Get yourself a motorcycle. ‘Nuff said.
Paul Newman — this pic is flawess. From the white jeans, to the boots, to the dirtbike. 1971 ~ Paul Newman in Oregon on the set of “Sometimes a Great Notion,” boning up on his off-road skills under the wing of the great J.N. Roberts – a top desert / off-road racer in the ’60s – ’70s. Roberts (along with his teammate Malcolm Smith, Steve McQueen, and others) tore it up onscreen in Bruce Brown’s seminal (1971) motorcycle film, “On Any Sunday.”
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Mick Jagger on a Honda
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John Lennon with a trike
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Paul & Linda McCartney on a Honda motorcycle
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Hunter S. Thompson at his ranch riding his Penton motorcycle, ca. 1976
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Dennis Hopper on a Harley-Davidson Sportster
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Foxy Ann Margret on a Triumph motorcycle!
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Ann Marget & Anthony Quinn on a Triumph motorcycle
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Ann Marget & Anthony Quinn on a Triumph motorcycle
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Clint Eastwood on a Triumph motorcycle in Coogan’s Bluff.
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Clint Eastwood on a Triumph motorcycle in Coogan’s Bluff.
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Steve McQueen on the set of ‘The Sand Pebbles’ in Keelung, Taiwan, 1965
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Steve McQueen racing his Triumph vs. Richard Crenna on a rickshaw
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Steve McQueen – James Garner – James Coburn
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Ewan McGregor on a Norton motorcycle (for Belstaff)
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Ewan McGregor on an old Ossa Motorcycle
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Ewan McGregor on his pre-unit Triumph motorcycle built by The Barons Speed Shop
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Robert Blake
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Michael Lang on a BSA motorcycle
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Jimmy Page, John Bonham & Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin on motorcycles
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Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle
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Cher next to Sonny kickstarting his Triumph motorcycle
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Bob Dylan on his Triumph motorcycle
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Bob Dylan on his Triumph motorcycle
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Bob Dylan on his Triumph motorcycle
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David Crosby
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George Clooney on his Triumph Bonneville
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Warren Beatty on a Triumph motorcycle
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Paul Newman on a Triumph motorcycle
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Paul Newman on his Triumph motorcycle at home, 1965. photo © David Sutton
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Elvis Presley & Barbara Stanwyck
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Elvis Presley on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle
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Roy Rogers and daughter an his Incredible Indian 4 motorcycle.
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Jerry Lee Lewis and his then 13 year old wife (seriously?) on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle
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Clark Gable on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle
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Brigitte Bardot on a motorcycle
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Frank Sinatra on a motorcycle
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Actress Jocelyn Brando & brother Marlon Brando on the set of ‘The Wild One’
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James Dean and John McLaughlin on a Matchless motorcycle
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James Dean on a Puch motorcycle on the set of ‘Rebel Without a Cause’
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Bettie Page posing next to a BSA motorcycle
The Selvedge Yard 
Awesome photo essay. I’ve got to say, Clint takes the cake.
agreed!
I totally agree, everyone should experience the badassness of a motorcycle. I’m currently saving for my first one… probably a vintage Honda CB450, 550, or 750 although I would love to have a Honda GB500.
What’s your favorite bike JP?
I am currently still cruising around on my first bike: a ’71 Honda 350 Scrambler. But, today I have discovered my new obsession- the GB500. Thank you thebespokebrandofyou. i have no clue how this beautiful piece has gone under the radar this long…..now, all i have to do is find one
Not problem 🙂 They’re a bit difficult to find. They were only produced in the states between ’89 and ’90 and still sell at about their original MSRP (~$5000). I hope you find one!
Check out my blog post on it if you want. http://thebespokebrandofyou.blogspot.com/2009/09/dream-motorcycle.html
This blog is priceless. All things i allways loved in one place and the essays and research are, at least, brilliant.
