My Cool Motorcycle

The motorcycle can lay claim as the most influential form of mobility becoming the embodiment of liberation and rebellion; never more so than in the 50s and 60s with the era of rockers, ton-up boys, the 59 Club and cafe racing.

My Cool Motorcycle celebrates a love affair with motorcycles and the strong culture within the tight-knit community. Explore how the origins of the era of motorcycle subculture have lived on, through the fashions and spin-off cultures that this versatile machine has spawned. Looking back across a hundred years of the motorcycle, My Cool Motorcycle charts iconic makes and sought-after classics, along with a cross-section of passionate owners.

Chapters include: It's a Keeper: Exploring the irreplaceable and sentimental bond that determines a motorcycle as being 'a keeper' whether its a cherished motorcycle being handed down generations, or a garage find sure to generate your own curiosity for local garages. The Wider Picture: Looking beyond stories of traditional ownership and exploring the motivations of individuals who take motorcycling one stage further.

Diversity: Consider how some people choose to push aside conformity and extend the boundaries of their chosen path, adapting their persona and how they choose to live their life through fashion, hobbies, culture and, crucially, motorcycle ownership.

Retrospective: The 1960s saw a dramatic shift in motorcycle ownership and the onset of the 1970s saw the biggest boom in motorcycle sales with everyone seemingly opting to take to the roads. This chapter is an opportunity to take a retrospective look at the exciting motorcycles indicative to this era of change.

About the Author

Chris Haddon is a multi-disciplinary designer with almost 20 years experience. He has a huge passion for all things retro and among his collection of vintagecaravans is his studio which is a converted 1960s Airstream. He had for many years hankered after the perfect classic car to accompany his retro caravans.The journey that he took when looking for the car he now owns led him to admire and consider many various possibilities along the way. Chris is the coauthorof my cool caravan and my cool campervan and the author of my cool classic car and my cool motorcycle.