Can a mechanical and practical piece of machinery be beautiful? Of course it can. We are used to the voluptuous lines of a 1950’s or ’60’s Ferrari or the graceful menace of the Supermarine Spitfire but haven’t many ships and steam locomotives also been truly beautiful?
You could argue that beauty in a machine comes from three elements. The first is purely aesthetic - the design and styling and the colour palette. The second is the engineering, always much more visible on a motorcycle than in a car, although it does not necessarily have to be visible to still take the breath away, for whatever reason. The third is the aural sensation; would any bike stir the sense as much if it was silent? A motorcycle with all three elements can be achingly beautiful.
This story is from the December 2020 edition of Bike SA.
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This story is from the December 2020 edition of Bike SA.
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