Marlon Brando – The Wild One
The Wild One kickstarted a whole generation of motorcyclists, the Triumph that Brando rides in the film is still a hugely popular model for vintage bike enthusiasts.
Motorcycles
Lunacy by Garage Project Motorcycles
Garage Project Motorcycles is a fantastic Perth based custom motorcycle garage run by a chap named Rex, they turn out custom café racers with a healthy dose of approachability and clean, aesthetically pleasing design.
Jeff Decker’s 1952 Vincent Black Lightning
When it comes to customising Vincent motorcycles, bike builders have to walk a very, very fine line. One misstep and they’ll have thousands of pitchfork wielding moto-purists beating down their door, baying for blood.
1964 Works Bultaco 244cc
This drop dead gorgeous 244cc works racer by Bultaco was raced by Ramón Torras in the early 1964 and 1965, right up until his untimely death on another bike at a race in Spain in 1965.
1974 Norton Dunstall 850
One fine day you’ll find me slapping the “bid” button on eBay, on my way to buying a Norton Commando. I’ve always been partial to the 1968 Commando, the one with the nice big drum brake up the front, but I could easily talk myself into buying something just like this.
Abernathy Kids on their Indian
In 1913 a pair of young boys bought an Indian motorcycle and set out on a road trip from Oklahoma to New York City, they were aged just 13 and 9 so exactly how they could afford the motorcycle is unclear but I think we can all agree that they had very laid back parents.
The Dynasphere
The Dynasphere was a unique attempt at rethinking the still relatively new concept of personal, motorised transport. And it was insane.
Dresda Triton Otto Valvole
Classic Farm Motorcycles is a brilliant little Italian garage with a habit of turning out some of the best classic British iron you’ll find anywhere. The man behind the wrenches is a chap called Fabrizio Di Bella, though is nickname is the rather English sounding “McDeeb”, he builds everything from cafe racers, to off roaders and everything in between.
Odd Job SR542 by Deus Ex Machina
Deus chose the 007 moniker for this, their bored out 542cc SR400, and it isn’t hard to see why. This is a very menacing, very big bellied Japanese chap.
Norton Commando 961SE
The Norton Commando is easily one of the most famous motorcycles ever made, even people who know nothing about bikes will know the name and will probably mention the words “British”, “Café Racer”, “Vintage” and “Fast” in conjunction with the marque.
Motorcycle vs Ice Boat Race
Sounding for all the world like something the 3 hosts of Top Gear might dream up for an episode in Lapland this photograph from 1908 shows an iceboat racing a motorcycle across a frozen lake in Canada.
XS 650 Street Tracker
I’ll be sending pictures of this brilliant, minimalist Yamaha XS 650 Street Tracker over to Rex at Garage Project Motorcycles, he’s been advising me…