Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more. Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
Ben Branch -
Steve McQueen’s Drivers License
This is Steve McQueen’s 1964 international motorcycle license, it sold at auction in 2009 for an eye-watering $42,700 USD. Click the image to see the high-resolution version and if you want to save yourself a fortune just print it out and spill some coffee on it. It’ll look totally legit.
Kettenkrad Motorcycle Tank
Officially known as the SdKfz 2 but better known as the Kettenkrad Motorcycle Tank or “Kleines Kettenkraftrad HK 101” the German motorcycle tank is something of an oddity nowadays.
Officine Rossopuro Ottanta
Filippo Barbacane of Officine RossoPuro is one of the top (non-chopper) bike builders in the world today, his work with Moto Guzzi bikes runs that slim line between functional motorcycle and modern art and this bike “Ottanta” is no exception.
Type 9 by Zero Engineering
The Type 9 by Zero Engineering is a far more unique bike than an initial, cursory examination, would have you believe. Featuring multi-link rear suspension, you have to look very closely to see it, at a glance it looks very much like the hard-tail frames also offered by the company.
RustyMetric Issue 1 Now On Sale – 99c
RustyMetric, the new magazine from the iconic editor of BikerMetric is now officially for sale. The 99c 68-page publication is quite literally stacked with bike related articles
Horsehide Perfecto Motorcycle Jacket by Schott NYC
Schott make some of the best motorcycle jackets money can buy and this one is no exception, made from horsehide leather in the USA and featuring nickel snaps, brass zippers and a gloriously retro plaid liner it’s available now direct from Schott for $995 USD.
Kitfox Kit Plane
Having your own plane is often a hobby left to the wealthy, although it doesn’t always need to be. This plane, the Kitfox, can be ordered as a kit plane for under $20,000 USD and built in your garage.
Mustang. It’s a personal thing.
You can never have too many rooflines or NASA-type hood scoops.
Land Rover Series 3 – Budget Crisis Survival Vehicle
If you’ve been hunting around for a suitable end-of-the-world vehicle with the impending and entirely likely US default looming and due as early as next Tuesday, this Series 3 Land Rover just may be your ticket.
Forty-Eight by Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson bikes get a hard rap from some in the two-wheeled community. Personally I think the world is a richer place for the existence of the iconic American motorcycle manufacturer
Alien Bike by The Ko Art Shop
This remarkable and vividly detailed motorcycle is built from recycled materials, mostly spare parts from cars, motorcycles and bicycles at the Ko Art Shop in Bangkok.
Jensen Interceptor R
After the 70s meant many things to many people. To me it meant cars, motorcycles and an overwhelming desire to avoid school at all costs. It was that simple time every man experiences in his life before the inevitable interest in the fair sex sets in and ruins everything.