We often ruminate on the pros and cons of restoring vintage bikes rather than customizing them. Whichever path you choose, there’s another question worth considering; how do you treat patina? Must every last nut and bolt shine, or must the machine wear its history with pride?
“I personally live on both sides of the restored versus patina conversation,” says Mike Watanabe, co-founder of Union Motorcycle Classics. “I have pristine bikes and patina bikes that I relate to regularly. I also have a nice Porsche 912 and a Patina 356. I find a place for both philosophies—on two wheels or four.”
Mike runs Union Motorcycle Classics together with Luke Ransom, out of an old barn in Nampa, Idaho, USA. True to his word, the shop produces bikes on both sides of the equation—from polished restomods to classics that are dripping with patina.…