MDchanic

Here are some very nice photos and a bit of information about a trip a few Englishmen (and an Englishwoman) took through Europe in the summer of 1953, shortly after the war that they had all fought just a few years before.

Nothing special, just a nice set of photos to make you look back and remember, or think you can remember .

It's not my site, but this link was sent to me by a fellow antique motorcycle enthusiast. It looks like he's only had the site up a few days, and the servers are already straining.

Just thought some of you would like it... .

- Eric

Lady72nRob71

Wow - great pictures and well written story - short and to the point; the pics do the talking.
Much of the scenery looked familiar, as my x and I toured Europe 6 years ago and we took a train across the Alps. I would have loved to do it by bike!

It is interesting that I had not have even heard of most of those bike brands. They proved themselves reliable, for sure!

Thanks for posting. I now want to get out and ride my bike..............

morepwr

That was a great read! Thank you for posting that.

What a great trip that must have been.

47 Convertible

Thanks so much for posting. The memories from motorcycle trips do last a lifetime. I never rode overseas. I did ride USA, Canada and a little in Mexico. I got my first cycle at age 16 (BSA 500cc single), owned several other bikes over the years and finally sold my last bike, a Suzuki 1100, about 8 years ago at age 62.

I estimate I put over 350,000 miles on motorcycles over 47 years or so of riding. My second to last bike was an 850 Suzuki shaft drive that I bought new in Boise, Idaho and put 102,000 miles on in 8 years, rode it in 35 US States and 4 Canadian Provinces. I mostly rode alone on weekends and occasional week and two week trips. It was hard to find anyone who wanted to ride as much and camp along the way.

MDchanic

The author points out the suits they were wearing in many of the photos, but he doesn't really make the point fully - Back then, a regular guy (this guy had been an airplane mechanic in the War, not an officer) would wear a suit more often than not, but, more often than not, he only had ONE, maybe a second one for special occasions.

Look at the saddle bags that these folks were riding with - they're not carrying much luggage - and yet those heavy wool suits were stowed away in there for parts of the trip, and on the last day, they don't look wrinkled. I have a hard time believing that they found a dry cleaner who pressed 'em up just before their flight.

I can only assume that 1. Those were some pretty bad-*** suits that REALLY took a lot of abuse gracefully, and 2. They were pretty comfortable compared to what most of us would wear today (either that or these guys were willing to put up with a lot more discomfort than most of us are).

Makes me think I should go back to wearing suits more...

- Eric

Lady72nRob71

I admire how nice men and women presented themselved back "in the days" - no matter what they did.
However I could not see myself wearing a suit for anything but the most formal events. Them things are just plain uncomfortable to me!!
The slower pace of life is also evident, something I would want to go back to. Much safer to ride back then than now due to less people and congestion and toys that drivers play with while trying to drive...
Would have been nice to have gone on that trip.........