WHILST HERE IN LA WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THE ROAD AND DESPITE A LARGE PROPORTION OF THAT TIME BEING STUCK IN TRAFFIC… IT’S BEEN COMPLETELY WORTH IT. FOR US THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO ENJOY THE SALT AIR & SUNNY SIGHTS OF CALIFORNIA THAN IN AN OPEN TOP MUSTANG OR ON THE BACK OF A BIKE (OR MAYBE LYING ON THE BEACH WITH A COLD ONE). SO WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY RISES TO FOLLOW ONE OF SOUTH CALIFORNIA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL MOTORCYCLE CLUBS- VVMC ON THEIR MONTHLY 3RD SUNDAY RIDE* , WE’RE GONNA TAKE IT.

 WE PULLED ONTO ABBOT & KINNEY BOULEVARD AROUND 10AM -ACCORDINGLY TO THE ITINERARY RELEASED BY THE DESIGNATED VVMC ROAD CAPTAINS. THE RULES WERE SIMPLE: MEET AT 10AM, STOP FOR GAS PRIOR TO THE RIDE AND DO NOT PASS THE ROAD CAPTAINS. THE GUIDELINES ALSO STATED THAT ALL BIKES ARE WELCOME, YET VINTAGE IS PREFERRED. VINTAGE WAS MOST DEFINITELY PREFERRED AS WE WERE FACED WITH A SWARM OF PRE 1979 BOBBERS, CAFES AND SCRAMBLERS, THAT SAT ALONGSIDE THEIR PROUD CREATORS.

 

 

 

 VENICE VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE CLUB ALL STARTED OUT OF A GARAGE IN VENICE,CA WHEN THE FOUR ORIGINAL‘SUSPECTS’ AND CO-FOUNDERS LOOKED TO CREATE A CLUB “DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION AND CELEBRATION OF VINTAGE MOTORCYCLES & OF MOTORCYCLE CULTURE” (VVMC). THEY ARE A FAMILY OF 30 PLUS MEN AND WOMEN  WITH CRAFTSMANSHIP & A LOVE OF RIDING IN THEIR BLOOD- MANY OF WHOM STILL RIDE THE MACHINES PASSED DOWN FROM THE GENERATIONS BEFORE THEM.

 TO SEE THEM IN THEIR NUMBERS RIDING AGAINST THE BLEACHED BACKDROP OF MALIBU- ADORNED IN LEATHER, DENIM VESTS, VVMC PATCHES -AND SOME IMPRESSIVE FACIAL HAIR- IT WAS REMINISCENT OF A TIME WHEN BIKER CULTURE WAS AT IT’S HEIGHT, WHEN BIKES WERE BUILT WITH PRIDE AND WERE BUILT TO LAST.

 

 *DESTINATION- NEPTUNE’S NET, MALIBU.