Seashore Triumph: Solar, associates, and a ’73 Tiger increase one rider’s restoration…
We love bikes themselves — the sight, sound, pace, sensation, even the scent — but when we needed to choose one factor that makes this two-wheeled contraption actually particular, it’s the larger household it’s created. It’s the individuals.
Throughout borders, languages, and generations, riders share a particular bond with their bikes, with different riders, and with this marvelous, harmful, freedom-making machine. At BikeBound, it’s within the identify itself — we’re sure to the bike, and to at least one one other via it. So immediately’s story is particularly poignant, because it reveals how highly effective the motorbike neighborhood may be once we encompass one in all our personal.
On July 11, 2020, France’s Serge Reveneau (@sand_rocks_makers) was driving close to his workshop, checking the newest carb changes on one in all his builds, when a driver made an unlawful U-turn in entrance of him.
“I took his 4×4 hood head-on between the 2 center lanes of the street…I’m so fortunate the automotive behind me was an ambulance!”
Surgeons spent 10 hours working (efficiently) to avoid wasting his leg and arm. Serge spent 19 days in a coma, adopted by 5 months in a physiotherapy heart, with extra surgical procedures to come back. As anybody who’s been in a life-changing accident or undergone reconstructive surgical procedure is aware of, the battle with ache, darkness, and despair is fierce, typically testing your spirits to the very restrict and past.
Luckily, Serge has associates like Germany’s Kati Dalek (@kayadaek_photography) and her boyfriend, Basti. Not solely is Kati one of many world’s greatest moto-photographers, she’s one in all our favourite individuals in the complete motorcycling world — a real instance of what makes our neighborhood nice. She began an Instagram marketing campaign (#staystrongserge) to rally the customized and flat monitor neighborhood round Serge’s restoration, and he or she and Basti came around Serge within the restoration heart:
“Regardless of how distant they dwell, they didn’t relaxation! Kati and Basti got here to see me on the physiotherapy heart whereas they have been within the Basque nation, she despatched me prints of my XL600R seaside cruising pictures, she linked me with so many motorbike people who find themselves a part of the larger motorbike household, who know who I’m and despatched me so many good vibes that I used to be not permitted to surrender! So I didn’t and so I gained’t!
Serge was decided not to surrender driving, both. Quick ahead to 2022, and Serge picked up the 1973 Triumph T140 TR7RV Tiger you see right here — a motorbike with fairly the historical past itself:
“The primary proprietor was a girl who by no means had a automotive, and he or she was interviewed in a French journal about her and her bike! After that, the Tiger had one other proprietor who set it up as a scrambler however didn’t use it rather a lot. So I’m the third proprietor and I give her the love she deserves!”
Greater than two years after his accident, whereas nonetheless recovering from his accidents and making ready for one more surgical procedure, Serge received along with Kati and Basti on the identical French seaside the place they’d shot collectively throughout Wheels & Waves 2018 and rode his “new” classic T140 for the primary time, sliding via the lens of Kati’s digital camera with an enormous smile on his face. Actually, by no means has the identify Triumph been so apt:
“That’s what is actually behind these pictures which might be actually one thousand instances greater than solely seaside cruising pictures…. It’s an enormous reward after the primary battle in a conflict of all days for 3 associates to have the ability to share a sundown seaside, driving an outdated bike that deserves a chunk of life as a lot as its rider!”
Afterwards, nonetheless smiling, the chums sat again to have a hard-earned drink in entrance of the ocean. Says Serge:
“It’s for these sorts of moments that I believe all of us love bikes. It brings us a method of catching freedom as shut as we will.”
Effectively stated, Serge. Very nicely stated. Subsequent up, Serge plans to rebuild his SR500, to lend his private contact to his British-born “Tigresse,” after which there that outdated Honda XL250 ready behind the store…
Serge, we’re rattling glad you’re right here with us, we sit up for seeing what you do together with your Tiger, and we sit up for hoisting a beer the subsequent time we make it your method for Wheels & Waves.
