The worlds most famous motorcycle photo

[Mailman]

Rollie Free on his way to a world record 150 mph in 1948


To protect himself and allow comfort when in such a position, Free had developed special protective clothing. However, when his leathers tore from early runs at 147 mph (237 km/h), he discarded them and made a final attempt without a jacket, pants, gloves, boots, or helmet. Free lay flat on the motorcycle wearing only a bathing suit, a shower cap, and a pair of borrowed sneakers – inspired by his friend Ed Kretz. This resulted not only in the record, but also produced one of the most famous photographs in motorcycling history, the "bathing suit bike." The photo was taken from a speeding car driven parallel to his run on the Bonneville Salt Flats
He joined the Army Air Force as an aircraft maintenance officer during the Second World War; during this time, he was stationed at Hill Field in Utah, where he first saw the Bonneville Salt Flats. In 1945, Free left the Air Force and resumed racing on Indian motorcycles in long-distance and sprint record attempts, as well as dirt track racing on Triumphs.

 

[GLJ]

If I remember correctly I read that that run and picture caused the sanctioning body to create rules for protective equipment for riders.
One good bump and he would have been a soprano for like.

 

[Jim]

Well if we're gonna talk about famous motorcycle pics.
With your indulgence Bob...

 

[GLJ]

I've always liked this one.
Had to be some good vibrations going on there.

 

[650Skull]

Rollie Free on his way to a world record 150 mph in 1948


To protect himself and allow comfort when in such a position, Free had developed special protective clothing. However, when his leathers tore from early runs at 147 mph (237 km/h), he discarded them and made a final attempt without a jacket, pants, gloves, boots, or helmet. Free lay flat on the motorcycle wearing only a bathing suit, a shower cap, and a pair of borrowed sneakers – inspired by his friend Ed Kretz. This resulted not only in the record, but also produced one of the most famous photographs in motorcycling history, the "bathing suit bike." The photo was taken from a speeding car driven parallel to his run on the Bonneville Salt Flats
He joined the Army Air Force as an aircraft maintenance officer during the Second World War; during this time, he was stationed at Hill Field in Utah, where he first saw the Bonneville Salt Flats. In 1945, Free left the Air Force and resumed racing on Indian motorcycles in long-distance and sprint record attempts, as well as dirt track racing on Triumphs.
View attachment 210044

Iconic. Thanks that's interesting. I have never looked up this pic. Can see he was looking down at the line to keep straight. Dam its a wounder he could see it his eye balls would have dam near been shaken out of his head and how the hell did he not suffere from vertigo............... must have been crazy

For me a Drug dealing/taking guy in a 70's culture movie revolving around the adventures of drug addled road trip pale in comparison to this pic............don't get me wrong i loved the Easyrider movie, love the pi,c and still listen to many of the songs and spent many a day drug addled myself...........I just cant compare it to the Rolli Free pic and the shear guts and determination of that ride

First pic of the planking challenge, 65 years before it was revived on the net

 

[jetmechmarty]

When I saw the topic, for me, it had to be the Rollie Free photo. No question.

Here's another honorable mention.

 

[Jim]

Another iconic movie... and movie star turned dirt racer.

 

[halfmile]

Don`t forget the "King".

 

[Mailman]

All great iconic photos! Another one that is burned into my memory is Steve McQueen ( Bud Ekins really) jumping his Triumph in the movie The Great Escape.

 

[halfmile]

Caesars Palace jump.

 

[halfmile]

The other "king"

 

[gggGary]

Rollie Free on his way to a world record 150 mph in 1948


To protect himself and allow comfort when in such a position, Free had developed special protective clothing. However, when his leathers tore from early runs at 147 mph (237 km/h), he discarded them and made a final attempt without a jacket, pants, gloves, boots, or helmet. Free lay flat on the motorcycle wearing only a bathing suit, a shower cap, and a pair of borrowed sneakers – inspired by his friend Ed Kretz. This resulted not only in the record, but also produced one of the most famous photographs in motorcycling history, the "bathing suit bike." The photo was taken from a speeding car driven parallel to his run on the Bonneville Salt Flats
He joined the Army Air Force as an aircraft maintenance officer during the Second World War; during this time, he was stationed at Hill Field in Utah, where he first saw the Bonneville Salt Flats. In 1945, Free left the Air Force and resumed racing on Indian motorcycles in long-distance and sprint record attempts, as well as dirt track racing on Triumphs.
View attachment 210044

They stole that idea from me!

