Some artists favor a demure profile. Olivier Mosset is one of those: elusive yet bona fide. Tutto d'un pezzo, as we say in Italian. He spends much of his time traveling. "I am semi-retired," he says, though regularly partakes in projects, exhibitions, and collaborations around the globe.
For the occasion of Exposition de groupe—an exhibition which took place at The Kitchen in early December—Mosset traveled to New York from his adopted home of Tucson, Arizona and spent a month catching up with the city's art scene. I heard of his visit through curator Peter Scott (who wrote an essay on his work for GREY IX) and intended to plan a time to meet, but I later acquiesced to the artist's notorious elusiveness. During his stay, we serendipitously met at press presentations, gallery openings, and exhibitions around town. One of those encounters happened one damp fall morning in the Upper East Side during a press preview for French artist César.
Olivier Mosset takes over the French Embassy with motorcycles and his white minimalist paintings
Some gallery visits later, we discussed our common passion: motorcycles. Exposition de groupe featured a complementary exhibition at the French Embassy, including four of Mosset's custom choppers surrounded by a series of his white monochromes. Hosted by Sophie Claudel, Cultural Attaché at the Embassy, the bright second floor suite of the mansion became the background for a conversation on motorbikes and art. Looking at the exhibition affiche on Fifth Avenue showing Mosset's Panhead in front of a Michelangelo replica, Mosset commented, "It was fun to shoot the bike there because, you know, we can have a Michelangelo next to my bike but I'm sure Michelangelo could have never had a bike like that."
The semantics surrounding motorcycles are charged and evocative. A motorbike is rarely a mute tone in an artwork, and not an acquiescent visual material to deal with. Mosset's motorcycles have no desire of becoming an artwork, a sculpture—they can and will be ridden out of the gallery space. The earnest adherence to their original purpose is what makes them art on their own terms. There is a sense of playful austerity in this disposition, Mosset concedes, while bending down to clean motor oil leaking from his Panhead on the immaculate parquet floor.
Jeffrey Schad and Vincent Szarek, High Lil' Pony, 2011. 1969 Triumph Tiger, 39 cubic inches, 650 cubic centimeters.
Do you remember the first time you rode a bike?
It was 1969, or something like that.
How old were you?
Twenty-five, twenty-six. I used to have motorcycles, yes, I was interested in that but I used to separate the art and motorcycles. I did not talk about it, actually.
Did you consider that just part of your private life?
Yeah, exactly. Then people like Steven Parrino, Sylvie Fleury, came about—and today you can show anything, and it’s all right. The first time I showed motorcycles and paintings they were motorcycles by Indian Larry, the customizer. At one point he fixed an engine for me, and I said, "Do you want to show the motorcycle in some Manhattan gallery?" and he said, "Yeah, yeah." Then he died in a motorcycle stunt, and I forgot about it, but his shop went on for a little while and I talked to the lady there, saying that we talked with Indian at one point about this—it was a casual conversation. But she said, "You know what, we still have the motorcycles, so if you still want to do it we can do it." And that’s the first time I did.
Was it your idea then to show them in a gallery?
It’s because the motorcycles were amazing. Indian Larry, he’s kind of a legend. Also, at the same time—I have to try to remember, it was maybe even before then—I had a conversation with Steven Parrino, who was also interested in this "‘bikers culture," or whatever you call it. There was a show in Switzerland—a promenade, outdoor sculpture thing—where they often invited the same people, and I thought, if I was to be invited again I'd build a motorcycle and show it there—which I did.
Left: Olivier Mosset, Jeffrey Schad, and Vincent Szarek, Panhead, 2011, 1965 Harley Davidson FLH, 74 cubic inches, 1200 cubic centimeters.
This one was a nice motorcycle, but it did not have any paperwork or anything, it was just running. I thought that as a gesture, in the art world, it was cool but really just ok... it was not a great motorcycle. Vince Szarek, who painted all these here, at one point said, "You know what? I painted a motorcycle for a friend of mine, you should see it"—or something like that—so we went to see Jeffrey. It was his motorcycle that Vince had painted. At that point I said I had a '65 Panhead, and maybe we should customize that. That’s what we did. My idea was to do it nicely, to do a motorcycle that we could show in a motorcycle show—which is exactly what we did.
This would be your main bike.
Yes. In fact I drove it before it was customized from New York to Arizona, to Tucson, passing by Sturges, and it broke—you know, they’re old and they all have problems. There’s this culture of customizing, and keeping the quality. I am friends with all these people, we have a little bit of the same style, kind of a fifties type of radical motorcycle.
That’s how it started. We showed the Panhead in a couple of group shows, and then I had a show in a gallery in LA, where we showed Jeffrey’s Rootbeer, Vince’s Triumph, and mine with these monochrome paintings. When Sophie Claudel asked me to do something here, I was happy to add one bike by John Copeland, so it’s not exactly the same show we had in a LA. These bikes exist in different worlds. They are exposed in different venues—a motorcycle show vs. an art gallery—and people, in turn, perceive them differently too.
All these people are artists—John Copeland is a painter, Jeffrey is a photographer…
True. They’re just appreciated in different ways. In here, they stand as an artistic statement, whereas in a motorcycle show people would probably get more excited about the mechanics.
Jeffrey Schad’s lace paint job on your Panhead is very well done.
The lace thing is something they used to do in the fifties. In fact we also did a car, a ’65 Bel Air, Vince and Geoffrey worked on it and painted that with lace. We showed it in Tucson, and here in New York in a bar for a while, and we drove around with it. The plan is to ship it to France now because I’m having a show in Paris, and I’ll bring the car.
The decision to include bikes and cars in your art shows was organic then, it wasn’t something you just decided overnight.
No, it was because of Indian Larry, and the bikes… not just that, I always knew there was an aesthetic quality in motorcycles. You bring these bikes on the streets and people will stop and look at them.
When did you make the connection between the two practices?
It was the conversation with Indian Larry at the beginning. It was also because of people like Sylvie Fleury who showed the cars, and in a way César’s art too. It is because of the aesthetic quality that these motorcycles have that these things are possible, that they can be shown in a gallery.
How was it working with Indian Larry?
He was good. He was a good mechanic. He didn’t do any design for me, he only worked on the engine.
Peter Scott, who wrote an essay on your work for GREY IX, mentions how there’s sometimes confusion in the art world p the 'artwork versus industrial design' debate. He cites the example of The Art of the Motorcycle exhibition at the Guggenheim. Care to comment?
Well, first of all, I think they had more visitors than they ever had before [at the Guggenheim]. I knew Krens, he sent me the catalogue and it was great. It was a gesture to show a history of the motorcycle in a museum like the Guggenheim, which It’s a big ramp actually. I thought it was big, but I have seen motorcycle shows that were as impressive. There is the Motorcycle Museum, there’s something in Milwaukee...
What I was interested in is that these motorcycles are customized, painted by an artist... it’s a different thing. They’re not the ones you can go and buy in a shop. There is some kind of artistic work on these. Actually some at the Guggenheim were too—you had bob jobs, a couple of Panheads—though they re-did the Easy Rider Panhead because the original one was stolen...
Look, this is an actual leaf.
It looks like a marijuana leaf.
That’s what it is!
Where do you keep the bikes when they aren’t traveling around the world?
In Brooklyn, these people work out in Bushwick.
How do you like working from your Tucson studio versus your New York one?
Well, in Tucson... I have motorcycles there, I have nice cars… and in Arizona you don’t need a helmet!
In a few states outside of New York you don’t.
It’s good though, you should not have any accident because it’s trouble. I woke up in a hospital one day in Paris… though I had a helmet.
I grew up riding with a helmet in Italy, but the feeling is very different when you ride without one.
It’s old school.
It depends on the roads too, it’s a different style of riding from what I’m used to. Going on road trips with motobikes in Italy... there’s some serious curves there. Are you into the biker club's scene at all?
I was. When I was younger in Paris that was the scene. These people became Hell’s Angels, though I knew them before. I still have friends there—in fact that’s why I keep a motorcycle in Paris—but I’m getting a bit old. I don’t ride at night anymore.
Motorcycle ambulances were an innovation in WW1, used by the British, French and American militaries, as well as non-governmental support groups like the Red Cross. In the 'Teens, four-wheeled ambulances were very heavy, underpowered, poorly suspended, and used solid tires, making them slow, unwieldy, bumpy, and likely to get stuck in rough, muddy going common in Europe near battlefields. Smaller, lighter ambulances were required, and motorcycles with sidecars were found very useful near the front lines to move wounded soldiers away from the heat of battle.
Masonic Ambulance unit for France. Members of the Masonic Ambulance Corps, organized in San Francisco, California, in front of the City Hall in that city on the first leg of a journey that eventually landed them at the front in France. The men are here shown leaving for their camp at American Lake, Washington, for their training. Capt. Rawlins Cadwallader of San Francisco, was the head of the unit which consisted of four doctors, 119 enlisted men, 12 ambulances, 3 motor trucks, and four motorcycles. Summer 1917 [National Archive]While movie histories favor front-line heroics mingled with the horrors of battle, the reality is, war is organization. The infrastructure behind battling armies is far larger than their fighting front, and supplying, clothing, directing, feeding, arming, transporting, communicating with, and keeping soldiers healthy is an enormous task. It's how supply companies like Bechtel and many others, in a long chain stretching back to the oldest conflict of armies thousands of years ago, have got incredibly rich, because private contractors have always been the military's back story. And private contractors supplied motorcycles, and motorcycle ambulances, for various militaries during WW1.
"Off for a day's work. A surgeon of the American Ambulance Field Service mounted on a motorcycle, leaving for the front to administer aid to the wounded. Feb 1918" Note: the machine is a 1917 Indian Powerplus and sidecar - Indian had a far larger share of US military contracts than any other make, as they were a much larger company than any other American brand at the time. [National Archive]Among the earliest sidecar ambulances were first used on Redondo Beach, California, way back in 1915. They were found useful for getting to drowning victims quickly over the sand, where previously rowing teams had used whaleboats to reach victims, which took far longer to drag across a miles-long beach. Even earlier, the Knightsbridge Animal Hospital and Institute in London tried sidecar ambulances for animal transport as early as 1912, a system still in use into the late 1930s.
"Camp Cody, New Mexico. Red Cross Pass Office and Information Bureau, Base Hospital at Albuquerque" Note; the machine is a 1917 Indian Powerplus and sidecar [National Archive]During WW1, American forces and the Red Cross used Indian and Harley-Davidson motorcycles for ambulance and medical transport duties. Both makes had reliable motors and 3-speed gearboxes with robust clutches, and were very lightweight, compared to liter-capacity machines today - well under 400lbs. What their wounded passengers suffered while bumping along the muddy tracks of Flanders should be balanced against their likely fate without these light-duty transfer vehicles, which was prolonged suffering and likely death. It was found that the faster an injured soldier was treated, the more likely he was to survive, so getting them away from the front as quickly as possible was crucial. This is a point discovered by every medical service during the war, an example of which was our 'Angels of Pervyse' article on this very subject.
"Motorcycles used to rush field aid to the wounded. Motorcycles are used to rush surgeons to seriously wounded troops. Photo shows a motorcycle mounted surgeon about to leave an ambulance dressing station in answer to an emergency call." Note: 1917 Indian Powerplus and sidecar [National Archive]The organization of care for the wounded at the battle front was roughly as follows: only a few feet from the front lines were various Aid Posts with a chief Medical Officer, his various orderlies and stretcher-bearers, who waited to attend the wounded. Sometimes these were in ruined buildings (as with the Angles of Pervyse), or trenches, or even shell holes. In action, the RAP was situated a few metres behind the front line, this could have been in a dugout, in a communication trench, a ruined house, or a deep shell hole. These first-response medical personnel basically first aid posts, so soldiers could return to fighting immediately.
An Indian Powerplus ambulance in 1918 [National Archive]In more serious cases, they staunched bleeding from large holes and lost limbs, and these soldiers were usually taken by stretcher to Collecting Posts or Relay Posts, where teams of stretcher-bearers would walk, sometimes for miles, to a road that could carry a vehicle. Once in an ambulance - motorcycle or car or horse-drawn - the wounded were taken to Casualty Clearing Stations, which were semi-hospitals with capacity for 200 or more wounded.
