Survivor: 1967/68 Triumph TR6C Desert Sled

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Survivor: 1967/68 Triumph TR6C Desert Sled (con'd)

Written By: Bill Bryant
10-1-2009
Categorized in: Motorcycles, News

Can a machine have soul? It's just a bunch of rubber, aluminum and steel, right? I argue that a bike like this with its legacy of scars and purposeful mods has more soul than a hungover Baptist choir. It clearly is a visual legacy left by men who made their fun the hard way and we're proud to document it here.

More can be learned about Wes White at his website: Four Aces Cycle

Click the photo above to download a 1280x1040 desktop background image.

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Commented on 10-2-2009 At 05:12 am

RockinRyan

That's a true piece of history there. A homage to real moto-cross. Too bad its all now been replaced with a bunch of bros who are more concerned with getting sponsored by Monster than actually racing motorcycles.

Commented on 10-2-2009 At 05:28 am

Ryan, I've got nothing against a modern motocrosser. In my opinion you won't find a more talented or dedicated athlete in any other contemporary sport, period. I hold early desert-racers in high regard and this story is more about the home-built soul/personality of the left over machine than anything else.

Commented on 10-2-2009 At 08:02 am

onigoroshi

that's a mad-max machine, it needs a crossbow mounted to the handles

Commented on 10-2-2009 At 12:13 pm

In reply to #3

MotorCityOutlaw

Forget the crossbow that needs a 12guage mount. That thing is a true beast in all the right ways.

Commented on 10-2-2009 At 08:29 am

sumo	love that rear sprocket / chain retainer. too cool bike

Commented on 10-2-2009 At 01:50 pm

Let's take that thing down to San Felipe!
Great bike!!

Commented on 10-2-2009 At 04:16 pm

joes8888

Awesome bike.

Commented on 10-2-2009 At 05:10 pm

boogieman

Wow! That thing is great. The chain on various parts would be a real life saver. Like the chain catcher too.

Commented on 10-2-2009 At 06:15 pm

TemeculaTerry

Great article Bill, thanks for sharing with us such a cool bike and its background.

Commented on 10-2-2009 At 08:05 pm

#10

TheDemon

All the attention to detial that counts on that bike is really bitchin

Commented on 10-2-2009 At 09:41 pm

#11

RockinRyan

Don't get me wrong, all of those guys DO have serious talent. I mean, I sure as hell can't do a backflip over the finish line, and they are great racers. It just seems like in the modern world of racing, unless you have some big factory sponsor, you wont be competing.

Commented on 10-3-2009 At 12:35 am

#12

motoguru

kick ass! every time i watch any given sunday and see the way the moto dudes did it back then it makes me feel like a real puss.

Commented on 10-3-2009 At 05:25 am

#13

loganstar

that's a rad fuckin bike-i wouldn't clean in either!

Commented on 10-4-2009 At 02:26 pm

#14

Tyler

The pre unit mag grafted to the unit just blows me away. What a great mod for a desert racer. Think of the work involved cutting up a pair of pre unit cases and welding up that timing case ear and making the mag auto advance gear mesh with the unit. I have no idea how you would get that timed right, it is just so cool.

Commented on 10-4-2009 At 03:08 pm

#15

I agree Tyler. Such a purposeful mod, but how difficult was that? Would be a neat trick on a modern custom because people would freak on it.

Commented on 10-4-2009 At 08:49 pm

#16

fouraceswes

Thanks guys. I love the bike, it is one of my most prized possessions. Knowing Mike makes it sweeter. Mike tells me about coming up on wrecked bikes out in the middle of the Mojave when HE was lost, no rider in sight, no footprints to follow, just you and the coyotes. Motorcycle men were a little different back then, Mike calls them Cowboys. I got a chance to ride this thing in the desert with a friend of mine lately on a similar machine. He is 60 and rode them back in the day. It was awesome. He jumped shit!! I didn't. RAD!

Commented on 10-5-2009 At 04:55 pm

#17

framus

That looks like one of our finned points covers. Weird, wonder if it is.

Commented on 10-24-2009 At 08:42 am

#18

Mofo	That bike has so much soul. Most people looking at it wouldn't even know. Just some beat up old bike to them. Thanks for the article and pics. Just awesome.

Commented on 2-14-2010 At 12:20 am

#19

damned

Come on! Begging for a restore... That on has history behind it. Great call!

Commented on 2-15-2010 At 03:38 am

#20

philbey

I love the fact that he put it in the concourse show. Just to really piss the show ponies off.

Commented on 5-13-2010 At 12:05 am

#21

wildcard

took real guts to blast across the desert on one of those. puny suspension and LOTS of engine. pure grit.

Commented on 7-18-2011 At 04:25 pm

#22

CaptNDirt

That bike brings back some great memories. My first dirt bike had less suspension travel than my 90 Sportster. I raced MX in the early 70s and raced cross country and hare scrambles off and on up until about 2003. I have to say to anyone down on the current bunch of MXers that there is no finer group of people in professionals sports. I think it's also great that the sport has the recognition it finally deserves. Props to those Monster Energy and Red Bull riders. And props to folks Like Bob Hannah, Roger Decoster and many other legends for still being out there and showing these guys how to stay classy and ride feet up.

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