Vintage biker style...

[Jovan]

I've decided if I'm going to get a motorcycle or scooter like I plan to in the next year, I might as well dress like I've got one. I've drawn inspiration from James Dean, Henry Winkler, and the fella in my avatar. The only thing I'm missing are the right engineer or harness boots. I think there's some engineer boots that can be had for a decent price online -- but I forget where. I've only got some Vietnam style jungle boots, and those don't really fit the bill. Tonight I wore those, a pair of selvage jeans (with the bottoms rolled up a bit), and a black t-shirt tucked in with a black leather belt and brown casual zip-up jacket. I also "greased" my hair back a bit. My housemate Grant commented, "Chicks would dig you, the way you're dressed... just get different shoes." I hope he didn't mean boots in general.

I'll get pictures of the outfit as soon as possible. Until then, share your thoughts and pictures on the style.

 

[Rufus]

Hi Jovan,

Red Wing and Chippewa both make fantastic Engineer boots.

I'd recommend either..or both! You can often find them on Ebay, going very reasonably.

Have fun..and post some pics!

Kind regards, Rufus

 

[carebear]

You can also get boots at a motorcycle shop.

Just sayin'.

 

[Rooster]

I think you'll like pretty strange dressed like James Dean and hot roding around on a Vespa.....lol

 

[Woland]

Forget about the scooter.
You need a vintage BSA, Triumph or Norton.

Good old Marlon showed some style in that dept.

 

[gluegungeisha]

You must get the biker goggles, too!

 

[Jovan]

Rufus: Thanks. I guess I'd rather get Chippewas; I've been in a Red Wings shop, and they have the logo VERY prominently displayed. A little tacky IMO.

carebear: I could, but then it would cost me full retail. See, I'm still kicking myself for not getting those size 11 harness boots that were on closeout from Caboots.com a year ago. $60! Mind you, their regular harness boots are still comparably priced at $120, and the engineer boots at $100, but still.

Rooster: It's a start, at least. I could just substitute the boots for sneakers if you really think it'd look bad. I'm waiting for the stepfather to fix up his 1969 Honda -- I'm pretty sure he'd give me a good price, and we've talked about it here and there. It's been neglected a bit since he got his Moto Guzzi back a few years ago.

Woland: That's a little bit... much.

gluegungeisha: I don't know about that.

 

[dundeedavie]

Rooster: It's a start, at least. I could just substitute the boots for sneakers if you really think it'd look bad.

dressing like a biker on a scooter would be horrendous ..... it would be the equivelent to using a sledge hammer to crack a walnut so to speak

 

[Baron Kurtz]

It would be like a trim cut 60s suit on an oil hog. Odd.

bk

 

[Woland]

Woland: That's a little bit... much.

IMHO; quite the contrary!

Scootering can be stylish though, but is utterly NOT compatible with a "Rocker-style".

You might wanna go 60s () :

 

[Jovan]

I suppose I can save the scooter for suit wearing. Very mod.

 

[carebear]

Jimmy needed more headlights.

Triumph is now producing modern recreations of their older bikes.

 

[Jovan]

All good and dandy, but I'm holding out for that real '60s bike.

 

[dundeedavie]

better to go 50's scooter style ...and those "60's" scooter pics are from 1978 though i'm sure you knew that

 

[$ally]

Some harness boots here:
http://www.harley-davidson.com/dwp/...lerid=2204&bmUID=1197318917473&bmLocale=en_US

 

[Absinthe_1900]

This might help, some vintage photos here:
http://www.bikernet.com/news/PageViewer.asp?PageID=1603

A bit more authentic than Brando...

Chino, Lee Marvin's character was based on Wino Willie Forkner of the Boozefighters, and likely closer to reality.

 

[Hugh Beaumont]

I've worn greaser threads since I was a teen 30 years ago and still wear jeans and engineer boots almost daily.

The nice thing about engineer boots is you don't have to look 50's. I wear my boots with jeans and with any shirt (but a nice 50's shirt looks great).

I am a big Springsteen fan and during the mid-80's, he popularized the whole jeans and boots look, making it somewhat mainstream. He made it look cool without making it look dated.

I would buy a pair of worn engineer boots off ebay. You can find some good deals and the boots will already have the used look. Forget the Harley boots. Way over priced and you really don't want to wear "corporate" stuff anyway.

 

[Martinis at 8]

Clutching is what makes a motorcycle a motorcycle. A scooter has no clutch. Go with a motorcycle.

Some suggestions:

1. Take an MSF course before you decide what you want to buy. Most of these courses will train you on some type of 250cc.
   
2. Start small for your first bike purchase. In the US that generally means a 250cc. If you are just doing local commuting around your college campus a 250cc will be all that you need. I would suggest a Honda Nighthawk 250cc (I own one of these). This is an upright style motorcycle, carburetor, and air-cooled. You can pick one up on e-bay. Maintenance is low. Other 250cc bikes, like the Kawasaki Ninja, that are fuel-injected and water-cooled, will rack up maintenance bills. On the Nighthawk, you can learn to work on it yourself.
   
3. Motorcycle fashion is different from true motorcycle safe riding gear. I know you are in FL, and like here in TX, there are no helmet laws. If you do ride, wear the right clothing for riding, like a full-face helmet and an abrasion suit. Save the fashion gear for when you go to places in your car. That's what I do. You wouldn't want to go sliding on the pavement in that nice leather jacket of yours only to have the pavement rub through it and take some of your skin off in the process. So if you do go with leather, make sure it is leather designed for road abrasion.
   
4. On the boots make sure they go well over the ankle. There is debate within the motorcycle community as to whether the boots should be laced or pull-on, steel-toed or non steel-toed. My preference is laces with no steel toe.
   
5. If you do not drive a clutch car, I would suggest learning that first, as it will make the foot/hand coordination second nature to you on a motorcycle, having learned so on a stable platform.
   
6. Riding is a blast. It puts man as close as possible to a machine and the elements at the same time. When you get some experience, try a day at a track, or a track school where you can become one with the machine with high-speed cornering.

M8

 

[Martinis at 8]

All good and dandy, but I'm holding out for that real '60s bike.

I just saw a '68 fully restored Triumph Bonneville (650cc) on eBay. The bidding was already past $7k. I have been thinking of buying one of these, but more for display than riding. Most of the classics like the vintage Bonnevilles and the vintage Norton Commandos are used as show bikes now, mostly seen at vintage rallies. Riding them everyday would de-value your investment.

The new retro models though are very nice indeed. I may pick one of these up in the near future, or pick up a used Nighthawk 750cc (big brother to the 250cc) to use for longer rides on the interstate highways.

M8

 

[carebear]

I was impressed by the "new" classic Bonneville. I was thinking about the American but my next bike will probably be the Speedmaster.

We got some big long (empty) roads up here.