"American Red Cross Ambulance men in Italy." Note: Ernest Hemingway wrote about his time as a volunteer in an Italian Red Cross unit during WW1, in the north of the country, in his book 'A Farewell to Arms.' The motorcycle is probably Italian - perhaps a Frera as seen here in this Arditi photo. [National Archive]There was limited treatment, but some surgeries were carried out when possible, and usually such stations were grouped in threes or fours, and worked in a relay system, closing down when full, and sending the wounded down the line to the next tent, and re-opening when the first batch had cleared out. The soldiers could he held for as long as four weeks, after which they were returned to battle, or taken via Ambulance Trains or Inland Water Transport to a proper hospital. Of course, these front-line facilities had limited capabilities compared with today, had poor anesthesia and no antibiotics, so their locations tend to be marked by military cemeteries filled with soldiers who didn't survive their treatment.
"Motorcycle with stretcher attachment used for Red Cross work. Photo shows a phase of Red Cross work being executed in maneuvers at Van Cortlandt Park, New York." Note: the motorcycle is an Indian Powerplus [National Archive]These photos are part of our ongoing series from the National Archive, which are mostly unpublished, and certainly not seen for nearly 100 years. They're a fascinating trove of information about motorcycling's past, how they were built and used and tested in the best and worst situations, and we'll continue digging into various archives for more articles on The Vintagent.
The US Army Motorcycle Ambulance Corps field outfit, powered by a 1917 Indian Powerplus [National Archive]"A motorcycle sidecar outfit used in France for jitney service" Note: this is an Indian Powerplus sidecar, seen in Paris [National Archive]Members of the American Red Cross with their Red Cross Harley-Davidson and sidecar. used to transport medics and medicine to difficult spots [National Archive]
When the USA declared war on Germany (although not on the Central Powers) in April 1917, there was an unprecedented scramble to fill the requirements for modern warfare. Among the novelties: motorcycles that were used for messenger duties, or as mobile gun platforms, or even highly mobile (and highly uncomfortable) ambulances. While President Woodrow Wilson had expanded the navy in the 'Teens to protect the supply chain selling American-made goods to the British and French, he hadn't built up ground or air forces, thinking this would deter the USA from joining the war that had already cost millions of lives.
"Harley-Davidson motorcycles, some with side cars on the road, manufactured by the Harley-Davidson Co, Milwaukee Wisc. for the War Department. Aug 26, 1918" [National Archive]With the US suddenly on a war footing, all the major manufacturers (and some minor ones too) were invited to submit motorcycles for testing, as tens of thousands of motorcycles would be required for war. European armies were using hundreds of thousands of motorcycles by 1917, but the initial American order was low; only about 20,000 motorcycles. That number would increase over time, and to secure more orders, Harley-Davidson offered clever enticements like free training at mechanic's schools for servicemen. Indian Motocycles won the largest contracts at first, as they were a much larger company than Harley-Davidson, but Milwaukee was well represented in the war.
"Model 18-F three-speed twin, Prest-O-Lite attachment and side car." Note the acetylene generator on the rear rack, the nickel-plated tire inflator on the fork, and the speedometer; a fully-equipped machine. [National Archive]These photographs are part of our series of images discovered in the National Archive on their 100-year anniversary. They've never been published as far as we know, and represent the US Gov't keeping tabs on the manufacturing processes and products of its military suppliers. This series shows Harley-Davidson motorcycles and sidecars on display and in use by the US Army, in many different configurations, almost as a rolling catalog on a military base! Take a look at our other articles from 1918 here.
"Harley-Davidson motorcycles, some with side cars on the road, manufactured by the Harley-Davidson Co, Milwaukee Wisc for the War Department. Aug 22, 1918" Note: this shot is either New Jersey or Maryland [National Archive]"Harley-Davidson motorcycle with side car and two cases for holding rifles, manufactured for the War Department by the Harley-Davidson C, Milwaukee, Wis. Aug 26, 1918" [National Archive]"Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, some with side cars on the road manufactured by the Harley Davidson Co., Milwaukee Wisconsin, for the War Department. Aug 26, 1918" [National Archive]"Types of Harley-Davidson motorcycles manufactured for the War Department by the Harley-Davidson Co, Milwaukee Wis. Aug 26, 1918" [National Archive]"First Motorcycle Battery of N.J. using a Colt-Martin rapid fire gun. 1917" Note: the same surrey-top observation car can be seen in most of these photos. The fields suggest someone will be pushing up daisies soon! Pictured at the Washington Barracks, D.C. [National Archive]Close-up of a Harley-Davidson rider in the woods of Maryland in 1918. "Harley-Davidson motorcycles, some with side cars on the road, manufactured by the Harley-Davidson Co, Milwaukee Wisc. for the War Department. Aug 26, 1918" [National Archive]"Harley-Davidson motorcycles, some with side cars on the road, manufactured by the Harley-Davidson Co, Milwaukee Wisc. for the War Department. Aug 22, 1918" [National Archive]"Fleet of motor trucks and motorcycles parked on the grounds at Washington Barracks, D.C." [National Archive]
Esteemed French photographer (and Vintagent Contributor) Laurent Nivalle visited the workshop of Atelier Chatokhine in the village of Ouerray recently, to document the resurrection of the Richard Vincent racing Velocette MSS. This historic machine was raced in Southern California in the mid-1960s by Richard, who lived in Santa Barbara and was a surfer, photographer, filmmaker, pilot, and motorcycle racer in the golden days of the 'Endless Summer' generation. We documented some of Richard's story on The Vintagent with our short film 'The Ended Summer', by David Martinez, and Richard's motorcycles and surfboards were exhibited at Wheels&Waves California in 2016, and Wheels&Waves France in 2017.
Zoe David tightens the axle nut on the MSS as the chassis is cleaned and refreshed - not restored [Laurent Nivalle]Richard's Velocette racer is a very special and historic machine, with a Lou Branch cylinder head of the type that was later adapted by the Veloce factory for its 'Thruxton' production racer. The head is easily recognized, with a huge 1 1/2" Amal GP racing carburetor angling down towards the inlet valve, stuck out on an extended inlet tract. The setup gives an ideal 8" distance between the carb's fuel jet and the inlet valve itself, and the valves in the head are set at a shallower angle than the Venom head; the result is a significant horsepower increase, with much better breathing than a standard Velo head, and is the reason why a Velocette Thruxton won the Isle of Man Production TT in 1967, with a motorcycle design that was essentially 15 years old, barring that head, which had come from California race tuners!
Frank Chatokhine looking after the MSS, with Cyril Dubois looking on [Laurent Nivalle]It isn't known how many such cylinder heads were built for racers by Lou Branch (the LA Velocette importer) between 1962-5, when the factory began offering its own version, but there can't be many! Richard's machine has a fantastic patina, being totally original and as-last-raced from 1967, when he was drafted into the Army. A rocket blast in Vietnam put Richard in the hospital for a year, and injuries to his arm and eyes meant he was no longer able to compete at the level he wanted, so he laid up his Velocette and Triumph racers for almost 50 years, until he was prompted by his son to literally drag them out of the barn!
The special Lou Branch cylinder head can be seen clearly; it's welded-up, not cast as with the later Veloce version. The frame of this Velocette racer is basically stock, although the fork internals have been re-valved, and the shocks are aftermarket [Laurent Nivalle]Bringing the Velocettes (and Richard's photography and films) to light is an ongoing project at The Vintagent, and it's inspiring to see his motorcycles brought back to life at Atelier Chatokine (for the Velos) and the workshop of Hayden Roberts in Ventura (for the Triumph). Give our film a look, enjoy Laurent's photos, and there's more to come!
The engine revealed; the flywheels have been narrowed and skimmed to keep the rims out of crankcase oil, for less oil drag at high revs. The piston is significantly domed for high compression [Laurent Nivalle]The Velocette M-series engine is built like a watch, with fine-pitch helical cut gears in the timing chest, and plenty of oil circulation on the camshafts, which are at the top of the timing case, with short aluminum pushrods. Robust enough for 100mph for 24 hours! [Laurent Nivalle]Banging out the custom-made short reverse-cone megaphone exhuast [Laurent Nivalle]Frank Chatokhine assembling the forks with new rubber gaiters [Laurent Nivalle]Zoe David adjusts the tachometer drive; it's a trick to align the drive tang into its mating slot in the magneto nut, in order to install the timing cover [Laurent Nivalle]The gearbox reavealed: the four-speed Velocette 'box was designed in 1933, and was basically unchanged until the factory closed in 1971. Thus the internals from a 1971 gearbox can be directly slotted into a 1934 model - which makes finding spares very straightforward. It's the smoothest and lightest-shifting of all British gearboxes [Laurent Nivalle]Cyril Dubois installing the original fiberglass rear fender made by Richard Vincent, who used his surfboard-making skills on his motorcycle! The '100' number is his original [Laurent Nivalle]Checking the 'truth' of the frame before the swingarm is installed; as the Velocette swingarm is a 3-piece assembly, an accurate point of reference is required to properly align the two tapered legs of the swingarm, which clamp onto a hard-ground tube running in bronze bushes within a frame lug. Velocette invented the swingarm frame as we know it in 1937, for the factory racers and MkVIII KTT model, and the M-series street bikes use identical geometry to Velocette's GP racers. Which is why Velocettes handle so well - lots of racing experience, and feedback from riders like Stanley Woods! [Laurent Nivalle]50 years of caked-on grease, which acted as a protective coating. [Laurent Nivalle]If the frame isn't straight, the bike will never handle properly; likewise with steering head and swingarm bearings, which are easily rectified on old machines like this; infinitely repairable, definitely not disposable technology. It may look 'black' not 'green', but it was designed to last forever [Laurent Nivalle]Zoe David works on cleaning grime from the gearbox, in preparation for a rebuild [Laurent Nivalle]Removing the gearbox cluster with gears and shifter forks in place [Laurent Nivalle]Cyril Dubois at work [Laurent Nivalle]The Atelier Chatokhine team (minus papa/founder Roland Chatokhine); what a pleasure to dig into an interesting vintage racer! [Laurent Nivalle]Assembling the rocker arm cover, held on by small screws [Laurent Nivalle]Atelier Chatokine in the house! [Laurent Nivalle]
The first known depiction of a motorcycle celebrates a demonstration of a steam-powered 'drais' (pedal-less bicycle) in the Luxembourg Gardens of Paris, on April 3, 1818. The contraption, dubbed a Vélocipédraisiavaporianna (steam-powered drais), is depicted in a period lithograph, with minimal text explanation, nor even the name of its German builder. Some historians consider the lithograph a joke, as no other documentation of this event has been unearthed to date, but the context of the drawing, and its technical details, suggest it was certainly possible, and it would not have been the first steam-powered vehicle in Paris in that era.
What's widely acknowledged as the world's first self-propelled vehicle was a steam trike built in 1770. Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot built his 'Fardier a vapeur' (steam cart) after several years of experiments with models, including a smaller version of his Fardier built in 1769 as a proof-of-concept. The question of how to translate the pushing power of a steam jet into forward motion had yet to be addressed, even though the power of steam to move objects was first described by Vitruvius in the 1st Century BC. It's generally agreed that Cugnot was the first to successfully translate the power of steam into mechanical motion, with power enough to carry a passenger. In the 1700s and 1800s, France was truly the land of invention, where the first internal-combustion automobile was built in 1807 by Isaac De Rivaz, and the first internal-combustion boat demonstrated to Napoléon that same year, built by Nicephore Niépce, who was also the inventor of the first fixed photographic process (the Daguerreotype) in 1837. Thus, France is the place one would most likely find a depiction of the first motorcycle, as it was the hotbed of vehicular invention. Of course, an artist might also make fun of this situation!
Cugnot's 'Fardier á vapéur' in 1770, built as a military workhorse, and kept intact out of respect that it did indeed work.
Cugnot's original Fardier still exists, and can be visited at the Musée des Arts et Metiers in Paris, where it has sat since 1800. The Revolutionary government of France created this museum to science in 1794 in a deconsecrated church, as part of their rejection of religious dogma in favor of scientific fact in the Age of Enlightenment. The French calendar was changed to a decimal system in 1793 (which lasted 12 years), and the 'metric' system of measurements adopted in 1799, which has since become the system of measures used worldwide. The transfer of the Cugnot's fardier from the National Armory to the Musée in 1800 was part of a continued celebration of science in Revolutionary France that continued under Napoléon when he assumed power in 1804, and beyond. While the anti-monarchist Revolutionary government stripped Cugnot of the royal pension granted him by Louis XV in 1772, Napoléon restored his reputation and pension before Cugnot died in 1804. A replica of Cugnot's Fardier was built in 2010, and I was privileged to witness it in action that year in Avignon, as seen below in my YouTube video.
