I see you have a soft spot for two strokes, where does this come from?
When I first got into riding it was on a Vespa P200. That turned into tuning scoots for the road with mild porting, different carbs and expansion chambers. Eventually I got into road racing them locally with a group of guys from Portland, Seattle and Vancouver BC.
What were the highlights of your travels this year?
Has to be the Isle of Man TT. I love it. It really is worthy of the bucket list status most riders give it.
You hit the Isle of Man TT which is on any riders bucket list, were you impressed by the speeds
The speeds are thrilling but the technical aspect of the riding is even more impressive. Watching TV coverage or video recaps don’t do it justice. The road surface, the amount of blind off camber corners, matched with the overall speed are what make the whole TT so enjoyable. I’m addicted now and plan to go back as often as possible. While the TT is the main entertainment, the entire Isle is an awesome place to ride and sight see.
Looks like roadracing is in the Blood at Triumph of Seattle. Has this always been the case and is there some history there?
It definitely hasn’t always been that way. It kind of started with the vintage scooter racing and moved into road bikes from there. At this point we’re focused on supporting local racers, especially those just getting into it. Club racing is expensive since sponsorship opportunities are few and far between at that level. We try to help everyone out and work to make it more affordable. I still try to get out and race when I can but with a 6 month old and a growing business its been tough to find the time.
Do you guys make any specialty parts?
We try to work with local machine shops and other specialty part manufacturers to develop products we have a market for but currently no one is producing products for. This happened recently when we partnered with a local adventure bike parts manufacturer to develop proper skid plates, headlight protectors, racks etc. for the Triumph Bonneville range. More riders are building these bikes for off road use but until now there hasn’t been a lot of serious aftermarket support that would actually protect the bike. Everything was for style and no function. So we saw the need and got to work.
Are you all Triumph or do you do other brands as well?
We do sell other brands but are up front with everyone that Triumph is in our blood. We love the bikes and I think Triumph is on the right path. Its nice to have a brand that gives us quality, style and a great riding experience all at once. No matter what the product wether its bikes, gear, accessories, we just want to be able to stand behind what we sell and Triumph makes that easy for us. Reliable, low maintenance and full of character!
That new Thruxton R is really nice. Great attention to detail, what do you like most about the new Triumphs?
The R is awesome, so much so that I had to get one myself. It is the bike many of us had been waiting for from Triumph. The second day I had mine I got it on the track and fell in love. The combination of modern features in terms of electronics, suspension and brakes now paired with a more robust power plant all wrapped in a retro package is what puts most of us that bought them over the top. I was waiting to ride one before making a decision as the new Speed Triple is such a great bike. I wasn’t sure which to get, but after riding the Thruxton it was an easy decision. In terms of performance and handling they are extremely similar but I love the Thruxtons style so it ended up going home with me.
Dirt or pavement?
Both!
Whiskey or Beer?
Both!
Burnouts or Wheelies?
Wheelies all day..