Seattle Speedometer’s 2014 Second Annual Motorcycle Film Festival Best of Fest award. Photo ©Drury Photos
We try to present trophies as awesome and unique as the films that take them home. For the second year running, and hopefully more to come, Seattle Speedometer has provided the custom trophies for the People’s Choice and Best in Festival awards. Buz, the master craftsman behind Seattle Speedometer, took a few minutes to talk to us about his interest in gauges and moto film.
How did you hear about the MFF?
I have a lot of friends in the custom bike biz so the word was out from the get go, but I think it was Stacie London who emailed me about it. It’s such an awesome concept that I took a liking to it in a heartbeat!
You’ve done some straight restorations and some unique custom pieces. Tell us a little about how you got started and inspired you to focus on speedometers of all things.
I was looking for a job while in college and a friend knew of a restoration shop that was hiring for gauge repair, and they would do all the training. They gave me the job on the spot. I spent the next nine years building it up, hiring people, and managing the whole division. Two years ago I felt it was time to go out on my own. Other than getting married and having a kid, it was the best decision of my life.
Gauges have always had my attention. The idea that they are sealed-up under glass is just cool. Ever since that first day on the job I’ve been hooked.
What inspires your custom speedometers?
Not to sound like a total cheese-ball, but inspiration comes from everywhere and everyone I meet. Sometimes I’ll sketch out one face design and it’s perfect, other times it takes ten tries. But in the end the most important thing is that the builder or customer is happy with what they get.
How did you come up with the idea for the MFF trophies?
When I started thinking about it I kept coming back to the notion of rough, fast and dirty bikes and people and the smooth, refined and graceful idea of film. So, I tried to marry the two. A clean, elegant speedometer set in a rough cut steel and graffiti base.
Paul d’Orleans, Corrina Mantlo, and Peter Starr presenting the 2014 Second Annual Motorcycle Film Festival People’s Choice award. Photo ©Drury Photos
If the winners, Peoples Choice and Best in Festival, pop out those speedometers can they hook ’em up to their bikes?
Sure, they will work! They won’t tell you anything meaningful but they are functional.
Any new projects on the horizon that you can divulge?
You mean other than designing the 2015 MFF trophies?…
I’m going to start building some more gauges for Walt Siegl, maybe some for Threepence Moto out of Denver. I’ve got my hands in a lot of different builds right now, so it’s a pretty exciting time!
Where can people see some of your new work? Any shows, like the 12 Gauge Show, coming up?
A few of the bikes at the 2015 The One Show in Portland will have our gauges. Other than that our Instagram feed (@seattlespeedometer) is the best place to see our newest stuff.
Any favorite motorcycle films?
Of course the original On Any Sunday has always been a favorite. I thought Roper #7 was pretty awesome too! Little Fauss and Big Halsy is a crappy film but there is something about bikes and the 1970s that just go together perfectly.