Thus, steam-powered vehicles had been around for 50 years before our steam drais supposedly appeared, and the technical details on translating steam from a boiler into rotating wheels was understood, even if no particular system was settled on. Cugnot used an inelegant ratchet system in 1769, although the steam piston engine had been invented by Thomas Newcomen in 1712, and vastly improved by James Watt in 1781. Watt's engine design was efficient and kept the steam in a closed system, which meant a motor could be run reliably without constant attention or constantly varying steam pressure; his design formed the basis of reliable power and electricity supplies which formed the heart of the Industrial Revolution.
So, was a crude steam-powered motorcycle built in 1818? The lithograph notes that the 'startling machine' was intended to replace horses, while mocking its builder's claim of speed, reliability, acceleration, lightness, etc. Obviously this machine was nowhere near a replacement for the horse, but the reference has significance for that historical moment, at the end of a 3-year stretch of severe climate change brought on by the 1815 eruption of Mt Tamboura in Indonesia. 1816 was the 'year of no summer', a time of famine in Europe and all of the Northern Hemisphere, as the dust from Tamboura added to dust from the 1814 eruption of Mt Mayon in the Philippines, creating an aerosolized sulfate layer in the stratosphere. The result in Western Europe was food riots in 1816 and '17, and a significant decrease in the horse population as they became targets for food. Thus the 'en cas de mortalité des chevaux' (in case of the death of horses) was a real fear, and a German inventor would be motivated to use current technology to 'remplacer' (replace) the horse.
Was the lithograph a joke? It's impossible to say for certain today: there's enough detail in the drawing to suggest it was a real machine, or that the artist had enough familiarity with steam power to include petcock valves and steam pipes along with the burner/boiler on the machine. No indication is made on how the steam was translated to forward motion; small turbines in the wheel hubs? We simply don't know. But it's certain that, at least, the idea of the motorcycle as a powered two-wheeler emerged in 1818. The first known, and still extant, steam motorcycles were built nearly simultaneous in both Paris and Boston in 1869, by Louis-Guillame Perreaux and Sylvester H. Roper, respectively. So, is the motorcycle 200 years old today, or 150 years old next year?
The Michaux-Perreaux steam bicycle of 1869, as seen in 'The Art of the Motorcycle' exhbition at the Guggenheim Museum in 1998.
The greatest innovation in World War 1 among the 'Big 3' motorcycle companies trying to secure government contracts, was the offer by Harley-Davidson to provide training schools to military mechanics. The schools would instruct recruits on how to repair motorcycles in the field and in military workshops...and of course the demonstrators they provided to work with were Harley-Davidsons! It was not only brilliant marketing to the military, training was also truly necessary for maintenance and repair, as military recruits were generally ignorant of mechanical matters, or had never worked on a motorcycle before.
"Studying the different parts of the motor at the School for Motorcycle Mechanics. 5-8-19" The motorcyle in this case is a Harley-Davidson Model 18-F, the standard military machine offered in green! Harley-Davidson switched its color from Renault Grey to Olive Green in 1918, and didn't use other colors for several years after the War was over. [National Archive]The military couldn't simply drain American industry of skilled mechanics to keep its motorcycles, trucks, tanks, and planes running. Since the run-up to WW1 was so sudden, and the relationship of the military to machines relatively recent (barring the navy of course, which had been using steam engines for 50 years already), an offer from an independent company to set up a mechanics' training scheme must have been a welcome offer.
"Tearing down a motor at the School for Motorcycle Mechanics. 5-8-19" [National Archive]Yet another effect of training thousands of recruits to work on Harley-Davidsons was creating familiarity and brand loyalty with Harley-Davidson motorcycles. It can't be a coincidence that Indian's peak year was 1911, when it was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, while Harley-Davidson's peak years were yet to come. H-D would never be the 'world's largest' though, as European, then Japanese manufacturers held that title forever after.
"Explaining the parts of a motorcycle at the School for Motorcycle Mechanics" [National Archive]Enjoy these remarkable photos from the National Archive, which have never been published as far as we know. They're an amazing glimpse into motorcycling 100 years ago! Follow our articles in the National Archive series from 1918!
"Instruction on the operation of a motorcycle at the School for Motorcycle Mechanics" Note - it must have been a chilly May day in Milwuakee, where this photo was taken - the riders wear matching knit caps! They might have been provided by family, or by a knitting scheme set up by soldier's support groups back home. The machine is a well-used 1918 Model 19 with electric lighting and a Klaxon horn, and of course a Harley-Davidson sidecar [National Archive]"Instruction on the parts of the motorcycle at the School for Motorcycle Mechanics" Note - the light was poor in the room, with just a few light bulbs and a window at one end. Stay awake, boys! [National Archive]"Putting the motor on the framework of the motorcycle at the School for Motorcycle Mechanics" [National Archive]
Of the 'Big 3' American motorcycle manufacturers responding to US Military requests for motorcycles, it was Harley-Davidson that gave the matter the most thought. Every manufacturer had a good motorcycle to offer, and none were specialized at the kind of harsh service required by the military. Then again, motorcycling in the USA in 1918 was a pretty rough business, as paved roads only existed in the center of towns, and roads didn't even exist in many parts of the West.
"Manufacturing motorcycles and sidecars. 20,000 Harley-Davidson sidecars can be turned out in 12 months time by the Harley Davidson Factories. This is the final assembling operation on the sidecars. Manufactured in the plant of the Harley-Davidson Motor Co., Milwaukee, Wis.. Nov 19, 1918. [National Archive]Thus, every American motorcycle was prepared for rough duty. And every manufacturer was prepared to do what it took to supply the military, as it meant good business...if the price was right. Apparently the military quartermasters weren't willing to give carte blanche for extravagant military deals in WWI - unlike scandalous $5000 hammers today! The military was looking for good value from manufacturers, so squeezed them a bit on the price. As well, the Big 3 were competing against each other for contracts, so needed to keep prices in line.
"Assembling Room. 1918." [National Archive]Ultimately it was a matter of survival for each company to secure a contract for military motorcycles, whether large or small. The boys at Harley-Davidson, though, came up with a more attractive deal than Indian or Excelsior, which included free motorcycle service training schools for military mechanics, among other perks. The Milwaukee crew gave the best sales pitch, and secured the biggest contract.
"Battery of four-spindle automatic screw machines manufactured in the plants of the Harley-Davidson Motor Co., Milwaukee, Wis." [National Archive]These are photographs taken by US Gov't inspectors, who visited the Harley-Davidson factory in 1918 to monitor the production methods and facilities of Harley-Davidson. The documentation of the Harley-Davidson factory, testing regime, and schools is far more extensive than with Indian and Excelsior, which must reflect their larger share of military motorcycle contracts.
"View of shipping platform of Harley-Davidson Motor Co. Seven [rail] cars can be accomodated at one time." [National Archive]These photos have recently been scanned by the National Archive and have never been published, as far as we know. They're a fascinating look into a lost industrial past at the Milwaukee Harley-Davidson factory, 100 years ago.
"Operator sandblasting sidecar frames. Note that he is not exposed to the sand blast at any time. In the plant of the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. Milwaikee, Wis. Nov 19, 1918." [National Archive]"Close-up view of special sandblasting machine, showing how one compartment can be loaded while parts in other compartment are being blasted inside of the machine." [National Archive]
"Enamelling room showing dipping tanks." Note - each manufacturer used multiple methods of painting - dipping, spraying, and brushing. [National Archive]"Battery of light automatic screw machines." [National Archive]"Heavy automatic screw machines." [National Archive]"Gear shapers working on transmission parts." [National Archive]"Enameling room; spraying motorcycle forks." Note: the second method of painting - spraying - as used on the forks. [National Archive]"Cylinder machining room." Note; the Harley-Davidson factory was built of brick, and has far less natural light than the reinforced concrete Excelsior and Indian factories...[National Archive]"Heat treating department; there are 40 furnaces in dep't" The dungeon of Hades! It must have been infernally hot in that room...[National Archive]
The response of the US government to the declaration of war against Germany in April 1917 was astonishingly rapid. Virtually overnight, 4 Million men were drafted, and military contracts handed out to every likely contributor to the war effort, including the motorcycle industry. By 1917, after the 'terrible 'Teens' leveled the majority of American motorcycle factories (due to rising material and labor costs), only the Big 3 (Excelsior-Henderson, Indian, and Harley-Davidson) were able to supply motorcycles in large quantities required. Smaller brands also supplied machines (like Cleveland's little two-stroke single) in miniscule quantities.
"Women's Machine Gun Squad; Police Reserves, New York City. Pracitising with Lewis machine gun to be sent to the front. The killing range of this gun is two miles, and it fires about 500 shots per minute. Capt. Elise Reniger, manning the gun, Miss Helen M. Striffer on the rear seat, and Mrs. Ivan Farasoff driving" [National Archive]The Excelsior and Henderson brands had both been incorporated under Ignaz Schwinn's two-wheeled Chicago empire by October 1917 (read 'The Big X and the Big 3' for more) but at the start of the war only Excelsior was under Schwinn's control. The Henderson Motorcycle Co. was struggling with a red balance sheet and was unable to capitalize on military contracts to stay afloat a few more years, although after the Schwinn takeover a few Henderson 4s were adopted for military use. When US inspectors documented the factory and testing regime at Schwinn's Chicago factory, only Excelsior v-twins were built there, and these are the machines documented in the National Archive.
"Demonstration of the Excelsior motorcycle" [National Archive]These photographs - to the best of our knowledge - have never been published previously (except in our Excelsior-Henderson story here), and document mostly the testing regime of the day: find a nasty place to ride, and have at it! Excelsior V-twins are very tough motorcycles, and were faster than both their Indian and Harley-Davidson rivals in 1917/18 in production form, so would have been the bike to have in WW1! While the British rode Douglas, Triumph, and Trump singles and v-twins, an Excelsior of this era would have walked away from them all. Enjoy the photo series!
"Manufacture of motorcycles for the US Army at the plant of the Excelsior Motor Manufacturing and Supply Co., Chicago Ill. Assembling Department." Note the massive new reinforced concrete factory, built by Schwinn in Chicago as the home of his newly acquired Excelsior brand. [National Archive]"Manufacture of motorcycles for the US Army at the plant of the Excelsior Motor Manufacturing and Supply Co., Chicago Ill. Motorcycle engine testing department. Capacity 100 motors per day." [National Archive]"Motor cycles for the Army manufactured by Excelsior Motor and Equipment Co, Chicago, Ill. Testing for uphill on rough rocky ground." [National Archive]"Photo shows an Excelsior motorcycle with the side car, used by the New York National Guard. 1917." [National Archive]"Demonstrating the Excelsior motorcycle." [National Archive]
The rapid diffusion of motorcycle transport has positive effects on the lives of Africans, both in urban centers and in the countryside, as noted in our previous article. But the ubiquitous Chinese motorcycle has also increased jihadist's nuisance capabilities, especially the infamous Boko Haram sect. Very active in Nigeria (where it was founded in 2002), Boko's abuses have spilled over to neighboring states of northern Cameroon and Chad. The Mandara Mountains have long been a haven for the Boko Haram bases, from which flash attacks into Cameroon began. The Cameroonian army, backed by Chad, forced direct clashes with the jihadists, who then moved further north to Lake Chad itself.
The mobile unit of Boko Haram consists of three men: the pilot sits very far forward on the tank; in the middle, the "navigator" is also supplier of ammunition of the third, the gunner. We can see the advantage of the enclosed secondary chain guard as well as the extended footrests [Christian Seignobos]The tactics of the jihadists have been described by Christian Seignobos, director of studies at the Institute for Research for Development (IRD). He spent about fifty years between Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon, and in his latest book on the subject - 'Des Mondes Oubliés' ('Forgotten Worlds'; IRD Parenthesis Editions) - he's illustrated his text with drawings made with with a feather dipped in Chinese ink. Many of his remarkable drawings depict what he calls "the motorized Cossacks" of Boko Haram.
