TOURING THE DOLOMITES IN 1926 ~ Motorcycle Fashions

In 1926, an intrepid motorcyclist/filmmaker, Lothar Rübelt, decided to film the stunning peaks of the Dolomites as a travelogue, with a few friends along for the ride. The original film title was 'Mit dem Motorrad zu Wolken' (With Motorcycles to the Clouds), and this Italian re-titled print has recently been made available on the internet. According to a former curator of the Vienna Technisches Museum, "Lothar Rübelt was a world-class photographer, and a motorcyclist, owning a 350 Douglas, 750 Super X, and no less than 3 Brough Superior 680s. He was a friend of Robert Eberan Eberhorst (designer of the Auto Union 16 cylinder GP winner). The Brough SS80 in this film belonged to Lother's brother Ekkehardt Rübelt, who was later killed [1926] in a road accident (not his fault, and not on the Brough). Lothar told me the problem was not riding uphill, but coming down with your bones intact! You don't see in the film that their bikes were lowered [off the steepest grades] by rope, inch by inch. There is a very good copy of this film at the Vienna Science Museum." Rübelt gave up film after his brother's death, in favor of still photography, and gained worldwide acclaim as a sports photographer.

An Excelsior 'Super X' 750cc and an Ariel 550cc sidevalve

'Riding to the clouds'; from their home in Vienna, the various motorcyclists on this film trek 600km each way, on dirt, gravel, or rock roads to reach the mountains (Monte Cristallo, Monte Piano, 'le tre cime de Lavoredo'). When they do climb into the mountains, the roads rapidly become mere footpaths, then goat tracks, and in places, no road at all! At the final, very rocky stages, the riders wrap chains around their rear wheels for traction up the extremely steep climbs. Lucky for them 1920s bikes are light and narrow, so a fall represented no great hazard. Still, with 'clincher' tires pumped up to 60psi, rocky tracks were a very bumpy trial. And as mentioned above, there was still the matter of coming back down on motorcycles with virtually no brakes...

The lads examine a rare overhead-camshaft Matchless

Their machines were various, but include a super-rare Matchless with shaft-and-bevel overhead camshaft gear and a nickel plated tank - very Brough Superior in fact, one of which (an SS80) shows up at about the 7 minute mark.

A Brough-Superior SS80 gets the 'glamour focus' on camera; the riding group stops in their tracks to lure the BS owner out to say hello.

Also included are an American Excelsior 'Super X' 750cc twin, and a pair of sidevalve singles, one of which is an Ariel 550. The scenery of the film is absolutely spectacular, and I admit to a deep jealousy of riding solitary and unmolested deep into the rocky footpaths of these amazing mountains.
I'm not convinced paved roads are an improvement, as there's a particular intimacy with one's environment on slow rides over narrow dirt roads, which is still possible to experience in remote places, even on a 'street' bike. Riders took their chances on totally 'unsuitable' and un-sprung machines in the 1920s, as in this film, and found it worth their discomfort to make the trek. It's still worth it today.

Dirt roads were the rule, barring the cobblestones of Vienna, which made very shaky camera work from the sidecar!

The number and groupings of riders change through the film; in the end, only two riders make the peak, and the end of the trail.

Incredible vistas, then and now

Squeezing the Brough Superior's horn to get the owner's attention. A good detail shot of a mid-20s Brough cockpit; Cowie speedometer, hand oil pump, valve lifter lever, magneto advance lever

'Wow! It's a Brough Superior!'

Wrapping chains around the rear wheel for traction in the rocky goat paths...the Ariel 550 pictured has an open primary case, and was ridden by Mr. Pospischil, who was apparently the filmaker's girlfriend's brother...