Mountain Cub and Cafe tales
by Graham (Grays) Smith
by Graham (Grays) Smith
Hi there Steve,
You wanted to know how many 'Cubbers' there are out there in membership land. Well, I've got a 1967 Mountain Cub; and as you will note it's in full trials trim.
Now I don't know if it was exported as a works Triumph trials bike to the USA (?), or if it was a 'Comerford' special exported to the USA, or if it was converted to trials spec' by Johnson Motors (Jo-Mo, Seattle, USA) when it arrived at his dealership in 1967.
You wanted to know how many 'Cubbers' there are out there in membership land. Well, I've got a 1967 Mountain Cub; and as you will note it's in full trials trim.
Now I don't know if it was exported as a works Triumph trials bike to the USA (?), or if it was a 'Comerford' special exported to the USA, or if it was converted to trials spec' by Johnson Motors (Jo-Mo, Seattle, USA) when it arrived at his dealership in 1967.
It is a bit of a mystery as to its full colourful history in the states. The Cub was re-imported back to the UK in 1997 and is fully road legal re: day light hours only!
Since I have owned it I have changed the oil, cleaned out the oil tank and filter, replaced the oil pipes under the sump, purchased a new Morgo oil pump (yet to fit), renewed the air filter, fitted an in-line petrol filter, added a drive chain tensioner and finally an on-board Pro Mo camera.
I would like to add that I use it a lot, but the truth is I hardly use it at all. I just love owning a piece of Triumph history.
Since I have owned it I have changed the oil, cleaned out the oil tank and filter, replaced the oil pipes under the sump, purchased a new Morgo oil pump (yet to fit), renewed the air filter, fitted an in-line petrol filter, added a drive chain tensioner and finally an on-board Pro Mo camera.
I would like to add that I use it a lot, but the truth is I hardly use it at all. I just love owning a piece of Triumph history.
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It's the same with its big brother, my 1961 Triumph TR6. In fact it is a replica of my 1961 TR6SS that I owned when I was seventeen years of age. Same year, same colour, same spec.
That's when the Ace cafe was a true dump, i.e. holes in tables and your spoon was shared with everyone as it was on a chain. If a fight broke out you got out via a broken window - all true ! I can remember being at The Cellar Cafe in Windsor, by Eton Bridge; and there was about a hundred of us bikers. All of a sudden a Mod scooter appeared being carried at shoulder height by about four bikers and then tossed into the river Thames. |
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A great cheer went up as the scooter just disappeared with a splash and a load of bubbles - then everyone carried on as if nothing had happened.
Those were truly great and mad days - we just didn't know it at the time !
Those were truly great and mad days - we just didn't know it at the time !