The Mandara Mountains (averaging 900m /2700') are in tan. In light gray, the theoretical shore of Lake Chad, and in dark gray what is left in summer (a seasonal shift) [Bourdache]Christian Seignobos explains; "Currently their elements, always mounted on motorcycles, are stealing and harassing. The Chadians, with their columns of Toyota Land Cruisers, believed themselves the undisputed masters of the war of movement. But they cannot pursue the bikers of Boko Haram, who disappear into the savannah's brush, following animal trails."
Cattle herders bring their cows to Lake Chad, where decreasing water levels have exposed new grazing land. One of the largest lakes in the world, central Africa's Lake Chad, is drying up. After four decades of rising temperatures, diminishing rainfall and soaring population growth, a lake that once covered some 9,000 square miles- roughly the area of New Jersey- has shrunk to less than 2 percent of its original size. Today the lake would barely cover Brooklyn and Manhattan [Shashank Bengali/MCT]The armies of Chad and Cameroon are suspicious of the loyalty of villagers, who are promised benefits by Boko Haram (contraband, rewards for 'services rendered', and even regular wages), especially when they share a common religion. In order to curtail the movements of jihadists, the Chadian army has launched an operation of requisition and destruction of 'suspicious' motorcycles.
A 15meter long boat as used by fishermen in Lake Chad, adapted for use by Boko Haram as highly mobile amphibious transport, when motorcycles are added. [Christian Seignobos]Such radical measures have killed many innocent motorcyclists, writes Christian Seignobos, because "Between Nigeria and northern Cameroon, there are countless tragic misunderstandings of people killed on their motorbikes while traveling to distant fields... By carrying a bag of rice, one can be accused of going to supply a Boko Haram faction in the bush. For more than two years, this paranoia has been economically paralyzing entire regions."
Aerial view of a village in the Chad basin, now deserted by its inhabitants [Bourdache]By moving to the complicated and ever-changing shores of Lake Chad, the jihadists have secured a territory conducive to their fight, while moving ever further from their home base in the Mandara Mountains, and the surrounding plains. From Lake Chad, they direct multiple terrorist actions, using girls and boys (especially girls) as suicide bombers, who blow themselves up in crowded marketplaces and cafes.
Various iterations of the Boko Haram moto assault vehicles [Christian Seignobos]Lake Chad is shrinking from year to year, but with an area of 2500-8000 square kilometers remaining, it offers plenty of space for jihadists who know how to use strategic opportunities. They move from one island to another in long dugout canoes that can carry twenty fighters and a few motorcycles. They thus become amphibious, hunting their prey on the earth and the water.
The Nigerian military fights fire with fire, with moto units of their own [Bourdache]Boko Haram's boats are modeled on those used by lake's fishermen, measuring from 12 to 17meters long (36' to 50'), and motorized by 25 to 40hp engines. The largest boats can carry nearly a hundred jihadists along with a dozen motorcycles, according to Seignobos. Protected from view by the abundant plant life bordering the lake, and covered with camouflaging foliage, their boats merge with the scenery, are invisible from the sky, and sneak through the maze of shallow channels surrounding the islands in Lake Chad.
The carcasses of confiscated motorcycles in Nigeria: every motorcycle is suspicious in areas bordering Boko Haram strongholds, and motorcyclists are shot without cause for simply being on wheels. The effect is crippling the economy [Bourdache]On the mainland, Boko Haram finds it difficult to refuel its motorcycles with gasoline provided by smugglers in Nigeria and Cameroon. And recently, all two-wheelers are systematically destroyed by the army with each clash. Boko Haram has quickly adapted to the loss of their motorcycles, with the jihadists moving onto horseback or camels, especially during the rainy season which floods the lowlands, prohibiting the movement of any motorized vehicle. The response of the military has been to forbid the population to ride on horseback!
The fastest means of transport for regular Cameroonian and Chadian armies is the Toyota pickup, which was also the choice of the jihadists ... after the motorcycle! [Bourdache]The Nigerian government has created its own motorcycle units to fight Boko Haram on its own terms. The BIR (Rapid Intervention Battalion) of the Cameroonian army also patrols Lake Chad aboard large, heavily armed Zodiacs. But for a daring soldier, the most effective and unobtrusive solution has been to use a motorcycle taxi 'requisitioned' as required. The risk for the 'volunteer' rider is whether to die refusing, or die as an accessory to a terrorist act.
A moto-taxi commandeered by a Nigerian regular soldier on the lookout for Boko Haram insurgents. It's the Devil's bargain - die resisting the the army, or the insurgents? [Bourdache]
Every great single-cylinder motorcycle has inspired fantasies of doubling the jugs to make a V-twin. It's a very old story, as both Indian and Harley-Davidson tried it (hello), and plenty of customizers have done the same over the years; there are V-twin Velocettes (the Vulcan), Rudges, and even the odd Norton. Ohio's Aniket Vardhan not only sorted how to make a V-twin Royal Enfield (the Musket) using mostly original parts (barring the crankcases of course), but has series produced the motor for a few lucky customers. Celebrated custom builder Maxwell Hazan of Los Angeles ordered two of the current batch of seven Musket motors, and he's just finished his second Musket custom, as seen in a chance visit to his workshop in downtown LA last week.
Max Hazan rapidly fixed his star in the custom motorcycle firmament, as his design sense is impeccable. Hazan's engineering, on the other hand, is polarizing; the dramatic, clear lines of his 'silver machines' catch they eye, but freak out engineers, who worry about that delicate tubing and its robustness in real-world riding situations. But Hazan does consider tubing strength, and finds clever solutions to the various demands placed on his chassis. He's known to vary the wall thickness of the tubing he uses for frames and forks according to the loads they'll face, so while a part might look unbelievably delicate, it might just weigh a ton, as he's been known to use 1/4" wall thickness at times; the go-to pipe of plumbers!
Hazan is stretching his engineering chops in other areas of the chassis, including clever touches like the combined handshift/clutch lever on the rider's left side, and the dual brake pedals on the right. Those cool elements free the handlebars from clutter, and the Musket 2's bars are admirably clean, with internal twistgrips and metal handgrips giving a nearly flush, curved line from side to side.
The front forks are Hazan's own design, and 'upside-down' with springs near the axle. The brake plate anchor visually counterbalances the leading-axle bottom fork lug, while it's mirrored on the other side of the hub by a faux brake plate that directs cooling air via a scoop into the brake drum. Very snazzy, and a motorcycle part I've never seen. While the front wheel has a spoked drum, the rear wheel is a solid mag sourced from an automotive catalog. Painted black, it gives a masculine solidity to the back end, and takes a car tire of course, which has become something of a standard for Hazan's builds. The rear brake plate has two clever cams worked by a cable, and the smooth, featureless transition with the brake drum, as well as the lovely forward-facing brake plate anchor, is beautifully balanced.
Hazan is fond of very slim saddles, sometimes with wooden tops; he wanted to explore stretching leather over the aluminum seat frame in this case...but the client wanted wood! Such is the price of having a signature seat. The saddle pivots on its nose and is sprung by a bicycle shock. That compensate's for the rigid frame, which has an uninterrupted line from the rear axle to the headstock, free of distractions like struts or gussets, just clean lines and curved silver tubes. Would the frame hold up to regular usage on LA's rough pavement? No, but this bike isn't built for such use; it's a design exercise that functions, and an artistic statement in the shape of a motorcycle.
The fuel/oil tank is a softened wedge shape and does triple duty, hiding the voltage regulator in its nose as well, with a funnel-shaped porthole directing cool air at its finned body. The scale of the tank matches that of the headlight, making for a unified top deck, and a very basic silhouette for the whole machine: wheels, frame, engine, tank/light. The masses are so very reduced the bike is almost cartoonish, but any further examination beyond the basic outline reveals the seriousness of Hazan's intention. He's following his own star, and this is the kind of machine we can expect. Long may it continue; his work is a welcome respite from same-same production bikes, and the heaps of unclever customs flooding our inbox.
[A series of never-before-published photos from the National Archives]
It's difficult to imagine today, but at the dawn of the 20th Century the United States had a tiny military, and its foreign policy was steered by the majority pacifist inclination of its people. Leaders of the 'no war/no military' camp included the Church (especially Protestants), the women's movement, the large farming lobby, and scholars/left-leaning thinkers who feared the USA becoming a militarized state. World War 1 (as it became known after WW2) dramatically changed American politics, priorities, infrastructure, and economy in the ways we see today, with most Protestant sects identified with military boosterism and conservative political activism, and over half the federal budget dedicated to military spending. While the US was 'only' involved in the European war for 20 months, it proved the hinge that pivoted America in a totally new, militarized direction, and boosted the fortunes of motorcycle companies able to secure government contracts to supply military equipment.
The assembly department at the Indian factory, where motorcycles are built up from pre-assembled units (engine, gearbox, chassis) arriving from other parts of the factory. Note these are spring-frame chassis, with Indian's patent leaf-sprung rear suspension. [National Archive]The USA did its best to stay out of the European conflict of 1914, remaining technically independent as war raged. America was a growing economic force in the early 20th Century, but its military was very small: in 1915 the US Army included 100,000 men, and the National Guard another 100,000, but combined this was less than 20% of Germany's military, and smaller than the militaries of all 14 combatants of the war. The American Navy was tiny, and 'modern' military ideas like airplanes, tanks, trench warfare, and poison gas simply weren't discussed. Even Henry Ford (ironically to become a supporter of Hitler in the 1930s) financed a 'peace ship' that sailed to Europe to negotiate an end to the war, without success.
"The first motorcycle battery of New Jersey, showing the method of mounting a Colt-Martin rapid fire machine gun on a sidecar."(Note the acetylene gas generator and lamp, and the lack of armor-plating; this machine was intended for use against civilians! Labor strikers, political demonstrations, etc. Note also the machine gun is not as captioned in 1918 - it's actually a Colt-Browning M1895 “potato digger”) [National Archive]America's vision of itself was very different in 1914 than today, and its politics were far less homogenous (regardless of our current, apparently at-odds moment), with the Church playing an important role in shaping public opinion towards pacifism, along with large groups of socialists, anarchists, labor unionists, and syndicalists, as well as the very large agricultural population, which leaned socialist, and distrusted Eastern industrialists. The majority of the country was deeply suspicious of the ulterior motives of pro-war industrialists who stood to benefit handsomely from war, such as the DuPonts (the largest gunpowder supplier), the Carnegies (who supplied steel for ships and armor), and the Morgans (who loaned European combatants huge sums, and would likely finance a revamp of the American military).
The Indian spare parts department, crating up finished pieces for dealers around the world. Note the general lack of work aprons - this was a clean area. [National Archive]Regardless that thousands of German-Americans had tried to enlist in the German military at the outbreak of the war in 1914, by 1916 most Americans were still against the war, and President Woodrow Wilson offered a military budget that kept the status quo, arguing that disarmament was the key to lasting peace. Germany had stoked resentment after a U-boat sank the passenger ship Lusitania in May 1915, (with 128 Americans on board), and took Wilson's unwillingness to bolster the US military as a license to sink any ships supplying Britain and France by 1917. Germany calculated it could sink as many American ships as it wanted, as it would take the US several years to build up its military, by which time Germany would have won, or so it thought. America tilted further towards war in January 1917 after British intelligence intercepted the 'Zimmerman telegram,' in which Germany offered Mexico to return the territories it lost in the Mexican-American War - Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona - for joining its side against the USA!
"Final inspection of the finished machines after testing" (note the lack of work aprons here too - a clean work room)[National Archive]When U-boats sank 7 American merchant ships in April 1917, the US declared war on Germany, which initiated a massive restructuring of the American economy. The Selective Service Act drafted 4 Million men, and by the summer of 1918 2 Million American troops were in France, with 10,000 fresh soldiers arriving daily. The effect of this on the German military was demoralizing, as they were unable to resupply their manpower, and after losing several key battles and the final, 'Hundred Days' Allied offensive, Germany surrendered on Nov. 11, 1918.
