The Ride - New Custom Motorcycles And Their Builders

There are people who buy motorcycles, ride them and consider the matter satisfactorily concluded. Then there are people who look at a perfectly functional motorcycle and decide that virtually everything about it needs changing, preferably at enormous expense and over a period of several years. These individuals are the magnificent obsessives of the custom motorcycle world, where mechanical engineering meets artistic expression and the phrase ’just one more modification’ has probably destroyed more household budgets than the average financial crisis.

In The Ride – New Custom Motorcycles and Their Builders (2013), Chris Hunter and Robert Klanten explore the extraordinary world of contemporary motorcycle customisation, celebrating the builders, designers and craftsmen responsible for some of the most distinctive two-wheeled creations of the modern era. Published by Gestalten, this beautifully illustrated volume examines a fascinating movement in which motorcycles become expressions of individuality rather than merely convenient ways of avoiding traffic congestion.

From minimalist café racers and stripped-down bobbers to spectacularly imaginative bespoke machines, the book showcases the remarkable creativity of builders who refuse to accept that a motorcycle should necessarily resemble anything its manufacturer originally intended.

The custom motorcycle scene represents a curious combination of engineering excellence, vintage nostalgia and magnificent impracticality. Enthusiasts devote countless hours to removing unnecessary components, reshaping fuel tanks, modifying frames and creating exquisite details that may be appreciated by perhaps twelve people worldwide, all of whom are equally obsessed with motorcycles.

Naturally, the financial calculations involved can be rather unconventional. A machine acquired cheaply as a restoration project may eventually absorb enough money to purchase a respectable family saloon, although the finished motorcycle will probably accommodate only one person and a modest collection of personal belongings.

Hunter and Klanten introduce the personalities behind these remarkable creations, revealing the craftsmanship, philosophy and dedication that distinguish genuinely exceptional custom motorcycles from ordinary machines decorated with expensive accessories.

The result is a celebration of mechanical individuality in an increasingly standardised world. While major manufacturers invest millions developing motorcycles that are comfortable, reliable and practical, custom builders sometimes work tirelessly to remove precisely those advantages in pursuit of something aesthetically magnificent.

Of course, this is entirely understandable. Nobody ever became a legend of motorcycle design by leaving everything exactly as the factory intended.

Condition: Fine. This is an exceptionally well-preserved copy dating from 2013, with little evidence of previous handling. Unlike many of the motorcycles featured within, it requires no specialist fabrication, replacement components or prolonged evenings in a freezing workshop before being appreciated.

Published by Gestalten in 2013. ISBN: 9783899554915.

Offered by Crappy Old Books, where we celebrate the remarkable ingenuity of people prepared to spend extraordinary sums transforming old machinery into something beautiful, particularly when we can admire the results without acquiring an expensive welding machine.

An excellent addition to any collection of motorcycle design, custom bike photography or contemporary mechanical craftsmanship. Particularly recommended for enthusiasts who appreciate that the perfect motorcycle is not necessarily the fastest, most comfortable or most practical, but the one that causes its owner to stand in the garage admiring it for three hours instead of actually going anywhere.

Keep browsing: See more Transport books Other books by Chris Hunter and Robert Klanten