Whether you’re into American, British, Italian, Japanese, or German motorcycles, most motorcycle aficionados would agree that North American bikes built during the 1940s and 50s are stunningly beautiful machines.....maybe even works of art.

Problem is, to keep one of these beauties running requires patience, fairly deep pockets, some measure of mechanical aptitude and dedication....not to mention a fully-charged cell phone. Stunning they may be, but original Indian Chiefs and Harley Knuckleheads are temperamental, leaky, disaster-prone, and difficult to get along with. Lovely to look at, hard to hold.

But for vintage motorcycle enthusiasts who still want the "old school" riding experience without the mechanical headaches, there’s help at hand. With the march of technology, it’s possible to get your hands on a retro bike built from scratch, utilizing modern parts and up-to-date components, with all the presence and style of the original, but without the capriciousness. At least, that’s the thinking behind Old School Motorcycles, a Vancouver-based builder owned and operated by Simon Sorriento.

"I bought a 1946 Harley-Davidson a few years ago," he explains, "but it just kept breaking down and I got tired of getting it fixed. I wanted an everyday rider, but Harleys these days are too plasticky.....plus, everybody and his dog has one. I wanted something that would stand out."

Sorriento started to get in touch with various aftermarket suppliers and set about building a classic vintage bike from scratch, with a view to reliability and rideability. Manufacturers such as S&S, Paughco, Andrews, Santee, Vance & Hines, and, especially, Flathead Power, are household names in the vintage bike community, and have vast warehouses chock-full of NOS (New Old Stock) retro parts and odds and ends. The latter manufacturer, in particular, is noteworthy. Originally based in Sweden, Flathead Power reproduced legendary V-twin engines such as the Harley-Davidson knucklehead and panhead, updated, with contemporary materials, modern manufacturing techniques and closer tolerances. U.S-based engine manufacturer S&S recently purchased Flathead Power and everything now emanates out of Wisconsin.

Arguably the biggest flaw with old motorcycle engines has always been the inability of the original manufacturers to make things fit tightly. If you rebuild an old motorcycle engine, especially an air-cooled one, oil leaks, starting problems, and fragile internals are all part of the experience. After all, the technology is fifty or sixty years old, and these powerplants were never designed to be used for half a century. Nowadays, with computer technology, those kinds of issues are a thing of the past. New-fangled upgrades such as electric start, five-speed transmissions, belt drive, electronic ignition, and disc brakes are all readily available and can usually be retro-fitted to just about any make and model of American motorcycle these days. Purists can actually have it both ways, with all of the above as well as traditional technology such as kick start, hand-operated gearshift lever, chain drive, or mechanical brakes.

Inevitably, after Sorriento built his new-old bike from scratch and put several thousand kilometres on it, one thing led to another. Old School Motorcycles Inc was born and he set up shop in 2007. So far, he has sold just eight bikes in the intervening two years, but a line of stylish clothes and shop service work is helping to get him through the tough times, and he is in the process of moving to larger premises. "I want customers to be able to walk through the shop and see how their bike is progressing and how we do things."

"There’s something about the art deco look of old bikes," he adds. "I love old black and white movies, especially if they have a motorcycle in them. And I’ve always been drawn to old Harleys and Indians....to be honest, I love the attention they get when you take ‘em out. I like being noticed."

Old School’s line-up includes faithful reproductions of models such as the Harley-Davidson Knucklehead EL and Indian Chief, but buyers craving the Lee Marvin ‘50s bad boy look can opt for one of several cut-down "bobber" models. On the floor at Old School, in fact, was one of the "Time Traveller" bobber models that had just sold for $39,000. "We have eight models right now, and we can build you one in about eight weeks," says Sorriento. Old School’s most popular model is the Time Bandit Deluxe, which is a reasonably faithful reproduction of a 1936s era Harley-Davidson Knucklehead, or EL. Prices range from about the mid-$20,000s to $40,000 and up, depending upon what size engine, paint job, extras and so on you want. "We can build just about anything," Sorriento adds. "It’s up to you." Every bike comes with a one year full warranty and optional three year coverage.

Sorriento, who still has a day job as a family counsellor, has yet to get a handle on a typical customer. "Sure, we get a lot of older guys trying to recapture their misspent youth, but you’d be surprised how many younger guys and women come in as well."