photo #8681445

A ton-up girl fixing her Triumph, 1950s.The term “ton-up” emerged in postwar Britain’s motorcycle culture, especially among the rockers, a youth subculture that idolized speed, rebellion, and rock ’n’ roll. To “do the ton” meant to ride at 100 mph or more, a feat that was daring at the time since most road bikes of the 1950s weren’t built to handle such velocity. Machines like the Triumph Bonneville, BSA Gold Star, and Norton Dominator became famous for their ability to push past that symbolic mark.