Beneath, Serge offers us the complete story of his love for 2 wheels, his accident, and lengthy journey again into the saddle. Additionally, a really particular thanks goes out to Kati Dalek for bringing us this story, for the beautiful images, and for being such a ray of sunshine for all of us within the larger motorbike household.
Triumph T140 Tiger: In Serge’s Phrases…
My identify is Serge, I’m 31 years outdated, and I’ve all the time had a hyperlink with two-wheel toys. Since I used to be capable of stroll I’ve been on two wheels: cross nation, enduro, MTB , BMX, and “lastly” bikes. In 2015 got here my driving licence…my mother and father by no means needed me to get a bike as I’ve all the time needed, and life made it late coming.
Way back to I can keep in mind, I’ve all the time needed to get a bike and journey it. Once I was younger, we lived distant from city — we used to say extra cows than people there! All my associates had 50cc or 125cc cross bike — once I was with them, hiding from my mother and father, I used to journey their bikes and work on them!
The primary one I labored on was the mythic French Peugeot 103sp that one in all my greatest associates owned! It got here out of his father’s storage, stuffed with rust, and we ended up sprucing the intakes to get extra energy! At its quickest, one thing like 100km/h! At 13 years outdated belief me you’ll have liked it! At my very own home as a toddler, the one motors I used to be capable of work on have been the mowers! However that was additionally a superb faculty!
Anyway my first motorbike was a Yamaha SR400 FI…rattling it labored nicely. It had the identical chassis because the outdated ones, and true, it had the identical engine. However why did I say “true”? As a result of it had gasoline injection, not a carb! I’m joking, however in the beginning the issue was that I might solely do aesthetic work, nothing with the motor besides the fundamentals.
And that’s actually the place the story begins with my Honda XL600R 1983 PD03. I purchased one — or two, really — to construct the one! That’s once I actually put my arms within the grease, within the deepest elements of the engine with the outdated women bleeding oil from all over the place. I realized motorbike mechanics at this stage, steel shaping, fiberglass work, foam shaping, TIG welding, wiring, and so on. — all of the stuff you have to construct a superb rideable bike! One you’ll be able to push to its limits all over the place! And that’s what I used to do within the Basque backcountry and what I did at Wheels and Waves 2017 Swank Rally! Filled with mud at St Pée sur Nivelle!!
My bike, my totally hand-painted helmet, all the time sporting my scarf, and fuuuullll of mud!! A lot pleasure and likewise so heavy the mud!!🤣
A pair months in a while Instagram, that’s the place Kati discovered me!! She stated, “Hey you! You’re the man with the headscarf, the hand-painted helmet, and the inexperienced Honda stuffed with mud! Have a look at these pictures I’ve received!” Haha good pictures she did of my Honda simply out of the workshop, his rider clear, and two hours later each stuffed with mud!
As I stated, I used to push my bike all the time to its limits, and that’s precisely what I used to be doing whereas I used to be drone filming a sand seaside cruising near the waves! Kati noticed that on Instagram and stated, “Serge you have to present me this place!! We have to shoot!” I didn’t know her that nicely, however yeah actually in the event you wanna go to this prohibited place, then we are going to go! Subsequent Wheels and Waves 2018 meets have been held! She instructed me a few shoot she wanted to do for a Yamaha mission by Kingston Customized, and that it will likely be the event for do each! I stated let’s go!
I had the luck to satisfy all of them on a superb sunny day, excellent circumstances to journey the seaside! And that’s what I did whereas they have been capturing their stuff! All of that was an excellent nice second after which we needed to depart earlier than having hassle with authorities! Some time after this, Kati despatched me the pics! Whoa, she was 100% on level! The pics have been actually cool — I used to be so joyful! My very own construct at one in all my “secret spots” — whoa, this second was excellent!? That was the start of a superb friendship with my two German associates Kati, and her boyfriend Basti!