"New York's 'finest' march in the annual Police Parade. The motorcycle squad and the machine gun in New York City's annual Police Parade, May 11, 1918" (note the machine gun - as noted above, this machine gun was intended for use against the domestic civilian populations, in the case of labor or political unrest. Organized crime gangs wer always present, but a militarized response to gangs/Mafia only emerged during Prohibition, under FBI director J. Edgar Hoover) [National Archive]Entry into the war brought a rapid change to the American military; suddenly they were forward-facing, and investing heavily in modern tools for warfare, including aircraft, tanks, and - of course - motorcycles. The largest motorcycle company in the world in 1917 was Indian, so naturally they pursued contracts to supply the military, as did Harley-Davidson and Excelsior; the Big 3. The American motorcycle industry shrank dramatically in the 'Teens, a combined effect of the inexpensive Ford Model T with rapidly rising wage and raw materials prices, mostly due to the war in Europe, but the Big 3 were in a position to gear up for war production, and each made their bid to supply military machines. Keen-eyed observers of WW1 photographs will note Harley-Davidsons, Indians, and Excelsior-Henderson v-twins and fours among US military motorcycles. Ex-military Henderson fours were coveted by the officer class, and tended to survive: George Orwell ('1984', 'Animal Farm') even rode an ex-WW1 Henderson in Burma!
"Making motorcycles for the Army at Hendee Mfg Co plant, Springfield Mass. Chamfering gear teeth; this is a form of hollow milling designed to permit the sliding gears in a three-speed gear set to enter mesh with each other readily" (note the short-armed work smock, to keep sleeves out of the machinery) [National Archive]As part of US government oversight of military motorcycle contracts and production, teams of investigators and photographers visited the factories of the Big 3 to document their production methods and capabilities. It wasn't known how long the war would last, nor if it would continue even if Germany surrendered (the US didn't declare war on the Austro-Hungarian empire, the Ottoman empire, and other Central Powers enemies), so the ramp-up in production was considered open-ended.
"Factory of the Indian Motorcycle (sic) Co, Sprinfield Mass" (The main photo shows the offices, the lowest photo the banks of factory windows over a central courtyard) [National Archive]Something as vital as the military supply chain needed documentation, and these photographs of the Indian production line in 1918 are part of the National Archives. They represent a rare look into the working methods of the largest and most modern motorcycle manufacturer in the world. Indian Motocycle Company founder George Hendee had expanded Indian's production facilities in Springfield with a modern, pre-stressed concrete factory of enormous size, which used mostly natural light from very large industrial windows. A few electric lights are visible in work areas, but for most tasks natural light was sufficient, as the windows were 20' tall and ran across the entire length of the building.
"South side of the testing department; inset, tester with cooling fan" (This is where the carburetor would be adjusted and the engine checked for good running - requiring a fan for cooling and ventilation) [National Archive]The Indian factory had not yet adopted Henry Ford's assembly-line techniques, and relied on the old piecework system, in which workers machined parts or bolted-up sub-assemblies (gearbox, frame, sidecar body, engine), which were then moved along to other areas of the factory, where further work would be done or the parts kept in stores, until the whole machine was assembled. Then the finished bikes were tested and inspected on a series of individual ramps, and taken to the shipping department to be packed in crates. From there, they were loaded from a railroad siding at the factory into boxcars, each headed to a distribution center for various parts of the US, or to the docks for international markets. The work ranged from the hellishly hot and noisy forging hammers to the watchmaker's quiet of the gearbox assembly and pinstriping benches, no doubt with the nastiest work on the lower floors, and the clean work up top.
"Stringing-up the wheel and truing up assembly of the wheels before spraying (with paint) and fitting tires" (the hand drill is for tightening the spoke nipples on pre-drilled rims when lacing the wheel) [National Archive]Enjoy this remarkable record of the American motorcycle industry at its first flush of strength! We'll be posting more on the subject, with photos of the Harley-Davidson and Excelsior-Henderson factories in 1918.
"Fitting bushings, line reaming, and other operations. Motor base (crankcase) department" (Note the line of finished crankcases at the very bottom of the photo, and the rows of empty crankcases on the right. Note also the common shaft drive on the ceiling for the belt-driven polishing machinery) [National Archive]"Side car department, showing assembly stands" [National Archive]"Main shipping platform"(Note the knocked-down, crated motorcycles having their cover nailed on, and the row of workers' bicycles beneath the platform) [National Archive]"Making the motorcycles for the Army at the Hendee Mfg. Co. plant, Springfield Mass. A punch press forming the clutch front plate in one stroke" (The din of Odin's hammer! A very noisy place to work...) [National Archive]"Shipping department." (Note the crated motorcycle on the lower right, which is shipped intact. Many motorcycles were shipped 'knocked down' with their wheels removed. Note also the hat and coat hung beside the window, the packing wood shavings, the shop coats, the waistcoats, etc) [National Archive]"Belgian mission arrives in New York City. Detachment of motorcycle policemen of the Police Department who escorted Mission to City Hall waiting in plaza for them to come out after their call on Mayor Mitchel." (Apparently the NYPD perferred Indians!) [National Archive]"Machine for hollow milling seat post cluster. Five operations at once." (and a beautiful composition of lights, darks, and shapes...) [National Archive]"Part of the three speed (gearbox) dep't. showing testing and assembly of the three gears complete." (The large barrel on the right presumably contains grease for filling the gearboxes once assembled.) [National Archive]"Frame dept. where frames are cleared of spelter (excess brazing), etc." [National Archive]"One of a battery of drop hammers for drop-forging." (The hammers of Hades; can you imagine the din of 'battery' of these working all day?) [National Archive]"Grinding cylinders." (Cylinder boring bars - note the Powerplus cylinder assembly, Indian's sidevalve motor, post-1915) [National Archive]"Camp Meade, Admiral, Maryland. Soldiers on motorcycles by a tree in the open, lightly camouflaged with straw and tree tops." [National Archive]"Enamelling department." (Indians were painted in several ways - with sprayed enamel, with dipped enamel, and with hand-painting - these frames are being hand-painted!) [National Archive]
When Japanese motorcycles began their conquest of the Western world in the 1960s and 70s, they did so by developing revolutionary technology (after a phase of copying Western designs). The Japanese industry built machines with staggering performance, with engines revving to previously unknown heights, plus 'traffic conveniences' such as turn signals, electric starters, tachometers, double-cam brakes, and no leaks, all at affordable prices. In the past two decades a comparable revolution has occurred at this scale on another continent: Africa.
The motorcycle is not a total novelty for Africans, but until the 1960s it was mostly an object of curiosity. For centuries the continent was the playground of Westerners in search of thrills in 'unknown' lands. Such adventuring was also a way of discovering exploitable raw materials. Someone said "nothing changes"? (On the shores of Lake Victoria, this Harley-Davidson keeps a two-legged fuel supply). [Bourdache]The difference today is; it's Chinese manufacturers who have maneuvered a takeover, with an economic strategy adapted to Africa. They've built 'assembly' factories in African countries to avoid import duties, at times providing direct financial aid (in the form of grants) within these countries, and used technology 'borrowed' from the Japanese that allows them to market motorcycles at extremely low prices - close to 'dumping,' as economists are fond of saying. Prices for cheap, small-capacity Chinese motorcycles range from 4-600,000 CFA francs ($600-$800) for a 125cc machine, and less for scooters of 50- 80cc that have medium-sized wheels to withstand the local roads.
Malick Sidibé - "The Eye of Bamako" [as featured in our previous article] - observed the evolution of his native Mali, welcoming the first Japanese bikes, including this Honda C110. However, it is unlikely that, on the road, the African male (like many others) would have agreed to leave the driving to his lover ...[Malick Sidibé]For whatever reason, Togo is the hub for incoming Chinese motorcycles that are then shipped to West and Central Africa. In the small northern Togo town of Cinkassé, with 11,000 inhabitants, Chinese Dayang motorcycles arrive in disassembled large lumps, that are then reassembled by a local workforce, and assisted by Chinese technicians. The bikes are then fed to neighboring countries like Benin, Burkina-Faso, Nigeria and beyond. In 2016, Dayang invested 8.5 billion CFA francs ($15.5M)in an assembly plant in the Togo town of Notse, in the south of the country, about sixty kilometers from the capital city of Lome. The goal is ambitious; to produce 2-3000 motorcycles per month!
On February 13, 2018 China made a donation to Togo of 8.5 billion CFA francs. This led the Minister of Economy to declare: "I have the firm conviction that this cooperation will continue to strengthen and will increase the portfolio of intervention projects of China in favor of Togo."
Only 15% of these machines remain in Togo, according to Giorgio Blundo (director at the School of Higher Studies in Social Sciences - EHSS), who states that "Togo imported from China motorcycles worth $250Million in 2016...with 320 factories and nearly 125 brands included." The list of brands is enormous, ranging from Apsonic to Zongshen, and passing through Bli, Boxer, Chunlan, Dayang, Haojin, Haojue, ZF-KY (or Huawin), Jialing, Lifan, Lingken, Pantera, Qinqi , Rato, Royal, Sonlink, Senke, Volex, and dozens and dozens of other brands that might be named for particular retail outlets.
In Nigeria, this 125cc Haojiang is probably a moto-taxi, as the rider is helmeted - as the law requires without much respect. This machine may well be a local version of the Honda CG of the 70s, a utility that has a reputation for being indestructible. [Bourdache]Thus the choice of brands in Africa is immense. And according to Giorgio Blundo, the production of Chinese motorcycles currently totals 23 Million/year, of which 9 million are exported to Africa, Europe, and even the USA. In France, Chunlan and Zongshen are common, as well as Jialing, a virtually unknown brand (to the West anyway) that has an annual output of 2 Million two-wheelers. To put this in perspective, the annual output of Harley-Davidson, Triumph, BMW, Ducati, and Moto Guzzi COMBINED is less than 1 Million motorcycles.
A street in Lagos, the capital of Nigeria, one of the largest cities in the world with legendary traffic jams that are literally never-ending. Taxis and minibuses are yellow in color, and one motorcycle taxi is indicated, lane-splitting. [Bourdache]In most African cities, 'public' urban transport is either non-existent or so decrepit as to repel the locals. To get around, the citizens rely on taxis (cars whose tariffs are variable/negotiable) or mini-buses, which are in the process of extinction because they've reached their mechanical limits in the godawful traffic of the continent. The void in public transport has been filled by moto-taxis, which are far better adapted to managing the wild or nonexistent traffic rules in cities with populations in the Millions: Lagos (Nigeria) has 22.9Million inhabitants, Luanda (Angola) has 9.1Million, Bamako (Mali) has 4.3Million...plus the 45 other African cities that exceed 2Million people! And more than 40% of Africans live in urban areas, a figure that's bound to increase over time as the world becomes more urbanized.
The multiplication of traffic accidents has led governments in several countries to launch prevention campaigns that are echoed by unambiguous signals. [Bourdache]Motorcycles are set to become the Number 1 transport option for all of Africa, and Asian companies are leading the charge. In 2016, the Big 3 top sellers in Africa were Baja (India), TVR (India), and Honda (Japan - and still the world's largest motorcycle mf'r with around 15Million bikes produced around the world/year). But, Chinese manufacturers control about 30% of the global motorcycle market (with $6.1Billion in sales in 2016), with Japan occupying 12% ($2.5Billion), and India has 10% ($2Billion), according to the East African. In 2014, Chinese motorcycles outsold Japanese bikes in the UK for the first time, a trend likely to continue around the world, with Africa the first test case for global competition to supply the country with desperately needed personal transport.
Simple and straightforward, advertising doesn't bother with the laws in force. But the exponential proliferation of motorcycle taxis in all African states has put them in the crosshairs of the forces of repression and retaliation is often exercised in a simple way, too! [Bourdache]Four people seems to be the maximum a light motorcycle can handle, but there are excesses everywhere, regardless restrictive regulations. Endemic corruption means an exchange of cash solves small daily problems.[Bourdache]
At peak times, traffic resembles that of all major metropolises in the world with the same problems of congestion and pollution, even though the majority of Chinese motorcycles are four-strokes. Ironically, China has solved its moto-pollution problem by banning small internal-combustion engines, period, which means they're #1 in the world for electric vehicles!
Krautmotors' electric sprinter E-Lisabad, based on a BMW scooter! [Krautmotors]
Strange and wonderful things are coming to the Petersen Automotive Museum.
