Vintage Monark by Scott Wallenberg

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My first exposure to Motocross was in 1969. I was 13 years old. My Dad (Wally Wallenberg) owned a TV shop and traded an 8 track tape player for a Honda 50cc bike. He immediately rekindled a love affair with motorcycles that he had had back in the 40's before he was in WWII. It didn't take long to outgrow the Honda so he upgraded to a used 1966 Suzuki X-6 Hustler. My Dad's buddy Carroll Erskine was a TV shop customer of his and it turned out he also had a Honda 50 and soon after they became riding buddies.

Not long after my Dad got the Suzuki, Carroll bought a Honda 305 to try and keep pace with my Dad. We spent the summer going to watch the flat track races at Santa Fe Speedway southwest of Chicago in a suburb called Hinsdale. There we got to see all the great local riders from that era like Bart Markel, Roger Reiman and Neil Keen. Santa Fe also hosted a National and we got to see the National champs like Dick Mann and Mert Lawill.

Once a month was TT night and there (aside from the movie The Great Escape) was my first exposure to watching a motorcycle jump, Oh I loved to watch that! I mowed lawns and earned the $75 price for my own Honda 50 as well. I rode that bike everyday in our tiny yard in the city pretending I was racing at Santa Fe... Read more


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Bikes on the Bay

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By Cathy Kelly

Capitola -- Old motorcycles found new appreciation Sunday at the Bikes on the Bay vintage show at the Capitola Mall.

The collection of old bikes drew hundreds of motorcycle enthusiasts to the Capitola Mall parking lot Sunday. Orchestrated by the Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce, the sixth annual event has been at the mall for four years and is growing, chamber Director Toni Castro said.

"It's seems to be going very well," Castro said, over sounds of laughter, music and motors. The event included vendors, too, along with an impressive array of vintage motorcycles and some scooters. Ringing the event were the motorcycles of those who rode in to see the officially displayed motorcycles... Read more

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Motorcycle Jackets

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When it comes to riding a cafe bike almost equally as important as the bike itself is your jacket. Not only from a protection standpoint for should you take a spill, but from a style perspective! http://rockerjackets.com

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Rokon Motorcycles

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Rokon is a Rochester, New Hampshire-based motorcycle manufacturer that builds unusual 2-wheel-drive off-road motorcycles which are sometimes referred to as Moto-tractors.
Rokon motorcycles use a combination of belt, chain, and shaft drives coupled to gear boxes to drive both the front and rear wheels. Older machines were powered by a West Bend (US Motor/Chrysler Marine) 820 2-stroke engine (134cc), while newer machines have either a Honda or Kohler engine of about 6hp. The wheels were able to hold gasoline or water for long distance trips.

These are slow-speed off-road motorcycles designed for use in the most rugged terrain. Some are capable of 35mph or more, but typical top speed is about 20 mph. Current models are the Trail-Breaker, Ranger and Scout. However, going up very steep hills the bike may only travel at 0.5 mph.

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Early Years of Motocross Museum Tour

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Legendary Tom White of White Brothers Racing, graces Robin White and Robin Hartfiel with a private tour of his world-renowned bike collection.
This incredible collection of bikes and memorabilia under one roof in Orange County California is so impressive that you have to see it to believe it.

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Coming ... Next Month

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Bultaco Pursang

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"There are two types of race freaks - Bultaco freaks and non Bultaco freaks. If you want to win in motocross, get a Bultaco, hold it wide open and hang on!"
Motocross Action- June 1975
See also : www.bultacopursang.com

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Maïco 400

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This Maico 400 MC epitomizes the early 1970’s motocross machine that became a permanent part of Maico lore and still represents the classic style…

The condition of this machine is highly original and, for the most part, un-restored, with some possible restoration performed to minor parts, including the exhaust. The frame number and the engine numbers are factory correct and original. It is 400 cc engine. The gearbox is also original to the machine. This Maico is completely original and has never been apart, has a fantastic patina to it that can’t be replicated, and is a true historical document that should be preserved for the future.

