18/01/2022
In the spirit of MLK, we'd like to introduce you to another piece of black history pertaining to the bike world.
Cliff "Stoney" Vaughs, born in 1937, was a fellow gearhead and bike designer, among his many talents and desire to use them to break the color barrier.
He was a filmmaker and penned the designs for the 'Easy Rider' bikes while working as an associate producer on the film. He, too, had a dream and worked closely with Ben Hardy to bring those bikes to life, all the while recognizing the need for change.
In 1964, Vaughs filmed interviews with Martin Luther King Jr., Stokeley Carmichael, and Julian Bond for a documentary called 'What Will the Harvest Be?' about the rise of the black power movement in the U.S. Thanks to his many efforts, he finally broke the color barrier in the cameraman's union after suing to be let in in 1965.
Unfortunately, Ben Hardy and Cliff Vaughs remain largely unknown and uncredited. It took decades before they were accepted due to being African-American, and were not welcomed into the mainstream motorcycle world here in the U.S. for most of their careers. Many people recognize the iconic chopper seen in the 1969 'Easy Rider' film, but they don't know who the real icons are.
So next time you see it, now you'll know.