 

[Mailman]

They stole that idea from me!
View attachment 210080

Gggary Free…….looks like 150mph standing still!

 

[gggGary]

Gggary Free…….looks like 150mph standing still!
View attachment 210114

In deference to y'all's eyeballs I decided against the swim suit.

 

[Mailman]

In deference to y'all's eyeballs I decided against the swim suit.

Thanks buddy! Some things can’t be unseen!

 

[gggGary]

In 1947, the event would be recorded in history books as the Hollister Riots took place during the 4th of July Celebrations in the city of the same name in California. It was a motorcycle rally that featured members of the American Motorcycle Association. Motorcycle rallies had become increasingly popular in the post World War Two era as more and more men were taking up the hobby of group motorcycle riding.

The crowd of 4,000 people was several times more than had been expected; although it was held outside Hollister, the event spilled over into the small town, which was overwhelmed by bikers who were forced to sleep on sidewalks and in parks. About 50 people were arrested during the event, most for public intoxication, reckless driving, and disturbing the peace. Some were fighting and racing in the streets; there were 60 reported injuries, of which 3 were serious. The AMA allegedly stated, “the trouble was caused by the one per cent deviant that tarnishes the public image of both motorcycles and motorcyclists”, coining the term “one-percenter” to describe “outlaw” bikers.

What put the riots in America’s collective memory was the 1953 film The Wild One starring Marlon Brando. Although it was inspired by the event, the movie was based on a more sensational account of the riots that run in Life magazine and other prestigious papers. All this can be attributed to a single reporter: Barney Peterson, a photographer for San Francisco Chronicle who staged the above photo. Peterson, who arrived after the riots, asked Eddie Davenport, a member of a now defunct club called the Tulare Riders, to pose precariously atop a Harley-Davidson motorcycle surrounded with broken beer bottles, holding a beer in each hand.

Peterson’s reporting was also somewhat sensational. He described bikers racing their bikes up and down the streets, through restaurants and bars; he used words such as “terrorism” and “pandemonium” almost gleefully, and described the women accompanying the bikers as less than wholesome. Although the Chronicle did not run the above photo (it ran another Peterson photo, which was unstaged), the staged photo appeared in the July 21, 1947 edition of Life magazine under the title “Cyclist’s Holiday: He and Friends Terrorize Town.” (The Life article was also the source of much debated number of attendees: four thousand). To an America already rattled by the Cold War and the Communism, these were not reassuring news at all. Soon, the Congress would be devoting hearings and major magazines their frontpages to young hoodlums and their anticipated (but never actually materialized) rampages.

American history being what it is, these irrational fears were soon forgotten and replaced by a new set of irrational fears. Yet, the fake news story and photos had a long reaching cultural influence. Brando’s outstanding performance in The Wild One lent an aura of “rebel outlaw” identity to bikers. The Wild One would become a model for newly formed clubs, like the Hells Angels, bring them tons of new members and popularize various bike brands.

 

[Mailman]

the staged photo appeared in the July 21, 1947 edition of Life magazine

I remembered that photo when I was writing this piece, that fake photo was a big deal back then and went a long way in casting motorcyclists in a bad light. An image that my folks still had when I bought my first motorcycle in high school. They were sure that I was on the fast track to being a trouble maker!
Edit: I just had to add, this was a pretty well ingrained image in law enforcement as well. I was stopped several times riding either alone or with a friend, just to be checked out, no citations. One local cop said he was going to be in the area all night and we had better not be around the next time he passed by. Me and my friend were all of 16 years old, two skinny boys riding RD350’s , I guess we must’ve looked pretty terrifying!

 

[Beags64]

More of Mr. McQueen...