Men and motorcycles: a story that has vacillatedsomewhere between cult and clichefor years. Custom bikes, in particular, havea history that is deeply rooted in the spirit offreedom and change of the 1960s, as well asman’s primal urge to build something withhis own hands –or, in this case, tools. TheRide 2nd Gear is a showcase of the power andbeauty of these bikes.The book presents a stunning selectionof recent custom motorcycles, as well as thesmall, local workshops around the globe inwhich they are built. Hotbeds of creativityand craftsmanship, these workshops aremostly run by single individuals and attracta small yet devoted community of fansand fellow builders. Rather than covetingthe newest luxury models to come off theassembly line, this community is more concernedwith transformations. They want toturn grandpa’s old heap, a bargain foundon eBay, or a soulless model from anotherera into something of their very own. Theywant to augment old motors and existingmechanics with modern technology ormake their personal visions of aestheticsand handling a reality. This process takestime, dedication, technical expertise, andskilled handcraft.From limited series to one-offs madefor personal pleasure or to order, The Ride2nd Gear features the brilliant results ofthis process. Its pages are filled with bikesthat offer extraordinary design and drivingexperiences. In fact, established brandsare now acting on trends set by the customscene whose bikes are often more radicaland sophisticated because more attentioncan be paid to detail and each new idea canbe fine-tuned to perfection.The models shown in The Ride 2nd Gearstem from or are based on classic bobbersand choppers, Italian-style racing machines, plastic Japanese motorcycles, and rareBMWs or Triumphs, some of which mayvery well be 30-50 or even 80 years old. Theyare vintage in the best sense of the word.They not only preserve, but also improveand expand upon the quality of traditionalcraftsmanship. Decked out with state-ofthe-art disk brakes, LED lights, gears, anddrive components, these custom machinesare more agile, faster, and therefore morefun than anything produced in the past.