The Miracle Mile facility, devoted to the art and science of four-wheeled vehicles, will host its first-ever exhibit dedicated to the art of custom motorcycles.
The "Custom Revolution" show will begin a one-year run on April 14. It will include about 25 motorcycles, from 25 different bike builders, representing the best of what's known as alt custom design.
The show will be guest-curated by motorcycle historian Paul d'Orléans, founder of the Vintagent website and respected author of multiple books on motorcycle design and culture.
The exhibit will feature motorcycles that have never been seen together. Many have never been exhibited in a museum space.
The Medaza 'Rondine' from From Cork, Ireland, an AMD World Championship winner [Medaza]
D'Orleans, who is also a columnist for Cycle World magazine, said he hoped the show would demonstrate the degree to which "outsider" motorcycle design is actually leading the motorcycle industry.
"Every motorcycle history ever written has been driven by factory histories, but in fact it has been the creativity of custom designers and racers that has always been the leading edge," D'Orleans said. "Factories follow, not the other way around."
The T200 Cross from Indonesian custom shop Thrive
The Petersen has included some motorcycles in its permanent exhibit since the late 2015 remodel and reopening. Many key Petersen board members, in fact, are keen motorcyclists — including Bruce Meyer and Richard Varner.
Petersen personnel hope attendees drawn by the motorcycle exhibit will be exposed to automotive arts, and that car fans might have their consciousness raised about motorcycles.
"People may forget that the first motorized vehicles were actually motorcycles," said Varner, who is also the Petersen treasurer and chief operating officer of MotoAmerica. "Everything that you love about the automobile probably started as technology on a motorcycle."
NYCNorton is a below-the-radar racing shop building impeccable, bespoke Seeley-based Matchless and Norton racers and roadsters. [NYCNorton]Bryan Stevens, the museum's creative and exhibitions director, said that while motorcycles may seem a departure for the Petersen, this exhibit is in keeping with its overall credo.
"In all our exhibits we try to look for cultural crossover, and this is a phenomenon that melds motorcycles and art and even fine art, as well as engineering and fabrication," Stevens said. "Many of these motorcycles are meant not to be driven but to be contemplated, like an art piece."
Stevens said the seeds of the exhibit were planted in the early 2000s, when he was living in downtown Los Angeles not far from the garage where Ian Barry was building his now-famous Falcon motorcycles.
Stevens' interest in alt custom bikes was further fueled by the website Bikeexif.com, the online bible of motorcycle art, and by a series of books called "The Ride," to which d'Orléans has contributed.
Motor industry powerhouse Uwe Ehinger dabbles in motorcycles as a release from his high-profile consulting /3D modeling/advertising business in Germany. His Speedster was profiled on TheVIntagent here.[Kraftrad Ehinger]
Besides, Stevens said, the art of the alt custom motorcycle is also a homegrown Los Angeles product.
"It's a global phenomenon now, but it has a definite L.A. component," he said. "Some of the most significant bike builders are from here."
D'Orléans, who as author of the book "The Chopper: The Real Story" is considered an authority on that kind of custom motorcycle, said there will be no bikes of that sort at the Petersen show.
"That's not part of the vision for this exhibit," d'Orléans said. "So there won't be anything from Arlen Ness or Jesse James."
Entrance to the exhibit is included with a general admission ticket — $16 for adults, $13 for seniors and students, $8 for children — which can be purchased online or at the museum.
Paul d'Orléans is the founder of TheVintagent.com. He is an author, photographer, filmmaker, museum curator, event organizer, and public speaker. Check out his Author Page, Instagram, and Facebook.
Dirt: it pretty much defines American motorcycle racing. Powered moto-cycles were first introduced to the USA on bicycle velodromes as pacers, but outside the arena, paved roads were very rare. Only the very center of larger towns had cobblestones, while the rest of the country faded from dirt roads to cart tracks to horse paths, the farther on traveled from a city. Adventurous cross-country riders before the 1920s encountered amazing hazards and an absolute lack of roads in many areas of the Midwest and far West.
Rex Mays with his brand new Indian Sport Scout racer in 1935. Note the double-damped girder forks that replaced the traditional Indian leaf-spring forks the larger Chief carried on with through 1945. [Bonhams]Former velodrome promoter Jack Prince expanded the concept of a banked competition track into board tracks meant for cars and motorcycles, and while these were popular in every major town, the number of potential competitors was tiny, because the number of capable, purpose-built track racers was also tiny. Where 'real' riders raced was away from the glamour of the boards, out on the dirt. Dirt was everywhere before suburban expansion and paved roads - every farmer's field and horse-racing track was a potential motorcycle course. Plowing and smoothing an oval or circular track was a pretty simple proposition, using agricultural machinery. Add a few bleachers and voila, you've got a real racetrack.
Lendary Indian and Crocker racer Sam Parriot with his son on a mini-motorcycle in 1930; Parriot is on a racing Indian Daytona [Bonhams]Dirt track racing evolved in the mid-1920s into a specialized sport, with light and very fast 500cc racers making spectacular viewing around the world. It was the great dirt track craze, and tens of thousands of people swarmed the early races, while big tracks were built in Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and England, creating a year-round global racing circuit for professional riders like Sprouts Elder, Red Wolverton, and Fay Taylour.
Cliff Self at Ascot in 1935 aboard his Harley-Davidson RLDR, and the thousand-yard stare of a competitor [Bonhams]The Great Depression of 1929 took a big bite out of American racing, as the Big 3 of 1930 - Excelsior-Henderson, Indian, and Harley-Davidson - shrunk to the Big 2 when Ignaz Schwinn quit making Excelsior-Hendersons in 1930. Neither Indian nor Harley-Davidson had the capital to develop exotic racing machines for Class A racing (the 8-Valves, the OHCs, the super-tuned flatheads), so they worked with the AMA to create a production-based racing class for the dirt. Announced in 1933 for the 1934 racing season, Class C racing was open to 45CI (750cc) sidevalve motorcycles, and 30.50CI (500cc) OHV bikes. The races included flat track, hillclimb, TT/Steeplechase (flat track with jumps and turns, which was open to larger-capacity bikes in the Open Class as well) and even road races (rare). Eligible machines were production models available from factory catalogues, which meant AMA-sanctioned, national-level racing was suddenly an affordable proposition for anyone who could to buy (or sponsor) a motorcycle, and as the bikes were based on standard roadsters, they weren't particularly expensive.
Cordy Milne at Ascot with a topee in the SoCal sun aboard his Indian Sport Scout racer - note the brake plate is removed [Bonhams]Harley-Davidson modified their Model R 45CI twin, and Indian their Scout, and both factories shortly made racing versions available; H-D with the RLDR racer (that became the WR in 1938), and Indian the Sport Scout and Daytona Scout racers. Both factories were locked in an intense rivalry, developing their lowly sidevalve engines to unanticipated peaks of power. By the end of the 1930s, the best of these sidevalve racers were capable of hitting 110mph on the dirt, and after WW2, tuners like Tom Sifton made the Harley-Davidson KRTT flathead racer a device of amazing speed, clocking 150mph on the banked oval of Daytona in its inaugural 1962 season.
Jack Milne and his brother Cordy were popular and successful racers in the 1930s, here on brand new, matching Indian Sport Scouts [Bonhams]These photographs, captured at the Bonhams Las Vegas sale, were part of an album of 1920s/30s California racing history. They show a few of the professional riders moving from the old Class A to the new Class C racing on the tracks of Southern California - mostly at Ascot, in this case. The worst of the Depression had passed, and Class C racing would soon prove extremely popular across the country as a wave of new competitors joined the fray, elbow jockeys flinging roostertails skyward to the thrill of the crowds, just like today.
Harrison Reno with his Indian Scout racer in March of 1936 at Atlantic Raceway [Bonhams]Ray Eddy and Byrd McKinney at Ascot with a brand-new 1935 Harley-Davidson RLDR with one-year only Art Deco paint job. [Bonhams]Byrd McKinney at Ascot on Sep 22, 1935, with a late 1920s Harley-Davidson Model D, the precursor to the Models R and W, with the old-style tubed springer fork, taller frame, long, narrow tank of the pre-1930 era, and hand pump for the total-loss oiling system.[Bonhams][Bonhams]Posing for the camera, hiding their beer bottles out of sight, but not to this photographer! This looks to be a brand-new Harley-Davidson RLDR Sports Solo, with four camshafts and a proper recirculating oil system, the post-1930 forged I-beam forks, and a short, low frame that handles like a racer - far better than its larger brothers the Models V (sidevalve Big Twin) and EL (OHV Knucklhead). [Bonhams]
Nearly 60 years have passed since an international cadre of Velocette enthusiasts braved certain discomfort and actual physical peril, to ride a humble Velocette Venom with no lights around the Montlhéry race track for 24 hours, lapping consistently at 107mph, to average 100.5mph. Many had attempted the 'ton for a day', and some succeeded afterwards, but Velocette was the first to do it, and the record still stands for a 500cc machine, set half a century ago, on March 18th/19th, 1961.
Bertie Goodman pushing off for one of his stints on the track
The attempt was set in motion by Velocette managing director Bertie Goodman. Veloce Ltd were a small, family-owned company with a peerless reputation for quality machines, and an excellent racing pedigree. Unlike the Board of nearly every other motorcycle manufacturer, the helmsmen (and women) of Veloce were daily riders of their own machinery, and enthusiastic supporters of racing, to the extent of participating in record runs and even the occasional international-level road race. For example, during his stint as Sales Director, Bertie placed 3rd in the 1947 Ulster GP, and his son Peter had significant success in racing as well.
Bertie Goodman, the managing director of Veloce Ltd, here with the factory's Vogue model, an LE with fiberglass bodywork and twin headlmaps. 'Mr Bertram' tested and regularly rode the family's products.
As Managing Director from the 1950s onwards, after the death of his father Percy Goodman, 'Mister Bertram' (as factory employees called him) took special pleasure in speed-testing the company products at the MIRA test-track, which he insisted helped keep his weight down! Such testing proved excellent for revealing faults, and Velocette production models were renowned for their mechanical reliability and excellent handling.
The view from the top of the Autodrom de Linas-Montlhery (as it's officially known'. The banking is nearly vertical at the top, and only vehicles doing near 100mph can hold the high line [Paul d'Orléans][In 1960, Bertie was approached by Georges Monneret, legendary 6-time French racing champion, who suggested a 'go' at the 24-hour record at the venerable (but bumpy) Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry, 40 minutes south of Paris. The French speed bowl is an engineered track, built with a concrete and steel grid structure supporting its high banked curves. Its concrete paving is stable but unforgiving, with expansion joints (every 25 metres) as wide as a fist in some places, making for a rocking-horse ride at high speeds. Monneret and his son Pierre, also a racing champion, organized a French team of riders, to be accompanied by Bertie Goodman and British journalist Bruce Main-Smith, who called Montlhéry a "concrete-banked slice of medieval punishment".
Publisher Bruce Main-Smith on the grandstand straightaway at Montlhéry, passing in front of the pits during daylight hours
Their nearly standard 'Venom' 500cc model had been very carefully assembled, but was not highly tuned. Goodman insisted using time-proven production parts meant less likelihood of component failure, so the record-breaker Venom differed from standard only in the addition of a GP racing carburetor, megaphone exhaust, and production prototype fairing, made by Doug Mitchenall, a friend of the Goodman family, and manufacturer of Avon Fairings (and the beautiful bodywork on Rickman motocrossers). Much was removed from the Venom though! The front mudguard, battery, lights, speedometer, number plate, headlamp cowl, primary chain cases, etc, were all removed, probably 50lbs of extraneous metal.
French rider Alain Dagan put in the fastest laps of the whole team.
Building the record-breaker Venom took 5 months, as the Veloce race shop had closed 8 years prior, after taking 2 World Championships and countless Isle of Man and GP victories, in a bid for the tiny, family-run company to focus on their production roadsters. When the bike was completed, Bertie Goodman tested it at MIRA for 14 hours at absolutely full throttle, averaging nearly 110mph. The engine was never internally inspected or disassembled during or after testing; that means it ran 1400 miles at full bore, before the record attempt had even begun.
The Venom with Avonaire fairing was a nearly standard Clubman model, with a few mods at the factory, like the removal of the dynamo, battery, and lights. Strangely, the steering damper was retained, although it was never needed or used (although they're useful when hauling a sidecar).
