What were you riding when you were 13 years old? In 1953, Californian kid Bobby Sirkegian was racing in the equivalent of the NHRA Nationals, so I’m surprised he’s not a household name in motorcycling circles. Bobby used to campaign this Triumph Thunderbird dragbike, “Pretty Boy II”: as a teenager he was a successful drag racer, before taking the flat tracks by storm and becoming the 1957 AMA Novice Champion. By 1960, though, Bobby’s track career was over—curtailed by his father’s untimely passing, and the need to look after the family motorcycle business. Today Sirkegian (below) is 71, but he’s held on to his racebikes all these years. “Pretty Boy II” is a 1952 Triumph Thunderbird 650 dragster, restored by Bobby himself, and it’s going on the auction block this coming weekend.
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