Tag: bikes

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Yellow vintage Harley Davidson 1926

A yellow vintage motorcycle in a museum with concrete floor and white wall behind.

This incredible looking Harley is part of the amazing Classic Motorcycle Mecca in Invercargill, New Zealand. According to the small sign in front of this motorbike this is a 1926 Harley Davison (USA) 1000cc Striped Stock Racer. This bike stood out for many reasons. It wasn’t part of the rows of the other 300+ classic motorcycle’s in this museum. Secondly the bright yellow paintwork with the red Harley Davison logo, the white tires and the low dropped handlebars. Yellow is not a typical colour for motorbikes, let alone Harley’s. The other thing to note is that this bike does not have brakes so clearly purpose-built for the track. According to my research this type of track racer could reach a top speed of around 100 mph. I can’t imagine what it would look like, feel like or sound like in 1926 to see this brakeless bike flying around a track at that type of speeds!

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1902 Motosacoche a classic motor in a bicycle

An antique bicycle showcased in a museum, highlighting its vintage design and historical significance.

With over 300 classic motorcycles it is hard to know which direction to point the camera. Invercargill’s Classic Motorcycle Mecca is home to New Zealand’s most diverse motorbikes. This was one of the oldest in the collection, from 1902. It is a 148cc Motosacoche designed by Swiss brothers Henri and Armand Dufauxs. The Motosacoche brand supplied engines ‘motor-in-a-bag’ style. The bicycle frame is a Sparkbrook and the engine is a four-stroke. It is unrestored, although a few components that were once missing have been accurately reproduced.

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BMX rider in front of San Francisco City Hall

BMX rider in front of San Francisco City Hall

Searching for good things to photograph in San Francisco, the city hall wasn’t high on my list. It seemed difficult to find a unique image of the building. Walking towards downtown from Alamo Square I was near San Francisco City Hall. Being my first time in the city I had some time to check it out. Little did I know Dew Tour (sponsored by soft drinks brand Mountain Dew) was on.

At first this was a disappointment. From the placement of the stands, big trucks and hundreds of people, there wasn’t a clear view of the whole building. Sports photography is something I do enjoy, especially on two wheels. After an hour or two of wondering around the track and shooting hundreds of photos I found this spot. Using the 200mm zoom lens I could crop out everything but the rider. The rider must be well over 100 metres from the front of the City Hall.

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Motorbikes in the museum

Motorbikes in the museum

Walking around E Hayes and Sons Ltd is a surreal experience. This large, locally owned department store in Invercargill sells hundreds of items of home wares, DIY tools and equipment. Between the items for sale are a collection of motorbikes and a few classic cars. The most famous of these is Burt Munro’s Indian motorcycle that in 1967 took a land speed world record. This was on an under-1000 cc bike at over 200 mph. His record still stands today. The classic Norton bikes photographed here look very different from Monro’s Indian but still are rare, classic motorbikes.