Management of the record attempt, including sponsorship deals and track arrangements, was the job of Georges Monneret. As the Montlhéry circuit had no lights, the 12 hours of night riding were illuminated by 55 Marchal car headlamps connected to batteries! Rider testing - to determine team members - was carried out the night before the record attempt; if you didn't have the 'bottle' to keep the throttle right at the stop, you were out! The team thus consisted of Bertie Goodman, Bruce Main-Smith, Georges and Pierre Monneret, Pierre Cherrier, Alain Dagan, André Jacquier-Bret, and Robert Leconte. While Bertie Goodman was a relative 'oldster' at 42, Georges Monneret was 55 at the time... and of course, these two old dogs were among the most consistent and fastest of the attempt.
'Mister Bertram' down to it! Lapping at 107mph for hours on end in a bid for eternal glory.
Night riding at 107mph through stroboscopic bands of light and dark proved psychologically demanding in ways the riders could not have anticipated; hallucinations, hypnosis, and phantom 'fog' beset every rider, and those with steely temperaments (Goodman, Dagan, and the Monnerets) shouldered the heaviest riding burdens. The bumps were awful, but the Velo steered as they all do, "taut, waggle-free, 100% safe" said BruceMain-Smith, in his epic writeup of the event. He wrote "I am genuinely frightened...punishment from the bumps is awful...my nose and mouth run, onto the chin pad to which I press my head to keep it behind the screen...it seems an eternity...the noise from the megaphone chases me round the track like a wild beast...after 60 laps I know it would sabotage the attempt if I continued. I come in..." He finds motivation to continue, thinking first of his Country, then his readers, and finally - that he was being paid!
Bertie Goodman congratulating Georges Monneret, the organizer of the attempt, after their incredible success.
The rough hours of the day passed into evening, and with them the 12-hour record at 104.6mph. Worth celebrating, but the grim reality of constant pounding and a further 12 hours' riding meant no champagne. The nightmare hours hammered onward, punctuated only by fuel stops and rider changes, at times after only 15 minutes, as younger riders complained of blurred vision and fatigue. The older riders (Goodman, Monneret) dutifully fulfilled every one-hour stint, while young Dagan, the fastest of them all, was first to leap onto the saddle and revive the average speed when others flagged or surrendered. By morning's first light, he made the final push, bringing the Velo over the timing line for the last time. All were exhausted, cold, and ready for sleep! Yet, for 2400 miles and a road average of 107mph, the Velo never skipped a beat, and gave a remarkable 37mpg, ridden flat out. When the engine was finally opened for FIM inspection, after 3800 miles of 100+mph riding, it was found to be in perfect condition.
The Velocette poster of 1961 proclaiming their achievement - still not equalled for a 500cc machine!
Paul d'Orléans is the founder of TheVintagent.com. He is an author, photographer, filmmaker, museum curator, event organizer, and public speaker. Check out his Author Page, Instagram, and Facebook.
Each decade of the 20th Century produced its icons of design; products that distilled the vibe of an era into 3 dimensions. These cars, motorcycles, armoires and toasters were rarely the top sellers of their time, and often outright shunned by consumers, but this only pushed them into the realm of Collector's Items - death for production, but life for connoisseurs. In 2018, we're having a moment of increasing appreciation for 1980s design, as witnessed by rapidly escalating prices for two of the motorcycles included in this list (the Honda Motocompo and Vetter Mystery Ship), and a flurry of activity on social media appreciating what was formerly derided and discarded. It's the old story, the bell curve of collectability from nadir to zenith, and the wave is just forming for a price peak on the best of 1980s motorcycle design. These bikes aren't the best sellers, or the biggest winners, or even the best looking, but they're definitely design icons and points of reference for the motorcycle industry of the 1980s. So, in chronological order...
Craig Vetter's 1980 Mystery Ship
1980 Vetter Mystery Ship
Craig Vetter had an outsize influence in motorcycling, beyond his personal fame or fortune, although he's had plenty of both. While the motorcycles he designed for production were strictly limited-edition specials (including the 1973 Triumph X75 Hurricane - you'll find that on our upcoming 1970s Design list!), his Windjammer fairing and hard bags were seemingly everywhere in the 1970s and '80s, and pushed the OEM manufacturers to include streamlined wind protection on their production touring motorcycles.
[Mecum]Far more interesting, though, was his cosmically-inspired Mystery Ship design of 1980. Built in a limited edition of just 10 machines, the Mystery Ship was a unique set of bodywork atop a Kawasaki KZ-1000. The fairing protects the rider from (some) wind, and a unibody tank/seat unit incorporates racing-style side panels with numbers, a mashup of touring + racing that's slightly to the left of Vetter's mashup of chopper + cafe racer for his Triumph Hurricane. That mix - racing/touring - is exactly the same formula as the Japanese Bosozoku style, and the Mystery Ship would fit right in even today on a mad dash through Tokyo with a gang of flashy youths (although the've incorporated more chopper cues since the 1980s).
[Mecum]The Kawasaki underpinnings were upgraded with magnesium Dymag wheels, a four-into-1 Yoshimura exhaust, upgraded racing brakes, a six-gallon fuel cell, and a Lockhart oil cooler hidden in the fairing. The sale price was $10,000, which was considered outrageous at the time at 3X the price of the base KZ-1000, but Vetter said this was below the actual production cost, and he lost money on every sale. At least there were only ten built (7 of which were sold)! The most recent sale of a Mystery Ship at Mecum's 2018 Las Vegas auction fetched $33,000 - still 3X the price of a perfect KZ-1000!
[Mecum]It's been suggested the Mystery Ship directly influenced the design of the 1982 Honda CX500 Turbo, and anticipated the shape of motorcycles throughout the later 1980s and '90s, with fairings integrated seamlessly with bodywork. The design world watched Vetter's work very closely, as his finger was hard on the pulse of the moment. The Mystery Ship is an incredible visual statement, and if Mecum's Las Vegas auction is any indication, this once-forgotten design will again have its day in the sun.
1980 Target Design ED-1
The 1980 Target ED-1b [Target Design]Target Design was formed as a triumverate of ex-BMW designers including Hans Muth, Jan Fellstrom, and Hans-Georg Kasten, who set up shop near Munich in the town of Seefeld. Hans Muth designed quite a few legendary BMW cars and motorcycles, including the R90S, R100S, and R65LS. The Target breakaways intended to offer their design services to other companies, and their first motorcycle design was an entry into a 1980 Motorrad Revue magazine contest for a 'motorcycle of the future'. The contest saw entries by Porsche Design and Ital Design, but the Target ED-1 (European Design 1), based on an MV Agusta four, was victorious for its flowing lines and interesting mix of radical bodywork over a fairly standard chassis.
[motorradonline.de]Underneath Target's stunning bodywork was an MV Agusta 750 4-cylinder with shaft drive, and a Yamaha 4 leading shoe racing front brake. The swooping bodywork gave an organic profile to the bike, with the faired-in front headlamp dipping low over the tire-hugging plastic front fender, and a humped gas tank flowing smoothly into a seat unit with integral bum-stop and taillamp. To contemporary eyes, it looks shark-like and vaguely familiar, which is because the design was immediately adapted by Target for Suzuki for a new model based on the GS-1000 roadster, known as the Katana. The Katana is considered the most influential motorcycle design of the 1980s, but since it's nearly identical to the ED-1, that's the bike on our 1980s Design list.
[motorradonline.de]A small batch (or at least one) of ED-1 replicas was built a few years ago and floated for sale in Europe, at a very high price, but MV Agusta 4-cylinders have that effect on people. It's an amazing design that pushes all the right buttons, looking menacing, animalistic, and futuristic all at once.
1981 Honda Motocompo NCZ 50
The 1981 Honda Motocompo and Honda City car it was designed for [Honda]Honda is tremendous successful at selling small and smaller motorcycles around the world. Their 'Cub' series has been around 60 years and has sold in the tens of Millions, and their design team branched out many times to use the indestructible motor in a variety of chassis configurations. But the Motocompo NCZ 50 has nothing to do with the cub, or any of Honda's scooters, although it does share a 2-stroke engine with other Honda products.
[eBay]The Motocompo was sold as an integral accessory to the Honda City microcar in 1981, a 'trunk bike' designed to fold up neatly into a suitcase-sized box so it could easily be stowed in a special compartment of the City's rear hatch. The idea, one presumes, is to drive the City near to areas where no cars can travel, then use the Motocompo to reach further into the urban web.
[eBay]The City's luggage compartment was designed specifically for the Motocompo. The tiny motorcycle's handlebars, seat, and footpegs fold into the scooter's rectangular plastic bodywork, into cleverly designed recesses and hand-carry recesses. While Honda projected sales of 8000 Citys and 10,000 Motocompos per month (both were Japanese Domestic Market only), it was the City that reached these sales targets, but over 3 years 'only' 53,369 Motocompos were sold. The end of Motocompo production was 1983, and an average of 3000/month were built. Hardly a failure, but neither was the Motocompo greeted with a firestorm of approval.
Nevertheless, the design of the Motocompo is ingenous, and perhaps the only real inheritor of the 'Motosacoche' concept, being truly a 'moto in(to) a suitcase'! The design is impeccably 1980s, with its flush, integrated head- and taillamps, retractable everything, and terrific graphics. Best of all, the City/Motocompo advertising campaign was launched with the British ska band Madness providing entertainment and music for the ad. It, too, is a highlight of 1980s design!
1981-6 Honda ELF racers
The 1983 ELF-2 GP racer [Honda]ELF is a state-owned French oil company, that sought publicity by sponsoring radical French motorsports designs in F1, F2, and F3 auto racing with Matra and Renault, and with motorcycles in the radical designs of Andre de Cortanza. ELF marketing director Francois Guiter had worked with de Cortanza on the Renault racing project (including the LeMans-winning A442 turbo), and knowing his expansive knowledge of engineering on two and four wheels, and his enthusiasm for motorcycle endurance racing, directed the financial resources of ELF to develop some of his radical chassis ideas.
The ELF-E endurance acer of 1983 [Hockenheim Museum Archive]De Cortanza's initial design, the ELF-X, was built in 1978 (and we'll include it in our 1970s Design article), around a Yamaha TZ750 engine. The ELF-X used the engine as a stressed member and had almost no 'frame' to speak of, using a swingarm at the front and rear of the machine, and a hub-center steered front wheel. His aim was to eliminate the frame, lower the center of gravity, eliminate fork dive under braking, and reduce weight, at which he was successful. But the design needed further development.
The 1981 Honda ELF-R record-breaker [Hockenheim Museum Archive]That development was dramatically boosted when Honda tested the ELF-X in late 1979, and offered de Cortanza a factory racing 1000cc Honda RSC engine to work with, as a kind of external technical research project. The RSC motor was a typically Honda racing four-cylinder four-stroke DOHC engine, and far more robust than the Yamaha two-stroke four, thus a far more rigid unit for building a frameless motorcycle. The new ELF-E (for Endurance) was entered in the World Endurance Championship from 1981-83, and was developed continuously to cure issues of handling and braking for a highly-stressed hub-center motorcycle. The ELF-E and ELF-2 (a proper GP racer also backed by Honda) projects were the first modern development program for such a design, although hub-center steered bikes have been around since at least 1905.
The ELF-R record-breaker [Honda]Honda gained tremendous R&D value from the ELF/de Cortanza project, and immediately incorporated some of these ideas into their production and GP racing motorcycles, including a single-sided swingarm (in magnesium on the ELF but aluminum on their roadsters), improved braking and suspension systems, and the use of carbon fiber for the chassis. The reliability issues with these new technologies, and their rapid solutions for racing, proved a perfect laboratory to develop new ideas in real-world racing, without risking Honda's reputation as a GP winner.
Back side of the ELF-R [Honda]A super-streamlined version of the ELF was built for record-breaking - the ELF-R. A totally new set of bodywork was designed with a conical 'dustbin' fairing and NACA ducts for cooling the motor and brakes, the first time these were used on a motorcycle. With the same HRC-1000 engine as their other racers, in 1986 the Elf R reached 200mph in Nardo, Italy, and riders H. Auriol, E. Courly and C. de Liard took 6 World Speed Records.
