Perhaps journalists or journalists-manque should never write about their own projects or travels. If we don’t pay or if we receive discounts for the things we acquire or tours we do, there is an immediate response from some readers accusing us of quid-pro-quo prejudice. If we do pay in full, we find ourselves pilloried for perceived confirmation bias; if the report is not entirely positive, we’re accused of sour grapes. You can’t win. But you can’t win if you’re reporting on someone else’s projects or travels either, because you’re still in line to be accused of prejudice or a payoff.

What to do, what to do?

明显的答案是关闭地狱，进入投资银行业务，严肃的挖掘或其他诚实的贸易。但是我喜欢写东西，也可以摆弄摩托车并在上面旅行。为了使我能够做这两种事情，我很久以前决定我只是诚实并应对批评。这似乎已经解决了。自从我在1977年开始以来，我就有读者一直关​​注我的杂乱无章和项目。我也有读者指责我正在接受这项工作，尽管其中大多数都在这个博客上，因为与我许多长期的澳大利亚读者不同，他们don’t know me personally. Or that’s what I like to think.

为什么这个奇怪的介绍？好吧，我与澳大利亚摩托车杂志杂志联合建立的高街双胞胎项目涉及以多种方式获得的零件和服务。进行适当的分手有点复杂，所以我只想说，我以大约三分之一的价格支付了全价，获得了另外三分之一的折扣，并收到了剩余的第三个免费票，以进行审查。我还以降低的价格得到了示威者的自行车。罗比（Robbie）在北边摩托车（Northside Motorcycles）所做的仔细工作得到了全额支付，劳伦斯（Lawrence）在Collideascope的出色油漆工作也是如此。

在详细介绍之前，让我对这个项目的背景进行一些了解。我已经厌倦了咖啡馆赛车手。特别是Airhead BMWS转变为人造咖啡厅赛车手 - 首先创建咖啡馆赛车手的Ton-Up Boys中，没有人考虑使用BMW作为基地，比他们携带的海牛穿着粉红色的Vinyl Jockstrap作为他们的药丸作为他们的药丸。到AceCafé。他们是……啤酒厅赛车手？在我以咖啡馆赛车手的忧虑之前，英国老年铁的游行开始看起来一样。

Enough flat and uncomfortable narrow seats, inappropriate (and uncomfortable) clip-ons and bobbed tails with imitation (one hopes) Lucas taillights. I am not one to offer prescriptions, but motorcycles ought to serve a purpose other than matching an established and done-to-death style. The High Street Twin would be tastefully modified, but it would also aim to be a useful motorcycle. But how would it actually differ from the usual café racer project? What principles would I follow?

Most importantly, the creation must lose none of the practicality, safety and performance of the donor bike; it should if possible improve upon them. It should retain or improve upon the comfort and convenience of the original as well. It should have a recognizable and integrated look which improves upon the original while following a recognizable style. Finally, to earn the High Street (shopping precinct, in Britain) Twin name it must offer carrying capacity for groceries and such. None of that is difficult, but I do not think I have ever seen just such a set of principles announced anywhere. All the better.

The first serious decision for the project was selecting the base bike. A British bike was an obvious choice, as was the marque. Given the lack of other contenders, it came down to a Triumph, and since I wanted a classic look the Street Twin got the nod. The other option was a Speed Twin, but I was less interested in power than in everyday rideability and flexibility. And, to be honest, cost mattered.

这条街双胞胎很好地重现了较旧的胜利的外观，而没有用力或价格越过顶级。我一直很喜欢您可以通过经典的胜利来看待的方式。它也是一款实用的摩托车，其叉靴，放松的骑行位置，充足的座位和整体无意义的设计。爱德华·特纳（Edward Turner）将这辆自行车视为他自己的作品的后代，幸运的是没有他的错误。

The bike also lent itself to the clear image I wanted to achieve. Bikes of its style separate panels from mechanical parts quite obviously, which meant I could have my Candy Red paint for one and the matt/gloss black for the other, producing a unified look to make the bike spark and yet remain somewhat standard-looking at the same time. When it was done, the bike with its traditional paint scheme might have rolled out of the factory (in England or Thailand) looking exactly like that. Only better, in my case, if I do say so myself. For instance, the kidney-shaped Triumph taillight just seemed rather random, so I replaced it with a cylindrical Bolt taillight from Yamaha, which suits the style of the bike much better – even if it is a long way from standard.

In the second instalment of the Tale of a Trump, I’ll go into detail about the changes and parts I used.