Motorcycling and yoga have much in common in that they both require coordination and focus. All distractions vanish as one is concentrating on the singular task at hand. I find it very therapeutic. Maybe that’s the ‘freedom’ people speak of when riding. Great pictures. Triumph (as always) is well represented.
Show me one person who has died following their passion for yoga…
great,great,great, i enjoy every picture !!
respect for the selvedgeyard !
I have been searching the web for my first bike for the past year!!! I’m looking for a vintage Honda! Today I’ll take my test for my M1 license!!! Woo Hoo!
I am so excited!!! I’ll leave my 4 wheels in the driveway from time to time and have the freedom of movement and the wind in my face!
Right on for this inspiring post! I am further empowered, not to mention the fact that a bike reduces my carbon footprint environmentally speaking!
You ROCK!!!!
This one fellow tools around my university campus on a pristine new Triumph. Thus far, he appears to be unaware of my seething jealousy.
Does tooling around on a moped count? 😉
You’re obviously bright enough to answer that (rhetorical) question yourself, friend.
JP
If it floats your boat, and makes you Happy- Then what the heck do you care anyway~?
It’s your life do as you like- Just remember you only have to answer to Christ, the rest don’t have a clue~!
And, not one with a helmet. Here’s to the death of freewill.
Helmets were made for chicks~!
If your going to ride then prepare to die-the helmet will not help if your running over 60 mph- Besides if you got the balls to ride, then you aren’t afraid to die—Ride Hard-Live Free–you only go round once in this mortal body. If your Spirit elects to come back, and do it again get a better bike~!
I respect your right to choose not to wear a helmet. Please respect my right to protect the jellywear between my ears. Jellyware is not tolerant of G forces. It’s just like jumping off a cliff, the fall doesen’t hurt, but watch out for the sudden stop at the bottom!
I respect your wants to were headgear Mark,at times if in traffic or freeways I do wear the proper apparel~!
It is when I am in the country with no traffic that the protective gear comes off. I have been riding a long time,and do know it is safer to were the head gear-but I am a free spirit with 6 decades under my belt that tells me when it is safe to ride free of the body armor~! I trust God to keep me safe,and so far after 40 odd years of riding iron horses I have remained accident free.
These pictures are cool. Who do I contact to buy some prints?
To me,the ultimate in style and coolness is a vintage British motorcycle-preferably a Triumph.
I find it interesting that Hollywood did embrace the Triumph over other brands. I wonder who the “tipping point” person was to create the passion.
I have a perfect 81 Honda CB650C and a work in progress 83 Honda 1100 Goldwing. The 650 gives you all you want and gets 54-58 miles per gallon. These bikes are my de-stressers, I think of nothing when I am on them but pure joy.
Love the pics, although there are a fair share of “poser” pics.
JP, what bikes do you drive?
The last bike I picked up, against my wife’s wishes, and without her knowledge, was a ’74 Husqvarna 400 WR. It was to be a weekend scrambler, but between the job, the bills, and the family, — it’s not doing much scrambling.
Guys, real guys yeaaah ! How the hell do we look like nowadays ? Especially with the compulsory bloody helmet ! Security & Style never matched it seems, but good news, some style makers have started considering it as another fashion accessory.
Took some pics for our facebook page Cool Vintage Stuff tab. Thanks once again for this marvelous visual stuff !
This site is so great. Keep up the excellent work. I could look at these pics all day!
Thanks JP. These pics are awesome. Makes me wish I was riding instead of reading. But the pics will work for now.
I got into bikes when I was 16, used to ride a 350/bored out yamai then got into bigger bikes- Now I am 60 and ride a tricked out H/D road glide 1250 with a power pac which boost it up another few notches depending on how it is bored, and stroked-have to admit the best ride on 2 wheels,and still blows away the cares of this world~!
In my opinion you have not lived till you trick out a bike feel the wind in your face, and the open road~! Will do this till the day I die it is ultimate freedom of being on eagles wings,have had some bad falls but still kicking it,and when I can’t do it on 2 wheels will trick out a trike.
