Story by Mike Seate
Photos by Yve Assad
To say Walt Siegl’s motorcycles encompass a world of influences would be a grand understatement. His career, building some of the most sought-after and distinctive custom cafe racers we’ve yet seen, started in a Russian steel firm, of all places. From his time in Moscow, the soft-spoken Austrian went to work for his native country’s government in the for.eign service before ending up as a cultural at.taché in New York City. The world of international diplomacy is a far piece from the usual motorcycle builder’s background of bike shop technicians and home-brewed machinists, but Siegel isn’t your ordinary shade tree me.chanic. Speaking to him in his New England stu.dio, his passionate reflections on the aesthetic and visceral pleasures of fast, one-off motorcy.cles sounds reminiscent of a modern artist de.scribing his muse more than anything else.
