Dutchman's go. We have Troy Critchlow's Sara shoot in SB6. She wrote the story herself.
This is what Jan Leek thought of it and the rest of SB6.

Came home from a good week in France and didn't look through the new issue of Sideburn until last night. There is some seriously good writing in there. Sarah's sentence artistry made me read her story twice. Mark Graham's compact history of racing had me in stitches and your story on the Wall of Death was more than just entertaining.
Two things: some 35 years ago I was secretary of the local Gothenburg motorcycle club hosting the world level Trials something (Euro or World?, can't remember). Don Smith [mentioned in Mark Graham's feature] walked one tricky staircase section, taking extra care about halfway, grabbing one spectator, instructing him to stay put, where he could see him. "Don't move!" All the time cigarette fixed between his lips. Walked down again, kickstarted the bike, fixed the spectator in his vision, got one metre into the section and fell. Lying on his back, taking the cigarette out of his mouth he shouted up the mountain: "You can move now!"
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Wall of Death - I saw it the first time about 1960-61, the performers using rigidframed 118 cc Husqvarnas, but had a Triumph twin with high pipes on stage outside to attract customers. Started up, it smoked horribly through its straight pipes. Then some 15 years ago I saw a proper show in Mayen, 20kms from Nürburgring, and they actually had at least two proper Indians. It scared me to hell standing on top of that tub, feeling the whole thing rumble under my feet. I got dizzy just watching.
And you may remember the Elvis film Roustabout (Ann-Margret and Barbara Stanwyck in it). At one point Elvis is challenged to ride the Wall of Death (I love calling it a tub) on his CL77 Honda (guitar on a rack, right side) and falls. I believe he is then comforted by quick-riding Ann-Margret.

Thank you, Gary!

/Jan

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Roustabout scene in this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRy6UvCZpLc

Chopper Crizy said...

Cool bike. Congrats Sara.

Chopper Crizy said...

Sorry but, what do you use of tires in this bike? I like the style.

Red Torpedo said...

Hey Crizy
They are Maxxis DT-1 dirt track races tyres. Available in 19in only.

Fraser said...

Sara, must be the most photographed Female on the entire WWW. and for good reason !

Fraser