Back side of the 1983 ELF-E [Hockenheim Museum Archive]The final Honda/ELF collaboration was the ELF-2 through ELF-5 series of GP racers through 1988. Each tried radical new ideas (like push-pull steering via the handlebars, which didn't work out so well), and while they win any of their races or race series, they added a measure of unpredictability to GP racing that proved extremely interesting and exciting, to a degree that hasn't been equalled since. And, their quirky shapes broke new ground, stimulating the motorcycle industry to try new ideas.
1984 Fantic Sprinter
The 1984 Fantic Sprinter [Classic Driver]Fantic Motors was formed in Italy in 1968, building enduro bikes, go-karts, and mopeds. Their most famous model of the 1970s was the Chopper, a miniature Easy Rider moped accompanied by cheeky advertising that was simultaneously outrageous and genius. Their Chopper and TI models were the fastest mopeds available in the 1970s, reaching 70mph, and gained them a reputation for both great performance and cool design.
[Classic Driver]In the 1980s, Fantic did amazing things in off-road competition, taking three Observed Trials World Championships, and winning the Scottish Six-Days Trial seven times! While their specialized off-road machines had a terrific reputation and sold well, they incorporated their technical know-how into an amazing design in 1984 - the Sprinter.
[Cosmic Bunuel: Moped Metal]The 1984 Fantic Sprinter used a traditional pressed-steel beam chassis and 50cc two-stroke motor (the C2 HL KS by Minarelli) with a centrifugal clutch, but the overall design was a mashup of motocross and Memphis design that could only have been built in the 1980s. The plastic bodywork is a unibody design, and the engine pivots opposite the rear wheel, with which its visually unified by a long drive cover for the chain. The shapes, the graphics, the knurled rubber dust seal on the front forks, the wheels painted to match the bodywork, all added up to a tidy, unified design that was absolutely unique, and completely of its moment.
[Fantic Motor Legend]The Sprinter might have fulfilled Oscar Wilde's quote, "Nothing is so dangerous as being too modern. One is apt to grow old-fashioned quite suddenly." While perfectly embodying 1980s design, it was quickly a relic of the same, and seemed to vanish from the scene for 30 years. They're having a moment though, as images of Sprinters for sale in Hungary or Italy float through social media, and the world awakens to the groovy '80s perfection delivered by Fantic, as if from the Gods of the New Wave.
1986 Colani Egli MRD-1
The 1986 Egli-Colani MRD-1 record-breaker without sponsor logos [Egli Archive]We've profiled ultra-groovy designer Luigi Colani in our 'the Future is Now' article; Colani oozes the 1970s with his signature organic curves, simultaneously modern and erotic in a style he calls 'biodynamic'. His fluid product designs have been manufactured by numerous companies - all sorts of objects from cameras to semi-trailers were built to his sensuous standards. But Colani had a thing for motorcycles, recognizing their inherent mechanical intimacy with the human body, and in his art he simply merged the human body with the motorcycle itself, making glossy, hybrid creatures.
[Egli Archive]He found a real-world opportunity for his integration of his human + motorcycle hybrids in an unusual pairing with Fritz Egli, the Swiss designer whose spine-frame, limited production motorcycles had brought Vincent engines into modernity (in the '60s and '70s), and improved both the handling and looks of Japanese fours. The MRD-1 was the ultimate Egli, with its patented spine frame built around a racing, turbocharged Kawasaki Z-1 engine with 1428cc capacity. The MRD-1 was a monster built for going very, very fast, and Colani was tapped to design the aerodynamic bodywork to raise its its top speed potential, and its profile.
[Egli Archive]The MRD-1 was built to take speed records, and Colani integrated the rider with the streamlining, in an unusual twist on 1920s and '30s record breakers wearing teardrop helmets. The rider's head was tucked under the bodywork, but his back carried the flush-fitting top of the bike's canopy! The rider for the record attempt was 21-year old Urs Wenger, an Egli employee. The Colani-Egli MRD-1 produced 320hp from its turbocharged, nitrous-breathing engine, and broke the World Land Speed Record for 10km from a standing start, at 170.26mph (272.41kmh); his top speed was 330kmh (198mph) - interestingly, the record was previously held by the Honda ELF-R, ridden by Ron Haslam at 265.4kmh.
[Egli Archive]Colani's bodywork proved unstable at speed, and in the attempt the body-hugging cockpit hatch had to be abandoned - strange things happen above 150mph in the wind! The bike still took the record (how could it not with such a monster engine?), and photographs of Colani's bodywork spread around the world, amazing everyone that such bodaciousness emerged from this pairing of eccentric German/Swiss designers.
1988 BMW K-1
[BMW]After decades of building 'old man bikes', and even after the fantastic R90S and R100S, BMW still needed to shake up their image. The BMW K1 was an aesthetically radical design first proposed at the 1984 Cologne Motor Show as the aerodynamic 'Racer' prototype, using their 'flying brick' K100 four-cylinder chassis and motor. The K-1 used the two-piece front fender and a seven-piece fairing similar to the Racer, which was essentially a marketing exercise to transform BMW's image.
[BMW]The K-1 was a very different animal than the K100 it was based on, and used BMW's first four-valve cylinder heads, with high compression and sports camshafts. It bumped against a voluntary 100hp power limit for German motorcycles (that didn't last long!), but relied on very effective wind tunnel development for a remarkable 0.38 coefficient of drag, the lowest of any motorcycle in the industry. But, at 512lbs dry, the 100hp wasn't enough to make the K-1 a true sports bike (compared to a typical Japanese 600cc four at the time), but the design was stable at its 150mph top speed. Not quick but certainly fast.
[BMW]The K-1 successfully shook up the public's image of BMW with its wild ketchup red and mustard yellow paint scheme and total chassis coverage. It looked futuristic (if a bit heavy), and delivered on its promise of speed and new technology, even though it was slightly under-developed regarding heat retention and huge turning radius (20'!).
[BMW]The K-1 invites metaphoric descriptions of its shapes - Transformer on 2 wheels, the flying yoghurt carton, etc. Like most of the machines on this list, it's a love-or-hate motorcycle, but any student of design gives the machine the respect it deserves as a pioneer of modern total enclosure and wind-cheating shapes, and a surprisingly bold statement from what was previously perceived as a conservative manufacturer.
With American motorcycle sales dropping 50% in the past 10 years, and Millenials more interested in swiping left than twisting a throttle, how will Harley-Davidson survive? They've opened a plant in India, and have designed a line of smaller V-twins intended to appeal to women, urban riders, and foreign markets. Now it seems they're doubling down on their Livewire electric motorcycle program, hoping a spot as a premium e-Moto brand will secure a new generation of fans.
The Harley-Davidson Livewire electric motorcycle [Harley-Davidson]At their recent press announcement, Harley-Davidson CEO Matt Levatich announced the Motor Co. will 'invest more aggressively in electric technology for premium motorcycles...you've heard us talk about project Livewire...it’s an active project we’re preparing to bring to market within 18 months.’
The Harley-Davidson team embarked on the Livewire project 6 years ago, gambling that battery technology would develop quickly enough to give their design the range and power it would need to compete head-on with traditional dinosaur-juice motorcycles. A new generation of ultra-compact, ultra-powerful batteries still hasn't emerged, but the e-Bike market is expected to expand 45% by 2020, as opposed to a continuing slide for Internal-Combustion (IC) motorcycle sales. Harley-Davidson announced an 11% drop in their sales in the last quarter of 2017, and closed their Kansas City plant. H-D CFO John Olin said they will invest $25-50Million per year to develop their electric motorcycle technology, with the goal of dominance in the premium e-Moto market.
What do you get when you combine drag racing, motocross, and a vertical surface? Hillclimbing, the American way! Two-wheeled motorsport in the USA went through dramatic changes before WW2, but it was hugely popular, depending on what 'it' was. From around 1910, Board Track racing fascinated crowds of tens of thousands, crammed into bleachers and peering over the banked wooden speed bowls, risking their heads (literally) as the riders risked their hides. With the press calling them 'murderdromes' by the 'Teens, and the sanctioning bodies losing their taste for 100mph bloodsports, the Board Track era died by the early 1920s.
Professional racer Harold Matheison tackles the Fresno Hillclimb aboard a specialized Indian Chief racer with extra-long frame and racing Daytona moor with short exhaust stacks [Bonhams]Those specialized wooden racing tracks then gave way to the most basic of racing surfaces - dirt - that became nearly the rule in American racing for the next 40 years. Dirt Track racing on oval circuits had long been an American pastime, but the energy of the sport changed dramatically when it was re-imported from Australia, and the Golden Age of Dirt Track began in the mid-1920s. Crowds of tens of thousands once again thronged race tracks from London to Buenos Aires to Los Angeles to Sydney, and specialized racing bikes like the Douglas DT5 and Rudge Dirt Track were kings of the broadslide, and riders like Sprouts Elder and Frank Varey became international stars, and very rich!
The most famous Dirt Track rider in the world in the 1920s was Sprouts Elder, who some credit with inventing the art of broadsliding his machines on the cinder tracks of the USA, before traveling to Australia to 'show 'em how'. He shows the crowd 'how to' here in Laguna Beach, roaring up a sandy hill [Bonhams]Another sport grew right alongside Dirt Track as an incredibly popular spectator sport, spawning freak machines that were useless in any other situation: Hillclimbing. While European-style hillclimbs had been around on US roads since the early 'Noughts, the sport of vertical drag racing was another matter entirely, and far more spectacular. Riders gunned their highly-tuned, alcohol-burning motors from a standing start at the bottom of an incredibly steep hill, and let 'er rip. With the machine bucking like a wild animal over a completely ungroomed surface, an enormous rooster tail of flung dirt behind the bike, and a tremendous roar, it was everything a spectator could want in a sport, especially as the success rate on many hills was almost zero. Riders had to be grabbed by helpers holding ropes to keep them sliding right back down the hill they'd come up, after their machine stalled or - even better - flipped end over end.
Famous for his Land Speed racing on Crockers and other machines, Sam Parriot was also a Slant Artist. Here his Indian gets away from him at the Laguna Beach Hillclimb. [Bonhams]The sport is still popular in some areas, and the routine is the same today as in the mid-1920s, when most of these photos were taken in California. The first hillclimbers of the early 1920s were road bikes stripped down, with chains over the rear wheels to help traction. They soon developed into factory-built specials with extra-long frames, engines at the pinnacle of racing development (whether Sidevalve, IoE, or OHV). The riders were big stars, and raced on other surfaces too, but the challenge of a taming an enormous hill was a lure these tough-guys couldn't resist. And tough they were, taking crazy spills on their bikes, and getting right back on to try again, as the prize money could be very large, and by the late 1920s, a National Championship had been established. And everybody wants to be the Champ!
Leonard Lamton at the Laguna Beach Hillclimb on his Harley-Davidson JDH twin-cam racer; note the friction dampers on the front forks, and the chalk lines marking off the 'track' of the race. [Bonhams]These photos were included in an album of California dirt racing (1925-35) sold by Bonhams at Las Vegas in Jan. 2018. They're a beautiful chronicle of an outrageous sport, made by professional photographers to promote the sport and riders. The
Sam Parriot at the Laguna Beach Hillclimb - always an Indian man, or a Crocker rider; anything but Harley-Davidsons for that fierce rivalry. [Bonhams]Dudley Perkins opened the world's second-longest-running Harley-Davidson dealership, in San Francisco, and was quite a racer. This is 1925 at the Capistrano Hillclimb, which he won [Bonhams]Dudley Perkins in action, showing the style that wins the race! Capistrano Hillclimb, 1925. [Bonhams]Swede Madsen at the Girard Hillclimb in April, 1926, with a brand-new factory A45 OHV Indian racer, purpose built to burn alcohol and win hillclimbs. [Bonhams]A very famous photo of Mal Ord at the San Diego Hillclimb in 1930. Jeff Decker says this photo was the inspiration for his 'Slant Artist' sculpture, that sits outside the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee! [Bonhams]June 28, 1925 at the Laguna Beach Hillclimb. An iconic shot of a rider about to part with his roaring Harley-Davidson JD racer. [Bonhams]
Paul d'Orléans is the founder of TheVintagent.com. He is an author, photographer, filmmaker, museum curator, event organizer, and public speaker. Check out his Author Page, Instagram, and Facebook.
