Triumph and Gibson to Support a Dapper Ride for Awareness

[Hugh Janus]

The 1959 Triumph Bonneville T120’s iconic status is about to grow following a partnership with Gibson, the makers of the equally iconic Les Paul guitar. (Triumph Motorcycles/)

Motorcycles and music blend well together, and the sound only gets better when a good causes are involved. In this case, those causes are cancer and mental health awareness.

This sentiment laid the groundwork for the latest collaboration between Triumph Motorcycles and Gibson, two of the most iconic and historic brands in motorcycles and music. The companies have united to create a partnership of two legends: the 1959 Triumph Bonneville T120 and the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar.

The partnership will support the 2022 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, which will take place alongside the Movember movement to help raise money to fight prostate cancer, support mental health, and prevent suicide among men.

The ride, founded in 2012 by Mark Hawwa of Sydney, Australia, brings dapper personal style together with classic and vintage motorcycles. Dapper? Yes; the finest menswear is on display during the DGR, the theme of which was inspired by an image of Don Draper of Mad Men wearing a suit while on a motorcycle. Since 2012, The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride has raised more than $31.5 million from over 340,000 riders across 107 countries.

Although no details of an actual motorcycle build have yet been released, the thought of combining two of 1959′s greatest creations quickly created some energy of its own.

The Triumph Bonneville T120 debuted in 1959 as a factory update to the T100, its 649cc air-cooled OHV 360-degree parallel twin featuring a splayed port cylinder head, a tweaked camshaft, and twin Amal Monobloc carbs. The focus was increased performance, something stateside riders had been seeking since they first saw Brando in The Wild One. The Bonneville name recognizes Johnny Allen’s record-breaking feats aboard a Triumph-powered streamliner at the Utah salt flats. While the name was discontinued in 1975, it was revived in 2016 with a 1,200cc model that’s the basis of many cool modern factory editions, including Triumph’s Modern Classics line: Bobber, Scrambler, Speed Twin, and Thruxton.

As for Gibson, founded in 1902 by Orville Gibson in Kalamazoo, Michigan, many historians claim 1958–1960 was its golden era. Some of the Les Pauls from that generation sell for prices in the mid-six figures.

The Les Paul, used by legendary guitarists of all generations, from Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin to Slash of Guns N’ Roses fame, is as significant to guitars as Triumph is for motorcycles. Together, these brands hope to raise much-needed awareness and help battle men’s cancer and mental health issues.

Triumph will release additional information on March 22. Stay clicked to Cycle World for details about this partnership (and pictures of a hopeful build!).

Source

[Buckster]

Amazing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

not really, it’s totally gay.