When I was younger it gave me a rush now that I am older it’s like being in love-rush still their, and not a problem in the world when I full throttle my 2003 anniversary road glide~! Harley’s best kept secret sport/tour bike.
Tried em all but this one is a keeper, cause she ain’t no sleeper~!
Ride on- Enjoy life it is to brief to feel the wind~!!!
Just got hold of this web site- So glad to see some one doing vintage pictures, and a place were die hard ex-color riders can come to share the love of the sport.
went from being a hippie in the 60’s with a passion for bikes, to a man now 60 with a passion for Christ~! Still Riding
just with a different chapter- C M A. Somethings are just to good to give up~!
Female rider. Ride a customized Yamaha VStar! Love the site. My dream bike is an Indian, just wish they fit women more comfortably! Great pics, love to see the vintage bikes.
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Ridden a lot of bikes. I personally have found if it is air cooled with 2 cylinders you can pretty much have everything you need. Triumph Thruxton, Bimoto DB5s and a Street Glide are in my garage now. Can still drag a knee during track days and ride the glide all day long. Nothing like 2 wheels.
With you all the way on that one frank~!
The road glide is my main ride most days-Keep the rubber side down-enjoy~!
great pics, especially Steve McQueen. How many guys that wear turtlenecks could kick your ass while smoking a cigarette?
I think I’ll watch ‘Le Mans’ tonight…
I’m currently riding a 1982 Honda CX 500 TC. It’s turbocharged (19 lbs of boost ) electronically fuel injected, gold anodized wheels and white pearlescence paint. I’ve had fun riding this limited production motorcycle since new.
Come on!!! I know its not much of an american motorcycle but I’m sure someone has to be a Vespa fan around there.
Please find something about it!!! I’m sure you you’ll find great photo reports about it. I totally loved this one.
I ride a lot and have owned almost everything made. I still wear my helmet every time I ride. After many 100,000 miles I would not ride with out my helmet.
40,000 mile a year.
Great photos brings back some serious memories.
dd
All I can say is, “Clint.” He’s the coolest.
Speaking of Clint, my boyfriend and I stayed up late last night, switching back and forth between watching “The Outlaw Josey Wells” and Jack Black’s “Pick of Destiny”. What an experience!
Fantastic post! This makes me love motorcycles even more, which is definitely saying something.
I’ll be spreading the word about this site. Great job!
The picture of Paul Newman on the CZ sidepipe is a mirror image. It should be # 13. I love the picture though. All of them.
Frikkin’ rockin’ blog.
May the road rise up to meet you
May the wind be always at your back…
Cool idea but you forgot dylan man
Just for you, Adrian. Don’t say I never did anything for you, friend!
I’d used it elsewhere so I left it off… shouldn’t have.
Best,
JP
This is very cool, even with the fake Lennon picture. He did have a motorbike, a 1970 Honda 160Z that sold recently at auction for £36,000 (€45,430).
drifterdon
I’m currently riding a Honda CBR 600F4i, but I have a ’67 Triumph Trident/BSA Rocket 3 I’m hoping to fix up in the next year. Been riding for 5 years now and still loving it – Nothing beats that feeling!
Great photos! I just got a 2009 Bonneville; the old photos are validation that I did the right thing. I get a lot of negative feedback because of my age. I’m looking forward to checking out the rest of your site.
Any suggestions where I can buy photos or posters similar to the above images?
Thanks.
Mark
I have been riding most of my life and can’t see me ever stopping. Rode my first Harley, a friends 1979 Sporster, and fell in love with the Milwaukee legend back in 1983. Bought my first Harley six months later, 27 years, heaps of bikes but especially 3 Harleys later and at the age of 47 I still ride a sporster, (late) 1984 Ironhead to be exact. The sound, the look, the freedom can’t be matched. I will be chasing an 80 cube evo in the future but never wanna lose the sporty.
Dave
Adelaide, South Australia