Now the unhealthy half begins…
Whereas I used to be driving one in all my builds on the eleventh of July, 2020, checking the newest few carb changes near my workshop on an ideal sunny day, an outdated man thought it was proper to show round on a 2×2 street simply earlier than a bridge regardless of he was within the outer lane of this rattling street!
I wasn’t capable of do something higher than what I did with out visibility of what was coming in entrance of me. Anyway it was finished — I took his 4×4 hood head-on between the 2 center lanes of the street. I don’t know what I might have finished higher, and I’m so fortunate the automotive behind me was an ambulance!
At this time I’m able to stroll once more, eat once more, use my arms, and so on. — simply respiratory and dwelling. They labored on me for 10 hours straight. I owe my proper leg and arm and extra to the tremendous surgeons who labored on me!
I used to be in a coma for 19 days, physiotherapy heart for five months, and lots of different surgical procedures to come back. These days, I’m nonetheless doing 6 hours no less than of physiotherapy every week. We will simply say that it was an enormous crash that modified my life. Having one via that, I’m a really fortunate man, as I’m now in a single piece, in a fairly practical physique, and I’ve so many associates to help me and my household.
And Kati and Basti, regardless of how distant they dwell, didn’t relaxation! Kati and Basti got here to see me on the physiotherapy heart whereas they have been within the Basque nation, she despatched me prints of these XL600R seaside cruising pictures, she linked me with so many motorbike people who find themselves a part of the larger motorbike household, who know who I’m and despatched me so many good vibes that I used to be not permitted to surrender! So I didn’t and so I gained’t! And that’s what is actually behind these pictures which might be actually one thousand instances greater than solely seaside cruising pictures!
It’s an enormous reward after the primary battle in a conflict of all days for 3 associates to have the ability to share a sundown seaside driving an outdated bike that deserves to chunk of life as a lot as its rider!
About her: “Mon p’tit tigresse,” “la tigresse,” and “Tigrou” are nicknames I regularly give her. A Triumph T140 TR7RV Tiger from 1973 constructed right into a scrambler / desert tracker by her earlier proprietor, however street authorized, which I’ve simply acquired.
The bike has an incredible lengthy story. It was offered in France in 1973, and the primary proprietor was a girl who by no means had a automotive, and he or she was interviewed in a French journal about her and her bike!
After that, the Tiger had one other proprietor who set it up as a scrambler however didn’t use it rather a lot. So I’m the third proprietor and I give her the love she deserves!
And what’s the goal with this bike is to have a motorbike from the 70’s constructed on this interval type for each on street and off street, a motorbike constructed to have enjoyable all over the place you go!
To be sincere, this was the primary time ever I rode this bike the day of the wonderful seaside pictures Kati did! And I’ve to say that it’s actually totally different than my Yamaha SR and XLR on the sand, but it surely’s so cool!
A bit heavy, because it’s a two-cylinder — similar because the Bonneville however powered by a single Amal carb — however on the moist sand, with a superb rock melody out the exhaust pipes, and that’s it, full throttle then a little bit of angle! Near the waves and a loopy smile on our three faces!!
All of us deserved it!! The sentiments of being there driving once more with this bike and my associates!? Unimaginable to explain, because it was so unimaginable! And in any case of {that a} good drink in entrance of the ocean earlier than the subsequent surgical procedure!
It’s for these sorts of moments that I believe all of us love bikes. It brings us a method of catching freedom as shut as we will. As for me, I’ll all the time combat to have the ability to take pleasure in these moments of friendship, driving, and sharing! Subsequent steps are to rebuild my SR after which deliver some love and provides my contact to the Triumph Tiger and…there may be an outdated XL250 that sleeps behind the workshop!
So for all of that I wish to thank everybody who has and is participating in my restoration, and for this second particularly Kati and Basti, my two good German associates. And life, I’m nonetheless alive and capable of journey bikes!
Observe Serge: @sand_rocks_makers
Observe Kati: @kayadaek_photography
