Hello, The back story of this cool Triumph 650 Desert Racing Motorcycle was historic to say the least. Although it is/was one of the fastest desert racing motorcycles in the racing classes, from novice to expert, it had its own mystery. This one was a part of the local So Cal Triumph Dealer’s contribution to the famed Elvis Presley movie. Several were purchased from the factory and shipped to So Cal for the filming. For us, we were accustomed to seeing the Triumph 650 in this style at the starting line, usually behind our Novice class. When we took off with our small 250 cc Greeves desert racing Challenger models, it was horrendous with 100+ riders stretched across the vast starting line. But, behind us in another row of motorcycles were the experts on their larger motor, motorcycles, usually 650 Triumphs in the high tucked-in pipes versions. The novice class got a 15 minute head start and halfway through the 50 mile random leg terrain course, which included portions of El Mirage Lake Bed. We could hear a loud buzz approaching behind us as we were full throttle on the lake bed. It was the mass of Expert class 650 Triumph motorcycles heading our way on the high speed desert lake bed. The 15 minute head start was now leveling off and we were the rabbits being chased by the big dogs… It was 650 Triumph horsepower vs a small 250 cc two strokes… it was no contest as half of the Expert Class came zipping by the whole 250 Novice Class. The race marshals designed the starts that way due to the large amounts of desert race motorcycles in each event. If the Novice racers started after the experts, then it would take all day and into the late afternoon to finish the random leg 45-50 mile Hare and Hound races. Since the head start somewhat leveled the playing ground, the race legs were finished with plenty of time to relax and recuperate before the long two hour drive home, not in the dark. (If one thinks about the name of the event and the novice class starting first, “Hare and Hound” now sounds about right…ha!!! ) Jnaki The Triumph 650 motorcycles had a history of its own. Steve McQueen was famous for riding his model out in the desert and local So Cal events. But, this Elvis Presley Triumph Motorcycle has disappeared and is now “legend” status. Did they end up in the desert race courses? There was a motorcycle group from Hollywood called the “Viewfinders.” They were all or most were stuntmen with skills like no other. They were usually fast in each division, including the 650 Triumph Classes. So, did those Elvis Presley bikes end up racing out in the So Cal deserts? YRMV Does the big Triumph 650 cc desert motorcycle look familiar? The high pipes with collectors are a derivative of the straight through pipes most desert racers attached to the big motors. This one looks to have a collector with a Forest Service approved flame arrestor on it. The Tom Cobb HAMB thread also showed a collector flame arrestor attached to the end of the exhaust pipes… Riders can never be too cautious…
A man with his 17-year-old air-cooled Franklin, which he liked because it never froze when left at the train station on a winter's day, Fairfield County, Connecticut, 1949.
A teenager with his graduation present from his dad, a second-hand Ford, packed with friends in front of their high school in Mansfield, Ohio, 1941.
The Jalopy Journal
