The Reality Behind a Well-Known Motorbike Fantasy
Triumph Motorcycles has confirmed that Elvis Presley did, in fact, give an incredible biker gift to each and every member of his Memphis Mafia in 1965. This is the reality behind a well-known motorbike fantasy.
It is now possible to confirm that Elvis purchased nine Triumph motorcycles as gifts, so that he and his closest friends could ride together in the hills of Los Angeles. This is made possible by the discovery of the original checks in the Graceland archives, which were signed by the man himself, as well as by the recollections of Jerry Shilling, who was Elvis’ close friend.
Elvis Presley was a living music legend and cultural icon in his own right. A true movie star who has made 31 films during his career in Hollywood, he is the solo artist who has sold the most records in the history of the music industry. Additionally, he was an avid motorcyclist, and he could be seen riding motorcycles in a number of his films, notably a red and silver Triumph 650 Bonneville ‘Desert Sled’ in the comedic western “Stay Away Joe” published in 1968.
However, Elvis’ first experience with Triumph motorbikes occurred some years earlier, and it was via this narrative that he was introduced to the brand. This story is just as rock-and-roll as the man himself.
Elvis Presley had been working at Samuel Goldwyn Studios in Hollywood, California, on the set of the musical “Frankie and Johnny” in the month of June 1965. While taking a break from shooting, Elvis decided to spend his free time at his house in Bel Air with his closest pals, who were collectively referred to as “The Memphis Mafia.”
Jerry Schilling, a friend of Elvis and a member of the infamous “Memphis Mafia,” made the down payment on a brand-new Triumph T120 650 Bonneville. The transaction took place at Robertson & Sons, which is located on Santa Monica Boulevard. Once Elvis had carried the bicycle back to his house, he requested that he be allowed to ride it around their area in Bel Air. Jerry, of course, fulfilled his request, and Elvis climbed onto the bicycle. When he got back, he was so thrilled that he urged Alan Fortis, who was in charge of transportation for the company, to “order one for all the guys, but... it has to be tonight!”
On that particular evening, Robertson & Sons was successful in delivering seven Triumphs, which included a combination of 650 TR6s and the high-performance, twin-carburetted 650 T120s. While they were riding around Bel Air, they continued to ride until late into the evening, and the only time they stopped was when their neighbours contacted the police to complain. Following the arrival of the remaining bicycles two days later, the nine of them made it a point to make the most of their time off from shooting by riding the Pacific Coast High together on Sundays.
The following is a recollection from Jerry Shilling, who was a close friend of Elvis: “Elvis loved to ride, and I knew that when he saw my new Bonneville, he’d want to try it... and when he did, he wanted all the guys to have one so that we could ride them together!”
It is believed that the motorcycles that Elvis purchased were 1964 variants of Triumph’s game-changing performance roadster, the 650 TR6 and the 650 Bonneville T120. These motorcycles were essentially the same bike, with one or two carburetors and varying levels of tune. It was available in the elegant Gold and Alaskan White colour scheme for the 1964 Bonneville, while the TR6 was available in the unusual “Hifi Scarlet and Silver Sheen” colour scheme, which included gold pinstriping, a black frame, and forks.
The Bonneville T120, which was named after Triumph’s several land speed records at the Bonneville salt flats, is widely acknowledged as a real design landmark in the world of motorcycles. It was the vehicle that was responsible for establishing Triumph as the leading motorcycle manufacturer in the 1960s in terms of performance, handling, and appearance. A desired classic is the ‘Bonnie’ from 1964, which was manufactured in the United States and featured taller bars.
