Since 2008, when the Indianapolis Motor Speedway became a stop on the MotoGP calendar, the Circle City has become a motorcycle mecca in summer. If you’re teetering on whether you want to ride into the heart of the festivities during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP, here’s a list o’ 10 reasons we’re drawn to them like moths to a flame.
It was all headed to the trash. A sizeable, historic collection of glass plate negatives of early 1900s American life was about to be deleted from existence. But, Thomas Kempland, antiques aficionado and old-stuff guru, gladly accepted ownership of J.R. Eike’s photography and the wooden boxes of incredible St. Louis imagery. Among the images Tom scanned from the negatives is a handful of board track racing motorcycles at the St. Louis Motordrome. Check out these amazing photographs that Mr. Kempland has allowed us to share here.
The guys at ICON Motosports have high standards for design. They love to make things work well AND look good (in their words: “go fast, look flash”). Spanning many genres of motorcycling, they have a way of turning heads with their builds that make modern hipster bikes look painfully pedestrian. There’s a gnashing-of-teeth quality to their bikes, like these featured Team RAIDEN Triumph Tiger 800XCs built in collaboration with Motoworks Chicago.
Have you tried finding an authentic motorcycle shirt that captures the spirit of the post-war American motorcycle clubs? Can’t find a jersey that looks, feels and fits like something “Iron Man” Kretz wore 80 years ago on the dirt tracks of Southern California? Look. No. Further. Jill Smith of Hometown Jersey has dialed in the real deal, vintage style jerseys featuring made-to-order, hand-applied felt lettering.
Check out more cool pics and our thorough review:
Capturing the beauty and motion of motorcycles in miniature wooden sculptures is a tall order. But Paul O’Neill, a sculptor from London, has achieved success in portraying these roadracing-inspired and meticulously-carved masterpieces. See how he begins from a block of wood and a reference photo, then dials in his works of art.
Old black and white photos of vintage enduro racing make us think about what races were like with less sponsors, less regulations and rules. There’s a purity about it: no logo-saturated arenas, branded bales or race track billboards, just a big sky and a gritty, challenging road.
