2014 Harley-davidson Fxdb on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Vespa goes back to the future

IT'S been a while coming, but the gorgeous Vespa 946 - EICMA 2012's Best of Show - has finally introduced something to the two-wheeled world that our four-wheeled counterparts have had for a while.  I call this 'reverse retro-futurism' - the art of borrowing lines from models past and imbuing them with a sleek sense of future direction (as opposed to retro-futurism, the pre-1960s design trend of depicting the technology of the future. The term 'decopunk' may come close, but feel free to tell me if there's a more exact term.) It's what the New Mini and the New Beetle (both 1997 and 2012 versions) have done so well, and so successfully: building an all-new model as a tribute to a classic, something that's modern yet already timeless, with a widely-appreciated, inclusive aesthetic (and here we eliminate the Plymouth PT Cruiser from the conversation). The biking world is great at retro, indeed thrives on it, but not so good at adding in a taste of the 21st century.

Scorpion V-Rod Reverse Trike

There’s a lot going on in the world of three-wheelers. From Can-Am’s Spyder to Polaris’s Slingshot, and Travertson’s recently announced Striker, we have a sudden abundance of reverse trikes from which to choose. Joining the fray early next Spring is Scorpion.

Harley Art

A new display in the Harley-Davidson museum in Milwaukee is set to open at the end of this week exhibiting the artwork of the firm's styling chief Willie G Davidson. As well as being the grandson of the original 'Davidson' and in charge of all Harley's styling, it turns out that Willie G is a dab hand with a paintbrush. According to Harley-Davidson, the display will include “idyllic rural landscapes and still life watercolour paintings with strong luminosity and form that hint at time spent in the countryside during 48 years as the pacesetter in motorcycle design.” The firm's museum has also announced other special exhibits planned for later in the year, including “Journey of the Iron Elite: The Evolution of Motorcycle Culture through the Eyes of African-Americans” and “Born to be Wild: The Black Leather Jacket” - a 4000-square-foot display dedicated purely to black biker jackets...