My friend Corey sent me a copy of Jerry Hatfield's biography of motorcycle racer/tuner/icon Rollie Free. An image of Free in a bathing suit and tennis shoes, stretched out prone at 150mph, half-on, half-off of a Vincent at Bonneville is the most famous motorcycle photo ever.
I'm about a hundred pages (half-way) into the book at this point. Those pages focus on pre-war riding, the Harley-Indian wars and Free's rise as a rider and Indian dealer in Indianapolis. After serving in WWII, he and his wife moved to southern California, where Free became involved with the British bikes just entering the country, including J.A.P., Ariel, Triumph and Vincent.
As several reviewers have commented, I cannot put this book down.
The photos are worth the $55 price of the book. The text is written by a rider and shows a rider's fascination with Free's motorcycling life and times. An audio CD accompanies the book featuring Hatfield's 1980 interview with Rollie (nickname for Roland; thus Rolly, not Raleigh) Free.
This is a big, wonderful book. If you remember or love the old days in motorcycling, don't deny yourself! Whatta book!
Here's Hatfield's information:
Jerry Hatfield 605 Hinsdale Dr, Arlington TX 76006. 817-861-2822
email: beemer73@sbcglobal.net
1 comment:
nice looking blog Maynard. Glad to hear that you are enjoying Denver. Eric Brandt
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