I found this Yale, unloved and unappreciated, in a pile of old bikes--years before the average collector/dealer really knew what he had--and long before I knew how desirable a Davis Sewing Machine Company-made bicycle is. To me, this Yale "motorbike" speaks to my Dad's era, and his youthful longing for a motorcycle--forbidden to him by his father, who thought motorcycles were too dangerous. The YALE cutout in the chainring, the gorgeous YALE head badge, the swept-back tiller handlebars, and the beautiful deep blue paint applied by my friend Charlie Dixon combine to make this one of my favorite teens-era bicycles. The bright yellow coke bottle grips are probably incorrect, but I couldn't resist giving the bike a splash of contrasting color, along with the bright red siren on the handlebar stem, a rather rare Delta accessory.

1916 Yale ©Daniel Dahlquist