In the 1920s and ’30s, motorcycles were more than just machines—they were symbols of freedom, modernity, and adventure. In an era defined by rapid industrial growth and cultural change, people who rode motorcycles embodied a spirit of independence that set them apart from the rest of society.
After the First World War, motorcycles became increasingly accessible, serving both as affordable transportation and as thrilling vehicles for sport. Young men, and occasionally women, embraced them as a way to break free from traditional norms, speeding along country roads or gathering at racetracks. Riders often wore leather jackets, goggles, and helmets, creating an image of toughness and daring that would influence motorcycle culture for decades to come.
In cities, motorcycles were practical tools—used by police, couriers, and workers who needed to move quickly through growing urban landscapes. In the countryside, they became associated with leisure rides, road trips, and a sense of romance tied to open roads and untamed landscapes. Clubs and informal groups began to form, giving rise to early motorcycle communities and competitions that celebrated both skill and camaraderie.
These vintage photos from
Vintage Cars & People capture not only the riders and their motorcycles, but also the spirit of freedom, style, and adventure that defined a generation on the move.
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| A family of three posing with a Harley-Davidson 1000 JE Combination in front of a brick-built house. The sidecar is attached to the left side of the bike, which suggests that the photo was taken in a country with left-hand traffic, circa 1928 |
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| A dapper fellow and a lady posing with a D-Rad R 0/5 Combination sidecar motorcycle in front of a monumental equestrian statue. The location is Deutsches Eck. The motorbike is registered in the Saxon district of Leipzig, 1927 |
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| A fellow in a leather jacket posing in the saddle of a single-cylinder motorcycle in front of Lorelei Rock in the Middle Rhine Valley. The motorbike is registered in the district of Rhine-Hesse, circa 1928 |
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| Three dapper fellows in suits and a stylish lady dressed in white posing with a HRD "Howard Davies 90" motorcycle. The bike is registered in the state of Upper Austria, circa 1928 |
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| A stylish couple posing in the saddle of a Norton 16H motorcycle in the countryside. The print is dated "1929" on reverse |
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| A young lady in a fur-trimmed coat posing in the saddle of a NSU 501 T Combination in an autumnal forest. The bike is registered in the city of Berlin, November 1929 |
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| A cheerful young lady posing in the saddle of an ancient motorcycle in front of a double-leaf door. The bike is registered in the city of Berlin, January 1, 1930 |
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| A company of three posing with an ancient sidecar motorcycle in the countryside. The single-cylinder combination is registered in the Prussian province of Schleswig-Holstein, circa 1930 |
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| A fashionable lady posing in the saddle of an Ariel Model F 500 motorcycle on a dirt road in the countryside. She is wearing a woollen coat, a beret, silk stockings, and Mary Janes. The bike is registered in the city of Vienna, circa 1930 |
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| A lady in a light-colored raincoat and two chaps in bikers' gear posing with a FN 500 cc Combination motorcycle in front of Lorelei Rock on the bank of the River Rhine. The motorbike is registered in the Saxon district of Leipzig, circa 1930 |
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| A middle-aged couple posing with a Ardie TM 500 Combination motorcycle in front of Lorelei Rock on the bank of the River Rhine. The motorbike is registered in the Freestate of Lippe, circa 1930 |
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| A stylish couple posing on an Ariel 500 cc Model F motorcycle in a rural backyard, circa 1930 |
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| Two cheerful ladies posing with an Opel Motoclub 500 Combination motorcycle on a dirt road in the countryside. The bike is registered in the administrative region of Düsseldorf, circa 1930 |
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| Two rugged-looking couples posing in the saddles of their Zündapp motorcycles on a dirt road in summertime. Both bikes are registered in the city of Munich, circa 1930 |
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| A young lady in a dress and apron posing in the saddle of an ancient motorcycle, somewhere in the Swabian countryside. The print is dated "September 1931" on reverse, the bike is registered in the German state of Württemberg |
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| A company of three posing with an AJS Sidecar Motorcycle on a dirt road in the countryside. The bike is registered in the city of Vienna, circa 1935 |
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| A fellow in a double-breasted sports coat and a blonde lady wearing a 3/4 length dress, white apron, and houndstooth jacket posing with a Zündapp B200 motorcycle. The bike is registered in the Prussian province of Hanover, circa 1935 |
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| A lady in an elegant dress and a fellow in a leather coat posing with a BMW R 11 Combination sidecar motorcycle on a gravel road in the countryside. The vehicle is registered in the city of Munich, circa 1935 |
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| An elegant young lady posing in the saddle of a Dürkopp M 10 motorcycle. She is wearing a lace dress, silk stockings, and Mary Janes. The bike is registered in the Prussian province of Brandenburg, circa 1935 |
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| An elegant young couple posing on a BSA motorcycle. The vehicle is registered in the French département of Alpes-Maritimes, circa 1936 |
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| Two stylish couples posing with their Zündapp and NSU sidecar motorcycles on the bank of a lake in summertime. The location is the Swiss city of Lugano. Both bikes are registered in the former Prussian Rhineland, 1937 |
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| A dapper fellow posing in the saddle of a BSA sidecar motorcycle in a downtown street in summertime. The sidecar combination is registered in the city of Valencia, circa 1938 |
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| A young brunette lady proudly posing with a Victoria KR 20 EN motorcycle in summertime. She is wearing a white blouse, a knee-length skirt, and white socks, circa 1938 |
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| A cheerful young lady posing in the saddle of a Rudge Rapid motorcycle in a village street. The words "Mai 1939 – Pitten (Nieder-Donau) – Elly!" are handwritten on reverse. The bike is registered in the city of Vienna, May 1939 |
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| Three cheerful young ladies posing enthusiastically with a Zündapp K500 motorcycle. The print is dated "Frühjahr 1939" (spring 1939) on reverse. The bike is registered in the German state of Württemberg |
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| Three generations of an Austrian middle-class family posing with a Indian Chief Combination on a gravel road in summertime. The sidecar motorcycle is registered in the city of Vienna, circa 1939 |
Happy smiling faces captured during a brief moment in time that would soon be gone.
ReplyDeleteI often wonder how many of the people photographed will either become ardent Nazis or be doomed to suffer and die at the hands of the fascists.