- Belstaff and Ewan McGregor mark the occasion with a
bespoke design
London, U.K, May, 2008: Britain's
legendary motorcycle manufacturer, Triumph, is steeped in the
history of motorcycling yet remains at the forefront of engineering
with some of the most sophisticated production facilities in the
world. One of Triumph's best-loved bikes, the Bonneville, is
celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2008\*.
Cleverly blending traditional British style and charismatic
performance, the Triumph Bonneville is the perfect roadster and a
modern design classic. Its unique looks and exhilarating riding
experience have made the Bonneville the motorcycle of choice for
generations of fast-living individuals including screen idols from
Steve McQueen, James Dean and Marlon Brando, through to George
Clooney and Nicholas Cage.
Triumph is marking the occasion by producing two unique one-off
designs for the Bonneville, each conceived by an iconic
collaborator, synonymous with style and British motorcycling:
Hollywood star Ewan McGregor and designer of high-end motorcycling
fashion, Belstaff.
A renowned motorcycle enthusiast, McGregor has created a design
that reflects the Bonneville's rich heritage. The design
incorporates a copper-plated tank, with black waxed cotton by
Belstaff on the seat and side panel, and is inspired by one of his
own vintage bikes, as well as his love of the legendary motorcycle
enthusiast (and Triumph rider) Steve McQueen.
Ewan explains: "I wanted to use a traditional waxed cotton
material as it has such a resonance with the history of style in
motorcycling and mix it with the tradition of coppering tanks. I am
a huge fan of Steve McQueen and his films from the 1960s, and the
font that I have chosen for the Triumph logo harks back to that
golden era of biking.
"This is such an exciting project for me - the Bonneville has to
be the ultimate in iconic British motorcycles, so the chance to
create my very own design and see it through to production is
amazing."
Belstaff, the leading designer of motorcycling fashion, is also
producing a bespoke design of the Bonneville incorporating a
sophisticated black and gold colour scheme synonymous with the
fashion brand's identity. The design also includes a gold seat cowl
and a black and gold pannier bag. In addition, Belstaff is also
creating a limited-edition biker-style jacket to mark the
anniversary. For more information, visit www.belstaff.com.
Michele Mallenotti, designer for Belstaff, comments, "Being at
the cutting edge of design for motorcycle fashion, it's a privilege
to be asked to produce a special-anniversary Bonneville. The
Bonneville's enduring popularity over 50 years is an amazing
achievement. The timeless style and shape of the Bonneville makes
it a pleasure to work with."
The Belstaff limited-edition designed Bonneville will be on
display in Belstaff's stores in London, Rome and Milan.
Your chance to own a piece of motorcycling
history
Ewan McGregor's specially designed bike will be auctioned for his
chosen charity, UNICEF, for whom he is an ambassador. Further
details regarding the auction will be released shortly.
Notes to editors:
\* The very first Bonneville, the T120, was showcased at the
Earls Court Bike Show in 1958, with the machines available for sale
to the general public the following year.
TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES
Triumph Motorcycles, the iconic British motorcycle marque, is
solely owned by John Bloor as part of the Bloor Holdings group of
companies. First established in 1902 and now based in Hinckley,
Leicestershire, Triumph is the largest British automotive
manufacturer, producing around 50,000 motorcycles a year.
At the heart of Triumph's philosophy is a commitment to
developing truly unique motorcycles that offer a blend of design,
character and performance. The innovation and engineering passion
that birthed the iconic Bonneville of the 60's has today created
bikes such as the awesome 2.3 litre Rocket III; the unmistakable
Speed Triple and the mould-breaking Daytona 675.
For those who appreciate the brand's appeal but who don't yet
ride, Triumph offers a comprehensive training package in
partnership with BSM.
Triumph currently employs around twelve hundred personnel
worldwide and has offices in the UK, America, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, Sweden and Benelux, plus a network of independent
distributors. Triumph has manufacturing facilities in Hinckley,
Leicestershire and Thailand.
BELSTAFF
Back in 1924, Harry Grosberg and his father in law, Eli Belovitch,
pooled their talents to produce, for the era, an unparallel
collection of waterproofs. Sturdily constructed and cleverly
designed to combat the worst of the British weather, these
prototypes of today's extensive range soon caught the popular
imagination.
Based in Stoke-on-Trent, England, they made capes, leggings,
rucksacks, haversacks as well as top quality waterproof clothing
for men and women. Progress was swift and sure and in 1927 they
began manufacturing their now famous motorcycle clothing from a
double texture material. In 1953 the first Black Prince Motorcycle
Suit was made, a design so advanced that production peaked at
40,000 suits per year and it stayed in production for over two
decades.
Since the late 90's, Belstaff has reached new acclaim as a
leading fashion brand in Europe worn by famous names including
George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie and Sharon
Stone.
EWAN McGREGOR
McGregor was brought up in the small town of Crieff, Scotland and
went to Morrisons Academy. He attended Guildhall School of Music
and Drama in 1988 to study drama. Six months before graduating, he
won a leading role in Dennis Potter's six-part BBC series "Lipstick
on Your Collar", and has been working steadily ever since.
He made his feature film debut in 1993 in Bill Forsyth's "Being
Human". The following year, he earned widespread praise and won an
Empire Award for his performance in the thriller "Shallow Grave",
which marked his first collaboration with director Danny Boyle.
His major international breakthrough soon followed with the role
of heroin addict Mark Renton in Boyle's film version of Irvine
Welsh's "Trainspotting" (1996).