Name: Benjamin

Bike: Vespa PX

Location: Paris 2

Benjamin was a colleague and I noticed his classy parisian style on his black Vespa PX.

When we took this picture, he was actually going to sell his PX as he was about to move from Paris to Amsterdam. He has been riding in Paris for 4 years. He had a Lambrotta before, an other nice classy italian scooter. But he changed because the Lambrotta was really braking badly. He first chose to ride a scooter because he really had enough of taking the metro. He bought a Vespa PX because it’s one of the few scooter to be nice according to him (and we agree!). The furthest he went with the PX? Montmartre! :) Thanks Benjamin and I hope you’re having a great time in Amsterdam.

Name: Christine

Bike: Honda 125 Custom

Location: Paris 12

When I saw Christine, ready to go on her bike, I thought she was special and run on her to ask for a picture. It’s not everyday that you can see a quite old lady riding a bike. At first, she didn’t understand why I wanted a picture of her, “you’re not a japanese taking pictures of everything”. But she was ok and we could even have a good chat. She’s 65 and she’s been riding a bike for 35 years. She started when she turned 30, as before “she was too snobbish”. She never went further than 50 kilometers away from Paris. Why is she riding a bike? She didn’t hesitate and said: “for the wind stroke”! Thanks a lot Christine, I really enjoyed meeting you and sorry about the poor quality of my picture… (but it was dark, you know)

Name: Simon

Bike: Kawasaki

Location: Paris 2

Simon is the first one I shot for this project. I was walking around Montorgueil in Paris, like a hunter looking for his prey. He was actually the perfect prey I was looking for, so when I saw him arriving and stopping at the red light, I didn’t hesitate a second and asked him if I could take a pic of him.

Of course taking a picture at the red light isn’t the best. Specially if you want to have a little chat to get a bit of a story about Simon and why he’s riding this nice red Kawasaki. So I took his email and asked him later.

Here are the few answers he kindly responded to my questions.

Simon has been riding in Paris for 20 years. To escape the metro. To be free to go where he wants, when he wants. For the thrill, for the fun and to be riding with friends. 

He’s riding on the picture a Kawasaki from 1999 that he bought for his “sweety”. He’s happy and proud to see her riding it.

The furthest he wants with this bike is Malakoff (city in the south of Paris) but with other bikes he went until Arcachon or Marseilles, alone or his “sweety”.

Thanks Simon for having been the first just to say “yes” and for the answers.