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Stacie B. London by Scott Pommier

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Scott Pommier shooting my friend Stacie B. London for –SHUTTER SPEED– image courtesy of camerabag.tv

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Vintage Hi-Point Alpinestars

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Vintage Hi-Point Alpinestars motocross boots from the late 70's. Made in Italy, these black leather boots have stainless steel shin plates, steel toe caps, five post type buckles with adjustable straps, treaded enduro soles, and the Italian flag colors inset on back of heels.

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1953 Triumph Thunderbird

Via : Bike Exif

The other day, a hefty and quite remarkable book arrived in the mail. It’s called Modern Motorcycle Mechanics, and it’s the seventh edition of a guide that first appeared in 1942. If you own a pre-70s bike, be it an Ariel or a BSA or a Norton, you need this manual on your shelf. It’s the sort of book that would make me feel confident about owning and maintaining a pre-unit Triumph, like this lightly customized machine from New York.

The bike was built by Neil Fenton of the brilliantly named White Knights in The House of Color, a collective of builders who stage the Brooklyn Invitational bike show.

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For Sale : 1970 Honda SL350

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This SL350 has been restored, it has a rebuilt engine and a new clutch, all seals and gaskets replaced. The frame was bead blasted and painted and 99% of all rubber parts replaced. The fuel tank is new as is the fuel cap and shut off valve. New tires an all new control cables... Read more

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Vintage Motocross by Oscar by Alpinestars

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© Oscar by Alpinestars

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Craig Vetter

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Craig Vetter is an inventor and designer. Having been influenced by Buckminster Fuller in the 1960s, whose message was to “Do more with less,” the common thread of Vetter’s work became to “Live better on less energy.”
 In an era when motorcycles got 40 mpg and cars got 12 mpg, Vetter invented, designed and manufactured equipment that made riding motorcycles more enjoyable. His timing was good. A whole generation rode with him.

Vetter’s Windjammer became the most popular motorcycle fairing ever made. Today, every motorcycle manufacturer produces a model with the motorcycle touring components Vetter invented. In the 1980s, Vetter hosted the Craig Vetter Fuel Economy Contests in which, over 6 years, winning mileage went from 78 mpg to 470 mpg. By the time he sold his company, Vetter Corporation was second largest motorcycle-oriented manufacturing company in the United States. Only Harley-Davidson was bigger.

In 1998, Vetter’s design for the British Triumph Hurricane was selected to be in the Guggenheim “Art of the Motorcycle” exhibit which toured the world. Vetter’s work has earned him a place in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

Vetter’s interests are not limited to motorcycles. He invented a sun-powered “Still Water Aerator” for Alcoa to help to keep ponds from dying. He built windmills that compressed air for his factory. He owned California Cooperage, a hot tub company where he designed unique, insulated tub covers and clever wood fired heaters. For another company he founded, Equalizer Corp, his innovative human powered design won the Boston Marathon wheelchair class in 1982.

Vetter continues to develop ways to live better on less energy in his homestead studio near the ocean in Carmel, California. His current “Freedom Machine” is being designed to get 100 mpg at 70 mph, into a 30 mph headwind, carrying 4 bags of groceries and be the most comfortable vehicle in the garage. Like all Vetter inventions, there is nothing like it.

Looking ahead, Vetter is planning for a world without electricity in the lines or gas at the pumps. How will we survive if such a situation comes about?
Vetter invites interaction as he discusses solutions on his blog for MOTHER EARTH NEWS. He intends to offer plans and kits for solutions that MEN readers will find useful.

Consider the proposals in his blog's first post, The Dream of Independence, Freedom, Personal Responsibility and Self-Sufficiency. This man does not see things the way most of us do. Is he right or is he wrong? One thing for sure: Craig Vetter has a remarkable record of success.
At any time, you can see his work at www.craigvetter.com

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