"The Bikeriders" by Photographer Danny Lyon

Half a century ago a young student who grew up in Queens, began photographing a motorcycle gang in Chicago. The student, Danny Lyon, assembled the black-and-white images he took from 1963 to 1967 into a book, “The Bikeriders,” that became a touchstone of the 1960s. It helped inspire the vision of biker as outlaw hero in the 1969 film “Easy Rider.”

 One of Mr. Lyon’s achievements was winning the confidence of bikers captured by his Nikons and Rolleiflexes. He bought an old Triumph and even joined the Outlaws for a time

Mr. Lyon, who is 71, did more than anyone outside Hollywood to establish the image of the outlaw biker. His work marks the transition between Marlon Brando in “The Wild One” and “Easy Rider.” The biker, as a romantic outlaw in the tradition of Billy the Kid or Robin Hood, has long since turned into a set of clichés found in clothing and comedy. [via New York Times]

***You can see Lyon's "The Bikeriders" exhibition at Stephen Bulger Gallery in Toronto. I managed to finally get down there just yesterday ( June 20th) . Check it out before it is taken down. (If I had an extra $5500 laying around I would have bought a print of the image below)

Danny Lyon, Crossing the Ohio, Louisville, 1966.

From Lindsey's room, Louisville from The Bikeriders by Danny Lyon,1966

Danny Lyon, Chicago 1965Route 12, Wisconsin from The Bikeriders by Danny Lyon 1963

Renegade's funeral, Detroit from The Bikeriders by Danny Lyon,circa 1965-66

From Dayton to Columbus, Ohio from The Bikeriders by Danny Lyon circa 1965-66

Photo by Danny Lyon 1965 / Magnum Photos

Danny Lyon, “Memorial Day run, Milwaukee.”

Danny Lyon self portrait