The Art of the Motorcycle (Guggenheim Museum Publications)Thomas Krens, Ultan Guilfoyle, Sarah Botts
Gebundene Ausgabe
< I> The Art of the Motorcycle begins with a serious preface by Guggenheim director Thomas Krens, who calls the motorcycle "a quintessential symbol of the insecurity and optimism of our time. " At 411 pages long (an ll-page, single-spaced bibliography of motorcycle books carries it over the top), it is a hefty compendium of motorcycle history, culture, design, and science. While the essays range from treatises to such fun stuff as " Bikes were always work for me, " a long poem by Dennis Hopper, this thoroughgoing tome is above all a meticulous catalogue of the 96 motorcycles exhibited at the Guggenheim Museum during the summer of 1998, with details about engine design as well as esthetics. " Another significant innovation is the machine's throttle-controlled oiler, " we read of the 1911 electric-orange Flying Merkel Model V. " Lubrication was a continuing problem in the early days . . . but Merkel's system . . . preceded by nearly two decades both Indian's as well as Harley-Davidson's adoption of this feature. " The bikes are documented with crystal-clear photographs in this precision-built book. < I>-Peggy Moorman
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