Buzz bands playing in hip rock clubs, stylish designer boutiques, five-star restaurants, award-winning microbreweries, chic high-rise (and higher-rent) condominiums – and a rockin’ motorcycle and hot rod scene: heck, Brooklyn, New York, hasn’t been this cool since the days of Welcome Back, Kotter.

And it just got far cooler with the opening of Genuine Motorworks, the new retail venture founded by Indian Larry Legacy partners, Elisa Seeger and her husband Bobby Seeger Jr. Genuine is located in Brooklyn’s ultrahip Williamsburg section, one subway stop from Manhattan, but eons away from the seedy industrial district it was when not even Epstein, Horshack, Boom-Boom, and Barbarino would dare to strut their stuff here.

And Indian Larry is a big reason for that. No, Larry wasn’t some hipster magnet — far from it. But when he opened his shop on North 14th Street in 1991 (the shop was originally known as Gasoline Alley), Williamsburg had seen better days. Aside from a few pockets of quaint neighborhoods, much of the area was dilapidated and abandoned; broken windows and exposed, rusted I-beams were a too-common sight. But something funny happened in the ’90s; with skyrocketing rents across the East River, artists, musicians, and college students began settling in Williamsburg, drawn by its proximity to Gotham, dirt-cheap rents, and huge, empty warehouses that were ideal for studios and performance spaces. Brooklyn Brewery opened on North 11th Street in 1996, and it wasn’t long before the warehouses got subdivided and the bars, restaurants, and boutiques began to sprout, evidence that a new identity was being forged. An enclave of creativity and free-spirited imagination, Williamsburg became the ideal setting for Indian Larry and his wild custom creations, and the man became something of a local legend on its newly gentrified streets. These days, it’s not uncommon to see café racers, vintage rides, and customs cruising its cobblestones among the tattooed glitterati. Sadly, Larry is gone, but Indian Larry Legacy is still on 14th St., selling motorcycles and merchandise, and keeping alive the memory of one of the industry’s great iconoclasts.

Genuine Motorworks, located just up the street, is dedicated to made-in-the-US motorcycle clothing and gear: part men’s motorcycle-fashion store, part art gallery, and part motorcycle shop. As partners in Indian Larry Motorcycles, the Seegers served as the driving force behind the creative and diverse line of Indian Larry merchandise, experience they have carried over to Genuine Motorworks. The new store features an extensive line of riding gear, accessories, and motorcycle parts with a focus on brands that have a rich American heritage: clothing by Levi’s, Dickies, and Wrangler; leather jackets and boots by Schott, Red Wing, Frye, and Filson; and vintage (and vintage-style) helmets are available as well, along with a fine collection of handmade jewelry, and leather by SteveB Leatherworks. In addition to its merchandise line, Genuine Motorworks will also house a few custom bikes, as well as an art gallery with displays from a rotating cast of artists: first up is Bobby’s impressive Indian Larry pictures and memorabilia.

“We’re excited about the launch of Genuine Motorworks, and we’ve designed the store to feature brands with American roots,” said Elisa. “To honor the true spirit of motorcycling, Genuine Motorworks will carry only top-quality merchandise with a dedication to finding brands made in the USA, honoring the craftsmen that built this country.” RB

Getting’ There

Genuine Motorworks is on the corner of 14th and Berry streets, across from McCarren Park. It’s open 10 am-7 p.m., seven days a week. From Interstate 278 (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway), exit at Union Avenue. Make a right at North 8th Street. Go five blocks to Berry Street, and turn right. Proceed six more blocks to the corner of 14th St.

GPS coordinates:

N40° 43.394', W073° 57.3451'

Hard Data

Genuine Motorworks
195 North 14th Street, Brooklyn, NY
718/486-6971
www.GenuineMotorworks.com