Motorcycling in Style: Where Fashion Meets the Road
Stylish Riders and Their Creations
Are the days of the leather-clad motorcyclist behind us? These days, an increasing number of riders are opting for a more stylish look.
Courtesy Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride
New York-based menswear designer Duncan Quinn has owned several vintage and modern motorbikes and is often photographed zipping around town in one of his bespoke suits. He’s had some specially made from Dormeuil’s new Exel woolen cloth, which has enough stretch to be worn over lightweight protective gear.“Bikes are far more of an immersive experience than cars,” Quinn says. “I test ride bikes. I stare at them. I display them as objets d’art. But mostly I yearn for an open twisty road and a few fellow gearheads to ride with. There’s simply no competition with the pure adrenaline rush of literally holding on for dear life … It’s a pure, selfish world of dopamine spikes and tunnel vision.”“There’s always been a strong connection between style and bikes,” Quinn says. “From Lawrence of Arabia and his Brough Superiors, through Steve McQueen and his Triumphs, to the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride today. Sometimes even when you know it’s wrong, it’s just so right. ‘Proper’ some might even say. So suit up, start up and spin off.”The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride was founded in 2012 in Sydney, Australia, inspired by a photo of Mad Men’s Don Draper astride a classic motorcycle in a tailored suit. Every September, thousands of participants around the world “don their cravats, press their tweed and sit astride their classic-styled motorcycles to raise funds for prostate cancer research and awareness,” according to the Ride’s website.In 2015, more than 37,000 riders in 410 cities in 79 countries raised over $2.3 million for prostate cancer research. Duncan Quinn is already planning for next year: “I will probably do it on a custom 955cc Triumph triple café racer I have been building for a few years. In a heather green tweed suit.”“Over the past few years, the surge of interest in custom bikes has been fueled by a backlash against modern technology,” notes online motorcycle magazine Bike EXIF. “But this new build from Officine RossoPuro based on a Moto Guzzi California is unapologetically futuristic … It’s positively space age in its use of materials too: the brake calipers are made from Incoloy 800, an incredibly tough nickel-chromium alloy used in nuclear reactors.”Designer, movie producer and talent manager Stuart Parr has one of the finest collections of vintage Italian motorcycles in the world, including significant models from Ducati, MV Agusta, Laverda, and Magni. “The style and design are married with quality,” Parr says. “It’s pure magnetism on so many levels before even getting into the notes these beautiful machines make. I started collecting because I wanted more, and then more … I love, admire and respect them on so many different levels.”However it’s not just vintage bikes getting Parr revved up these days. “I just received my first new, contemporary motorbikes from Italy’s MV Agusta,” Parr says. “Twin 800 Brutale superbikes that Castiglioni has given to me to create my own redesign for me to ride. His next move will be “designing a limited edition bike for them,” which will likely be coveted by collectors.For many, the best designs are a blend of both classic and modern aesthetics. A BMW Motorrad dealer in Toulouse, France recently created this custom version of its R NineT — designed in homage to classic Martini Racing cars of the ’60s and ’70s — to celebrate the company’s 90th anniversary.Motorcycle brand Ducati saw record sales in 2015. “Since its inception, Ducati has maintained a mystique that draws people to the company,” says Jason Chinnock, CEO of Ducati North America. “We attribute this to [our] focus on producing motorcycles that are as beautiful as they are powerful. Most everyone can appreciate the elegant, yet strong lines of a Ducati.”In 2016 “Ducati is pushing through to new worlds,” Chinnock says. “For the first time in the company’s 90-year history, we created an adventure motorcycle, the Multistrada 1200 Enduro … In addition, we just unveiled the XDiavel, [our] first true cruiser. These new models give us the ability to appeal to entirely new groups of motorcyclists while giving Ducati loyalists more options.” The company also recently debuted the Italia Independent Scrambler, a collaboration with foppish Fiat heir Lapo Elkann.
