Posts tagged as:

Motorcycles

Indian Tri-Car

May 21, 2010
Indian Tri-Car

Mr. and Mrs. Willie Kay in 1906. Before the Model-T changed the face of America by bringing affordable autos to the masses, motorcycles, and the many variations thereof, were a less expensive alternative. The Indian Motocycle Company offered the Tri-Car, an interesting three-wheeler that placed the passenger right up front. Were women more trusting in [...]

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1965 Electra Glide

May 16, 2010
1965 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide

This photo is from my “in-law archives“, and shows a non-family member whose identity no one can recall. The bike can easily be identified as a ’65 Harley-Davidson FLH Electra Glide, as that was the last year for the “panhead” engine and the first for electric start and the “Electra Glide” name. (visible across the [...]

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Lady Motorcyclist

March 31, 2010
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From the earliest years of the 20th century comes what was then a rare sight indeed: a woman piloting a motorcycle. I was once pretty savvy about early bikes, and could have told you the make of this one, but I’m not sure now… perhaps an early Pope?

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Viva Montesa!

February 24, 2010
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The 1960s and ’70s were host to a growing interest in off-road motorcycling, from trail riding to motocross racing, and leading the way were a number of European manufacturers. Companies from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, England, Sweden and Spain gave character and international flavor to the sport at a time when the Japanese bikes were mediocre [...]

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The Greatest Going

February 20, 2010
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This 1965 ad is for Yamaha’s Rotary Jet 80, a small bike with features that were rather sophisticated for a small-displacement cycle. Like Honda, Yamaha established a presence in the U.S. by marketing inexpensive, non-threatening beginner bikes. Makes like Triumph, BSA and Norton had made motorcycles “cool” again, and thousands were ready to give 2-wheeling [...]

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Trick Riders

February 15, 2010
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Motorcycle stunt riders, August of 1941 at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction, Vermont. This was a “wall of death” show, a popular stunt that consisted of riders doing laps inside a barrel-like wooden cylinder, maintaining a speed that allowed their machines to hug the vertical walls. These performers would travel to various exhibits [...]

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Butte Motorcycle Club, 1914

January 29, 2010
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Who would’ve thought that there would be so many motorcycles in Butte, Montana… in 1914? These boys look tough, because they were.

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Live the Triumph Life

January 3, 2010
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Triumph was the bike to have in the 1960s, but lost the battle against competition from Japan in the ’70s.

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Honda SL-100

November 27, 2009
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Here’s my Honda SL-100 after I modded it to be more suitable as an off-road machine. I had a bike magazine (I wish I could remember which one) that had an in-depth article on hot-rodding the SL-100, and I implemented a number of those changes.

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Two-Wheeled Friends

November 27, 2009
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As is often the case with color prints of this vintage (probably 1972), this photograph is a little worse for wear. The motley crew shown here consists of, from left to right, Mike, his older brother Troy, myself, and Greg. These are some of the guys that I often rode with, particularly Troy and Mike. [...]

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“Big Daddy” Ed Roth

November 3, 2009
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The 1960s were inhabited by two cultural icons that were known by the title “Big Daddy”, drag-racer Don Garlits and the artist and car customizer Ed Roth. (1932-2001) Roth represented Southern California culture like no one before or since, and his “Rat Fink” character has become an enduring icon. His graphic arts also included all [...]

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Hodaka Super Rat 100

October 29, 2009
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Ah yes, the venerable Super Rat. Based on Hodaka’s durable Ace 100, the Super Rat was a total transformation of the docile trail bike, resulting in a fierce motocross racer. I remember well that day roughly thirty-five years ago when a good friend upgraded from his Honda Trail 70 to a Super Rat. I also [...]

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Me and My Wombat

October 19, 2009
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That’s right, it’s yours truly zipping down the street on his brand-spankin’ new Hodaka 125 Wombat. My sister, who was taking a photography course at NTSU at the time, captured this thrilling action shot. I’m solely to blame for the dopey artwork that was applied with a flair pen. (remember those?)

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Hodaka 125 Wombat

October 15, 2009
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Hodaka got their start in the 90cc arena, which was very much an “off-size” in that it wasn’t a standard displacement used in racing. The displacement was a bit of an orphan, found only on the smallest street bikes and trail bikes. This was improved slightly when the Ace 90 evolved into the Ace 100, [...]

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