A Day With Emma at Moto Town in Marina, California

By Joe Berk

A few months ago Sue and I visited the Jameson Classic Motorcycle Museum in Monterey, California, for a Motorcycle Classics “Destinations” article.  It was a marvelous museum in a marvelous locale, we had a wonderful time, Motorcycle Classics published the article, and I first learned of Emma Booton.  Staci Jameson, heir to the Jameson museum collection, explained that several of the bikes on display had been lovingly restored by Emma Booton, whom Staci described as a “restoration goddess.”

I’m currently working on another Motorcycle Classics set of articles featuring how to do different motorcycle maintenance activities, which led me to seek Emma’s advice and, hopefully, to photograph her activities as she did some of the things I would be writing about.  Well, I hit a home run there, too.  Emma was very willing to support the activity, so Sue and I did another run up to the Monterey Peninsula to visit with Emma at her Moto Town shop.

Emma has a sense of humor, as this photo in her shop demonstrates. That’s Emma on the right.

Emma and I spent a great morning together as she worked through a series of activities on a vintage Honda dirt bike and I snapped away with my Nikon.  Emma is a wonderful teacher with a delightful British accent and a very keen sense of humor.  It was fun and I enjoyed every second of it.

Emma Booton’s resto mod Triumph Trident. I want it.

While all this was going on, my eye wandered to the other bikes in the shop, and one in particular was visually arresting:  A resto mod Triumph Trident.  I asked Emma about it and learned it was one of her personal bikes.  The bike has been poked out to 900cc, it has larger diameter forks and dual disk brakes, bigger carbs, transistorized ignition, a hotter cam, an oil cooler, and lots more.

I asked Emma if the colors were the stock Triumph purple that was available in those early 1970s Trident days.  I remembered that Triumph had a purple, but Emma’s bike was much more vibrant than any Triumph I remembered. “No, dear,” came the answer in that vibrant British accent (aurally matching the Trident’s stunning purple paint).  “I knew I wanted purple, but not the Triumph purple, which wasn’t very uplifting.  I looked and looked and looked and couldn’t find exactly what I wanted, and then I saw it…the purple on a Roto Rooter truck!  I call it Roto Rooter purple!”

Call Roto Rooter, that’s the way…

There weren’t any Roto Rooter trucks nearby, and on the long drive back down to So Cal, Sue and I diligently scanned the other cars and trucks we saw on the road, but we didn’t see any Roto Rooter vehicles.  A quick look on Google Images struck paydirt, though, and we saw it.   Emma was right.  She nailed it: Rotor Rooter purple!

Emma and yours truly.

I would dearly love to own Emma’s Triumph.  Not many motorcycles reach out and grab me like that, but the Trident you see here sure did.  It’s a good feeling.

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16 thoughts on “A Day With Emma at Moto Town in Marina, California”

  2. I agree – that purple is stunning. I had a DT100 that was purple and it was my favorite color on a DT. Still 2nd to the Caspian Blue on my Tiger 1050 though.

    1. If you’re looking for an argument on those points, I’m not your guy. I agree, Triumph’s Caspian blue is a superb color. It was the color of my 2006 Triumph Tiger.

      But that purple…

      Thanks for commenting, Fred.

    1. I am the seventh son of a seventh son. Still, luck plays a big role.

      It was a delightful day.

      Thanks for commenting, Tom.

  4. Was doing a resto mod on one of my Yamaha XS650’s and I told my painter (the late, great Jim Morillo) that I wanted to paint it candy apple red. He told me that like olive drab there are at least 30 different shades of that color and could I be more specific. I was wondering around a die cast model shop in Torrance and saw a model truck with just the right shade/color. I bought the truck and took it to Jim and told him that this was it and presto !! That’s what color the bike is today.

    1. Awesome! If you get a chance, send us a photo of that motorcycle, Bob.

      Thanks for commenting.

  5. Not a huge fan of that particular purple.
    Maybe the white with it kinda overwhelms , or rather contributes to the overall look overwhelming my eyes.

    Candy apple red kinda depends on what the base coat is. I got a can in my basement . Wonder if it’s still good?
    Been sitting 40 years. House of color .

      1. I mention the can in my basement and I have one other silver that was basecoat on my shovelhead I am resurrecting . I am changing the fenders but keeping the candy apple tank. So I will see if I can get enuff out of it for at least another rear fender.
        Not purple. But, I may do my bsa in purple. Depends on the tank I use.
        Colors , especially colors that are a bit out of the norm like purple, are dependent on the context the shape the tank gives it. If I do my nos prisim chopper tank purple it will be with a lot of flake. Giving it a vibe similar to dune buggies of that era. If I use my nos Wassel peanut (a true pnut, not a sportster tank ) i would shoot it in pearl . If I go with stock tank I might not use purple at all. Too big of a tank to get too much purple.
        The trident here may not be the shade of purple that turns me away . It just conflicts my eye. Now triumph tanks
        Have a a nice organic shape . When sprayed with the triumph style using scallops , like white scallops on that purple , it could enhance the wholistic look of not just the paint job or even the gas tank , but of the entire motorcycle. I know triumph traditionally does use this half over have paint scheme. But when both colors are competing for the onlookers eye , bright white and purple , one can miss the whole bike. First reaction can be nice paint or it can be nice bike! I much prefer the later. That’s not saying this is not a nice bike. It certainly is. It’s just how I see things a bit differently than some others .

      2. Actually I am wrong . Sorry .
        By the time I typed all that I realized the trident is not painted half over half. It’s the bottom scallop style , which actually does compliment the tank . I always prefer , and what I was talking about is scallop over the top.
        My apology , and my embarrassment, for the knee jerk response.

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