Within the story of motorcycling lies the story of the world. Look closely, it’s all there; heroic deeds, political intrigue, design brilliance, cut-throat business practices, quirky characters, international tensions, art, sex, and death. Motorcycles are beautiful, but only metal, so we follow the people who build, ride, and make art around them, constantly finding unexpected riches… in fact, everything that makes life interesting.
The Vintagent began as a blog in 2006, founded by Paul d’Orléans, and amassed millions of views and nearly 1000 articles in ten years. A total revamp of the site began in 2016 to seamlessly incorporate film and a new, reader-friendly layout. We actively collaborate with historians, artists and filmmakers from around the world to bring the best possible content to the widest possible audience. Got something interesting? We’re interested, and welcome collaboration.
PAUL D’ORLEANS
Founder
Paul d’Orléans is a globally recognized expert on motorcycle history and culture. He founded The Vintagent as a blog in October 2006, after being photographed on The Sartorialist (!) and sensing a new opportunity to explore imagery and ideas. The immediate popularity of TheVintagent led him to abandon a 25-year career as a decorative paint specialist by 2009, in favor of a new career of writing, photography, and film, mostly related to motorcycles.
As a writer, Paul is Custom & Style editor at Cycle World magazine, editor-at-large for At Large magazine, monthly columnist for Classic Bike Guide, and a regular contributor for print sources as diverse as Men’s File and The Automobile. He has authored two books: ‘Cafe Racers: Speed, Style, and Ton-Up Culture’ (MBI 2014) originated as an exhibition in Sturgis, co-curated with photographer Michael Lichter. ‘The Chopper; the Real Story’ (Gestalten 2014) is the only comprehensive history of this 2-wheeled outsider art movement, which is as American as Rockn’Roll and Abstract Expressionism. Paul also contributed significantly to ‘The Ride’ (Gestalten 2014) and ‘The Ride: 2nd Gear’ (Gestalten 2016), and ‘The Impossible Collection of Motorcycles’ (Assouline 2013), among others.
Paul is a regular judge/host at major events like the Concorso di Villa d’Este, the Quail Motorcycle Gathering, and the Las Vegas antique motorcycle auctions every January for Bonhams and Mecum auction houses. His auction commentary is featured annually on NBCSN – TV, and his knowledge of motorcycle history from 1867 onwards keeps him busy as a consultant/copywriter for auction houses and print publications around the world.
Paul has partnered with alternative-process photographer Susan McLaughlin for the MotoTintype project, a celebration of motorcycle culture through the medium of wet plate/collodion photography. Susan and Paul have crossed the USA on back roads 3 times since 2012, shooting wet plate photographs of the Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Run, the most difficult vintage motorcycle rally in the world. This body of work will appear in a book in 2017, and they exhibit their photos regularly in the USA and Europe.
An arch film enthusiast, Paul was also host, chief judge, and founding partner for the Motorcycle Film Festival from 2012-16. His desire to support the film arts inspired him to create the non-profit Motorcycle Film Foundation in 2016, with Film Festival founder Corinna Mantlo. The Foundation provides a year-round portal for motorcycle film, video, and experimental media, creating a cutting-edge showcase for motorcycle film arts.
CORINNA MANTLO
Curator of Film
Corinna Mantlo is the founder and lead designer at Via Meccanica, creating unique motorcycle seat restorations for some the most well know custom motorcycles in the world. Corinna has appeared on BBC, CNN, Talking Motorcycles with Barry Boone, and has been featured in the New York Times, New York Post, Time Out New York, Nativen, Rolling Stone Italia, Cafe Racer Magazine, and countless other publications.
Corinna also curates, produces, and advises on the production of media, art, and film events around the world and has been hailed as one of the “leading female experts of the custom and vintage motorcycle community.”
Born and raised riding on the streets of New York City, Corinna learned her trade as an artist, craftswoman and filmmaker, and in 2008 she founded the weekly film series Cine Meccanica, screening ‘the good, bad, and bizarre’ of motorcycle and hot rod movies. After 9 years of film and motorcycle studies, travel, research, and public appearances, Corinna has become the authority on contemporary and vintage two-wheeled and hot rod cinema. She also appears as on-air talent, produces and writes for several media outlets, speaks and hosts at various conferences, festivals and events worldwide, and has contributed to several books, including “The Chopper; The Real Story” (Gestalten 2014) by the legendary Paul d’Orleans.
In 2013 she founded the Motorcycle Film Festival which became internationally recognized for the seriousness of its purpose, the quality of the films presented, and its impressive panel of judges and supporters. In 2017 she joined The Vintagent as Film Curator to bring the best motorcycle-related films from around the world to a much larger audience.
Corinna is the founder of the New York City women’s motorcycle club the Miss-Fires, and the distinctive burble of her vintage BSA A65 custom rattles the glass towers of Wall St.