When Johnny Scheff walks into a room, it’s not uncommon to hear someone say, “John-naay!!” As owner of Motoworks Chicago, he’s a quick-moving busy fella, but always deliberate with his handshake and hello. Though Motoworks is a motorcycle and scooter dealer, it doesn’t feel dealership-y. Read on to meet Johnny and peek inside the old brick walls of his S. Western Ave location…
As motojournalists, our goal is to creatively capture a scene with photographs that tell a story or add visual impact to a written piece. During motorcycle events and adventures, it can be a challenge to adjust for varying light, lock in a solid composition or fiddle with camera controls. There are many how-tos, articles, blogs and videos available to aspiring photogs, but a special e-book surfaced with a moto-centric approach that we had to check out. It’s called, “Motojournalism Book Two – The Tools” by Anthony Kerr of MotoJournalism.com.
The grit and determination of old school metalworking is alive n’ well in Cliff Meyer’s 1976 CB550K cafe racer. Cliff owns and operates Meyerbuilt Metalworks, a metal fabrication shop where an oft-used English wheel awaits its next creative assignment. This li’l Honda is a great example of the unique craftsmanship that’s coming outta this up-and-coming Hoosier garage.
We have an appreciation for racers who started out with modest equipment and banged bars all the way to the top. We like seeing champions whose past includes hard-fought wins on family-owned bikes with hand-painted number plates.
It’s not often that we find automotive art that commands a second or third look. Jim McCoin’s metal sculpture not only captured our attention, it made us lean forward and study in total appreciation. Our curiosity about his motorcycle sculptures led to questions that Jim politely answered. Read on for insight about how his craft evolved into what you see today.
Roy Griffith owns The Turntable Shoppe in Indianapolis and rides a 1972 Triumph Bonneville. Analog music and vintage motorcycles are part of everyday life for Roy and he’s no stranger to the repairs and maintenance that come along with ’em.
