I don’t want a pickle
Just want to ride on my motorsickle
And I don’t want a tickle
‘Cause I’d rather ride on my motorsickle
— Arlo Guthrie, “The Motorcycle Song”
Arlo Guthrie’s simple lyrics sum up the appeal of motorcycles which goes far beyond a vehicle for getting from place to place. Both the experience of riding one and our cultural mystique associated with the motorbike is of fun and freedom.
The years following the Civil War saw the swift development of steam-powered progenitors in France, England, Germany, and the U.S. Motorcycles’ rapid progress in engineering, manufacturing, and popularity in just over forty years is evident in this 1911 group photo of the Los Angeles Motorcycle Club (below):
The defining characteristics of two wheels of equal diameter powered by an internal combustion engine are contrasted in comparison to the large front wheel of the velocipede in this 1921 photo (below, left). The “bike’s” romantic potential is captured in this photo (below, right) from the “roaring” 20s! (Were it not so anachronistic, the woman seated sidesaddle appears to be talking on an unseen cellphone!)
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Practical transportation uses were realized early on for mail delivery by the U.S. Post Office Department (below, left) and for police work (below, right) as well:
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But, the essence of the motorcycle is the transformation from mundane transport for travel from here to there to the mindset of enjoying the sheer pleasure of “the ride.”
Learn More:
- View more than 90 images related to motorcycles in the Prints & Photographs Online Catalog.
- Pursue your motorcycle passion further in Web Resources on Harley-Davidson and Motorcycles found within the online exhibition Hog Heaven.
- Read an Inside Adams blog post on the annual Memorial Day weekend Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom.