I just received my copy of The Ride 2nd Gear. And then another copy turns up with a different cover? Go figure. Never mind, they are the same book, but with different covers, I wonder what's up with that. Never mind If you haven't received yours yet or ordered yours yet, you are missing out on some fantastic bikes. But what got me about the book was when I opened the box inside was a single page leaflet that had the following words on it, and it got me to thinking about how these words capture some of what we and this blog is all about. So I will copy it here word for word, and those of you who don't quite understand this entire movement perhaps you will after reading this. 

The motorcycle is back and here to stay

The custom motorcycle scene keeps on growing and exciting (grammar there)

There are more and more and better builders than ever,and the scene has become an integral part of motorcycle culture. Builders are joining the custom ranks at a younger age and are creating bikes that are mind blowingly innovative and always surprising.

The aesthetic of the new custom bikes has evolved:1960's cafe racers from the UK and the US continue to be relevant but builders are now going in different directions, getting their inspiration from 1990's skateboard and youth culture. Collectors are buying stunning art bikes from important builders, and big brands are using the custom scene as a hotbed for new ideas, borrowing some of their designs and striving to imitate the energy that oozes from the current custom movement.

Now whilst I don't agree with everything that is written here, I do agree that there are some exciting new trends happening, and that some of the bigger manufacturers are copying what is happening.

Take the Scrambler, the Yamaha what ever it's called, and the Triumph. They are all admirable in their own way, and with heavy marketing hitters behind them, some will become cult bikes almost akin to what Harley Davidson have done over the years. So here we are at an important junction in the direction of motorcycling, which way will you go?

Perhaps my blog will lead you in a direction, perhaps not. I don't really care , as long as you take a journey on two wheels.

Not too sure if I like it, but I'm not that judgmental to yeah nah until I see it in the flesh

What were they thinking?

Me back in the day. We cleaned up that's for sure.

Form and Function

Now it's just a little Guzzi, but it looks right.

This is beautiful, well done that builder, nice styling, great color

Like a little red lollipop.

That's me,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,oh wait sorry it's not cos I'm in the bar.

Pure Classic

Titanium niceness

look closely, see the CRF400 engine, what a nice tribute.

Braaapppppppp...................................

Good work, attention to detail will always shine thorugh

Yeee Haaaa one my way to work, I pulled a minger or two.

Titanium bling in a store near you.

Yes you know what I'm going to say.

This is about the prettiest CX plastic maggot that I have ever seen.

This pisses me off. Check out the crooked line down the middle and the black and red flash on the right is on the piss. Annoying.

Standard paint in it's day was fantastic.

 This is one pretty scarmbler

 Nice work.

 A CBR engined Vespa, this must be fun, until the first corner.....

 At last someone has made a great modern Guzzi cafe racer

 You are allowed to eat food like this, especially when travelling on your motorcycle.

Agostini on a Triumph

Now when these came out they made a PC800 look kind of OK, this transformation nearly works for the bike. personally I'd have had a slightly more organic seat, but if the builders likes this then who am I to "yeah Nah " about it.

I think he has problems

Now I do like this.

You DO meet the nicest people on Hondas.

I was driving through a small New Zealand town this past weekend and I came across one of these just siting there, resplendent in old canvas panniers, and a bed roll across the headlights, almost as if stuck in some time warp. It was really nice to see.

Now I do like this

I do like a great weld, pure magic.

Ch Ch Ching racing in New Zealand back int day. Note one bike still has registration plates.

Macau madness

First gear turn right.......faster

I like the way the paint from the exhaust all the way through to the body line works, this shows that these people know what they are doing and have planned the build right from conception to completion. I like that in a bike.

Now I do like this color scheme

It's so busy with carbon fiber it's almost too hard to see what you are looking at, this is the new Bimota apparently.

I mean , what can you say, how nice is this?

Vale, Vale, Vale who's a naughty boy then.

I guess some people just wake up in different head spaces

All Rossi's leathers from all the periods what a collection

Spied out riding in Tauranga, nice bike.

I'm going to be visiting this shop.

The devil is in the detail, a lot of builders just don't think down to this level, some do, and the difference is spectacular.

Bimota have been playing with the Diavel engine, 190HP apparently, yoooiiikkks!!!!!

This guy has ridden here and there and pretty much all over the world. Check out his travel path, amazing.

Ned Kelly's bus by the looks of it.

This was made exclusively for hunting down pirates. Personally a bottle of rum is just as effective but if that's what you want to build who am I to complain.

 This is the big end of a fuck off conrod.

 I know I know, it's just a picture of a weld, but shit it's lovely.

 Thats a big load

 Now this is an interesting photo, I couldn't find out what they were making but I know that these things were being flattened!!!!!. I mean seriously, how big are the machines that flatten this sort of shit?

 Hmm clever, it wont be long before you see people with this on their key rings.

 Old School is Cool

 Mental Motards

 Obviously for a British bike as noted by the amount of gear pullers, bearing pullers, and the 4 spanners.

 Sure , lets just NOS this 200HP motorcycle, what can happen?

And good folks, that's that for this week. Now do like the lovely young lady above and go for a ride.

On a slightly sadder note an old motorcycle friend of mine past away last week, and I think he deserves a mention here. Dick Huurdeman. His book The Last Hurrah outlines his mammoth trek by Norton from Beijing to his home town in Holland. Dick was a gentleman, tough, uncompromising, fair, intelligent, a mechanic of great knowledge. He could fix anything anywhere with little or no tools. He will be missed by all who knew him, and the motorcycing world is all the poorer for his passing. RIP Dick.