"Alle gute Sachen sind drei", is what is written on the T-shirts sold by the German Triples Club. I guess they are right in many ways. This was my third Triplefest, and it must have been the best so far. The first two were memorable, but this one exceeded all expectations. Actually this was already the ninth edition. As you all were able to read, we arranged a meeting point near Tongeren, the oldest city in Belgium, to ride up together. When is howed up at 10.20h Friday (we were to meat at 10.30h), all the others were already there, ready to go and discussing their bikes. There were: Jan Witte from Holland, Imco Boelsma from Holland, Pierre and Sacha Leduc from France and Fernand Coosemans from Belgium. So 5 triple engined bikes, all Yamaha, except the Triumph Thunderbird from Fernand, who used to own a newly purchased Ytriple, until the middle rod went.
After greeting each other, we left for our first coffee near Maastricht, the weather was really nice and sunny, temperature ideal at about 22-23 C. By 1pm we already were on German autobahn, having left the cities of Aachen and Koeln behind. We stopped at a highway restaurant, and had ourselves a good lunch. At the table sometimes got hectic as French, German, English and Dutch were spoken, but there was absolutely no language barrier.
When we rejoined the bikes on the parking lot, another tripler had arrived, and stood waiting for us. Peter from Aachen was on his way to his first triple meeting and asked if he could join us. You bet he could, another triple brother bringing the total up to 6 bikes. With great weather, good company and nice roads, we arrived at Felsberg-Melgershausen by 6 pm. The IG (club) managed to obtain the local Sportplatz just out of town to accomodate all participants. A complete soccer field should be enough for everybody to put up the tents, no? A large tent served as restaurant and ballroom hehe.
After being registered in Uwe Werners portable computer, we set up our cotton houses right near the tennis court, and bought some more good food on the spot. In the meantime the first known German faces turned up to welcome us. They were stunned by the presence of Pierre, who lives just south of Paris. And what is more, his triple really looks nice; not only the blue seat cover attracted lots of people :-), but also the Italian mufflers, attached to the original headers. They looked good, sounded nice and dind't cost a fortune. Imco's bike in fact was one of the oldest among the lot, being a 2D (grey/blue). It is now equipped with double BSM mufflers.
With some hours to spend Friday evening, we talked and talked and talked over a few beers or more. Peter's triple didn't look 100 %, but it sure was mechanically OK. He told us the top end had been "done" with new oversize pistons and rings, valves, etc. It didn't burn a drop of oil on the whole trip, which can't be said of my triple. Well actually, all is within certain limits, it used 0,5 l on 1200 km, which is OK, but it smokes quite a bit on the overrun, especially at highway speeds. After a few more Hessisches Loewenbier and some Dujardin, we all went to bed.
Saturday morning proved a little painful for some heads, especially those of the Dutch guys. Even after a somptuous breakfast, the brain still wasn't awake. Mine was however, and wanting to enjoy every minute of that day, i called upon some German brothers to take us along some nice roads for a short morning trip. Pierre, Sacha, Peter and Fernand also joined this ride. As a result about 8 Ytriples of several nationalities set out, scraping off all bends in the neighbourhood. Man, this was biking at its best, i can tell you. When arriving back at the Sportplatz, we were amazed by the number of people that had gathered for the organised afternoon trip: the number of participants topped 180, alltogether riding about 160 bikes, among them 140 Ytriples !!!! Most common model is the 850 Standard, followed by the later 750 Standard. Few specials (S series), some nice cafe racers, and some really nice sidecar-equipped triples (see also pictures of '97) complete the picture. Around noon, another known name had arrived in Felsberg. Michael Riehl, also member of our mailing list, was one of the founders of the IG, some 10 years back. He showed us some really interesting pics of gatherings over the years, and some very interesting pictures of racing triples. My goodness, triples of which only the engine looked like stock, though i'm sure it wasn't. Frames with a backtube the size of a drain pipe, and chain final drive. Maybe he can scan some of those for the rest of the world to show.
At 1.30 pm the first part of the bunch left the site for the guided tour, some 145 km through Waldecker Bergland. We left with the second group. It's needless to say that it is most impressive in every way (sight and sound) when more than 50 triples are moving together through the German countrysite. We headed for Waldeck castle on top of a mountain. It was built in the 12th century and overlooks a huge lake, the Edersee. The parking lot near the castle was litterally invaded by triples, as the picture testifies. Along the tour we passed several little villages, all very nicely looked after, clean houses in typical style, decorated with loads of flowers. Some people, often children, were waving at us from their doorsteps, as the triple herd rumbled by.
It was tough for the "forerunners" to hold the bunch together, as we passed several traffic lights. Luckily the organisers had provided every participant with a roadbook, so that everybody could ride the complete tour, even if the rest of the group was out of sight. All triples completed the trip without a single problem. A XS11 suffered from a leaking petcock (he guys, we're not alone), and was helped by Harald. An 850 petcock was bolted on to repair the leak, imagine that ! By the way, the only bike showing real problems at the start of the tour was a Super Tenere. The ignition failed due to a bad electrical connection. The problem was solved by triple owners. Once back at the Sportplatz, it was dinner time again. This time we had ourselves a real French meal; yeah, triple brother Pierre was keen enough to bring us some real good food from France in his left Krauser case. Don't ask me how he did it, but he had to carry all luggage and camping stuff for two people, and apparently still found a corner in his case to fill with two bottles of red wine, some bread and sausage. Amazing guy. Around 10.00 pm the triplefest got at its peak with the rockband "Saddle Up Oldies Band" from Kassel starting to play a range of classic rock songs. If "Born to be wild" and "Smoke on the water" don't get you in the right mood, than there must be something wrong with your bikers heart. The band kept on playing till 1.30 in the night. Beer flowed in large quantities: for the statistics: 525 liter was consumed that Saturday evening (250 liter Friday night).
Sunday morning: time to face the facts: we've got to go back home. Yuk. But not after covering another 600 km on the triples :-) . Another huge breakfast got us back on our feet. After extensive handshaking and hugging, we left the Sportplatz. Peter leading the way over some great secondary roads. Dutch guys Jan and Imco left on their own as their home lies further to the north on the map.
By 18.00h i was back home, already looking forward to the next Triplefest. This triplefest was absolutely, positively a GREAT weekend, organisation was about perfect, good weather and riding conditions, and above all great people. And that is also what got Pierre's attention, attending for the first time: the atmosphere is just right, relaxed, friendly among those other triplers. Nothing got out of hand, everybody talks to everybody, real triple-brotherhood. And that is exactly the only thing that the police could find on their routine visits to the place.
To get some of that spirit back before arrival of the winter, i will try to get some of those European triplers back together for our second "Harvest Meeting" in Belgium (Aftertriplefest). I'll stop right now and let the pictures speak for themselves.
Filip Van Mieghem
P.S.: many thanks to Harald
and Uwe Werner (and all the others) for putting up another great
Dreizilindertreffen!!