Friday, February 3, 2023

13 strange things at a motorcycle show

Vintage bicycle accessories for sale on table.
Jumble of vintage accessories for sale in the bicycle area; everything here awakens memories of my childhood. Oh, to be young again.

 Perfection might be something restorers of vintage motorcycles strive to achieve. But I maintain it's often the odd feature, stock or not, that humans appreciate when they look at old motorcycles. 

That human touch, intentional or not, creates interest. Exceptional design and perfect paint attract the eye, but so do patina and cockeyed engineering. 

Here are 13 things that caught my eye at the 2023 Dania Beach Vintage Motorcycle Show Feb. 28 here in Florida. (For the neatest motorcycles I saw at this year's show, click here and here.) 

Crude cup holder attached to motorcycle.
Fuel-tap cup holder and cow bell air filter cover.

U.S. flags and army canteen for sale.
Patriotism and service honored on swap meet table.

Sweater thrown over motorcycle seat.
People DID look at this motorcycle, suggesting how much more attention it would draw with a strategically chosen item of clothing.

Cooling grate on oil tank of motorcycle.
Cooling grate on oil tank of 1969 Velocette Thruxton.

Gear indicator on Triumph motorcycle.
Mechanical gear indicator on 1957 Triumph Tiger Cub.

Grille on inlet for motorcycle carburetor.
Tacked on grille admits air to air cleaner on 1961 BMW R3.

Beat-up license plate attached to rat bike.
Rat bike wraps license plate around bodywork.

Union Jack decorated screws hold license.
Union Jack screws hold plate on.

Rusty fenders lined up at swap meet.
Fenders form unintentional sculpture at swap meet.

Union Jack flies above motorcycle show.
National flags mark parking spots for international bikes.

Triumph logo on side of motorcycle tank.
Ever notice how 3D Triumph the logo is? This is on a '67 Bonneville.

Three-legged dog at motorcycle show.
Dania Beach show is at a public park so dogs are welcome. This one evoked more emotion than most.

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