FEATURE
P36
HIPSTERS AND BIKES
A group ride
during the
Hooligan
Hoedown in
Pioneertown,
California.
Others see the rise of the ca-
fes as a sign of a more funda-
mental shift in American culture.
An admiration of the artisans
and craftsmen, the type of men
who made the Triumphs, BSAs,
Nortons and Hondas that domi-
nate the scene. It's been tagged
as part of a wider 'New Sincer-
ity' movement, which calls for a
return to 'genuineness' and the
'real' and esteems the ability to
get down and dirty and fix things
yourself. It's something that's
popping up in everything from
backstreet craft breweries to ur-
ban beekeeping.
There are around 40 to 50
riders here, which while not
the greatest gathering of mo-
torcycles Pappy & Harriets' has
seen (Harleys far outnumber the
Hooligan crew) they've got a lot
more commitment - or so it would
seem - than the weekend warrior
Wild Hogs. Ages range from the
early 20s up to the mid-50s and
typical is Tommy, a 27-year-old
graphic designer from Los An-
geles. As we sit drinking a beer,
Tommy talks to me around his
bike - a 1970 BSA Thunderbolt -
and explains his reasons for own-
ing a machine that rolled off the
production line over 40 years ago.
"I like the history of it," he says.
"I like continuing the history of
something this old. Look at it.
Every nick tells a story and if I'm
able to showcase that, then I'm
stoked."
And some, not wanting to be
seen on a brand-new machine,
spend painstaking months mak-
