![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYbjtis7RB21aDCl3mrwmF3RWyc-Sob93S-bThFe-ZNiWZTktsV4XbrE5F9HiyX_P5gqzd1L18x7S_V6G4ckRJqvRC6PThW4KfhStLuajxGjCANVknhuljqB0wd9Dq9GcURebR80SLX-H/s400/r51:3.60s.jpg)
The 'look' of these outfits has been strip-mined by every contemporary clothing designer in the past 20 years. Some people still consider these outfits the epitome of American Style, and I have to say, they all look Real Cool.
Top photo shows a young gent by his 1954 BMW R51/3. Turned-up jeans, black bomber jacket, engineer's boots, blue chambray shirt.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84ynP6NyoyXnoHlCydXJKYSuA6HM1mSjOpDGeSpCl_aNKiY_cn2w7y4rmItAYrUbQTGLWkZF-OLuswJjoWzcMmlwqOJXcod5jlMae_tkVK3HTCv1C3arZEbhl9Up1DvUTGToysC4z3icU/s400/nort.frame.60s.jpg)
I love this pair; a ca. '55 Norton Dominator rolling chassis, which is actually in very nice and totally stock condition, waiting for its power plant. I see guys dressed exactly like this down on Haight Street... and Castro Street!
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The second fellow on the rolling Norton has his plaid shirt knotted at
the waist and a popped collar, rolled up sleeves. Black jeans, greasy hair.
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This '66 Triumph Bonneville would have been a year old when this pic was taken. A black Norton Atlas or 650SS sits across the street.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbj0uR1CTPQk9U-a0K1zwRqwJB92b1j7Ey_zQfYzIPmMIGCXvRndC-z8oxCnSAIo_IV_EA4PSgpKx8pvKFTaveWevr9-6l3NQWSkfRG50HgYTOxc0zM_nApo12PawE8U414bQ7QE2EZ6p/s400/bsa.nort.60s.jpg)
There's the black Norton again, with a slightly bobbed rear fender (surprisingly, these bikes are almost all bone stock). The rarest machine of the bunch is the BSA A65 Hornet Scrambler, a heavyweight Desert Racer which was a short-production model for '67/8 - the mufflers have been changed for short megaphones. The gent's quilted nylon hunting jacket is featured in this year's Prada catalog...
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Somebody went and got married... with the inevitable result! The station wagon Ford is crowding out the '67 Norton Manxman 650cc model - a US-only job with a distinctive small tank. Did the child grow up to ride? That could have been me.. mom has a nice pair of Ray-Bans.
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Yes, Americans rode Harleys too in the 60's. This fellow has a full-dress 'garbage wagon' Panhead Hydra-Glide, with a lot of extras adding weight to the whole rig...although he was the most comfortable on the big road trip to Laconia that year.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2iWpNiRiUBcrvHA1qxeJE_MilLAjkvtxnl2tP5zZrx6VCWblJ9jOEf7QzWsRUgy1aJMDbNkm4Lo_OvqPFTZrTsHUmhA4dqPDYQWOPaN5OXveN1hVXBdN4PPODbIurU5rKYek7sHaXkiv/s400/hd.nort.60s.jpg)
Especially if he's packing double. I like the matching outfits, but I don't think she's actually riding today though, with those cute sneakers and no socks. Nobody is wearing helmets either, just scarves and hats (gotta keep the hairdo in place).
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Another Hydra-Glide, this time in black and white. Same taste in headgear as his buddy; love the American Optical eyeglasses... these guys could be from an ad in 2008!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPgKEfiEmXUA9_A22U-NL_WIUG0cJW5nl_xbam2ebpcKQX3tVa-bwQns3rgXyritPZI2IGdpSz5w58SoI3CdutT6Jn5WKrWvSeYDOLl3UEuKsI6_qfuozgM6i3aWkQw0gDWehcsku6Oq4/s400/guy.60s.jpg)
But this fellow would be from a music video... just too cool.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTAVV0yaVSxPhDK7UPk9aIT6XCigyhecOmYPafYOko56EFFNmxUNoPrYGS7nxSxzCjfUTRaVfY2X5hG8lluwQAdEPdmi8ZSFwX-M-vJM2n73B7HHkWc_gkmwMr1htmaDILmwqBRkzoFmGj/s400/restaurant.60s.jpg)
Okay, so they wear helmets, at least when it's cold oustide, and gloves. The BMW has progressed to a mid-60's R60/2, with our Atlas and Hornet.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhorUWVkQMiOXkzzaUbuO3-B3WP6juPt4V0em3mR4H_1sRTQTTxBShD9V2MaRh9OexrFOSbTaMOH7JOKGF859FRHvq0HR_bLBlo_CEIFavwk6eM_ouHq-xRQUu_VFyRbogtHoqWungprdHO/s400/street.60s.jpg)
Here's a shot of the neighborhood - these fellows were all connected by motorcycles, clearly. Dig the cars...all American iron. The bikes would have offered a lot more performance than these heavy and ill-handling old slugs!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6dF603pTSHHlEXdUAGl52Z3W_Lkh-0s6qUrxzwrax4_gcQVCzBXOXj8sYeRLNSl3jtdRNZyzfaQ3yZBRjImJxrEInSxJVtdkruf-FZS9Bs1eWaaveqEtTODZiMLQOwkbWJctE6mtgRKJ/s400/motorcycle.meet.60s.jpg)
And finally, at the motorcycle races at Laconia. The 'parking lot' is full of Harley cruisers, with a few other bikes in the background.