At the Idle Garage & Café, near the Jean-Talon market in Montreal, dozens of motorcycles line up in front of the sidewalk. In the workshop adjacent to the café, the engines roar, while mechanics work around machines to be repaired, adjusted and repainted. It is here that motorcycle enthusiasts from the region gather every weekend to go for a ride and honor the community spirit inherent in their passion.
So it just made sense to organize the launch of the book there. Full gas ! The short history of the motorcyclean illustrated documentary aimed at elementary-aged children which, as its name suggests, recounts the highlights, metamorphoses and uses of the motorcycle over time.
Francis Léveillée, instigator and illustrator of the project, takes off his sunglasses and his helmet covered with badges – we learn from reading the book that buttons and stickers are a way for bikers to display their personality -, then at table in front of a black lemonade — the motorcycle not being in the lace.
“I fell into it when I was little, he says about his love for the two-wheeled vehicle. My father had several motorcycles, and very young, as soon as I started working, I bought my first model. I lived in the countryside, in a row, and for my friends and me, it was an escape. We could go where we wanted. »
Graphic designer and illustrator for the newspaper The Press and for many magazines, in 2015 he founded the Motor Fucker company: playful clothing and accessories for motorcyclists.
No wonder, then, that the editors of La Pastèque thought of him for this illustrated album project. “I was approached because there were very few children’s books on the bike. I was super happy! For the text, Francis Léveillée called on two artists who are very involved in the community: journalist Charles-Édouard Carrier and artistic director, screenwriter and host Catherine David, co-founders of the webzine Oneland and series creators motorcycle girls and Motorcycle nomads.
A history lesson
In Full throttle!a book full of illustrations and information as fascinating as it is amusing, we learn that, in addition to making the happiness of extreme artists and travellers, motorcycles have revolutionized the course of history, in particular by changing our way of moving around, of waging war and even – talk to the Parisians, inventors of the motocrottes – of cleaning up our cities.
Through graphic and lively illustrations – Francis Léveillée worked a lot from archive photos – the reader crosses eras and borders, discovers the ingenuity of the first inventors and the latest advances in technology, meets the most great legends of the industry in addition to embarking on a world tour through the motorcycling mores of India, Vietnam, France and Rwanda, among other countries.
I fell into it when I was little. My father had several motorcycles, and very young, as soon as I started working, I bought my first model. I lived in the countryside, in a row, and for my friends and me, it was an escape. We could go where we wanted.
The specificities of the motorcycle models intended for racing, acrobatics, leisure and war are dissected there. The authors also address the daredevil, tough and supportive side of this unique environment, in addition to undoing some tenacious myths associated with it. The nuanced portrait never loses the soul of what makes motorcycling what it is: its ability to arouse emotions, be it passion, vertigo, surprise, fear or emancipation.
“Motorcycling is a daredevil, death-death sport,” says Francis Léveillée. The agility, the speed, the stunts, the feeling of freedom… That’s what made me tripping When I was young. It was absolutely necessary to keep this essence. »
And there’s enough to take your breath away — and make you want to do a little YouTube research — watching American Travis Pastrana’s double backflips and the exploits of his compatriot Evel Knievel, who jumped over a pool filled with sharks and attempted to fly over a canyon strapped to a rocket, among other things. A chapter is also devoted to the tough guys — “the thin steps, leather and rock’n’roll” — with the conscious effort to eliminate any reference to criminal groups.
Fraternity and sorority
But what we retain above all from Full throttle!, it’s the great brotherhood that unites the motorcycle community through time, and that transcends ages, borders and genders. “We paid a lot of attention to the feminine symbols of the motorcycle, because women are more and more present. Half of my clients at Motor Fucker are women. Motorcycles have also adapted to become lower, smaller and easier to handle,” says the illustrator.
The book has also been designed to engage the participation of children, who will be introduced to the ten commandments of the future racing champion, as well as the essentials of the perfect cheat on death. Questionnaires like “What type of motorcycle are you? and “Do you have the makings of a biker?” are included at the end of some chapters. Little riders can even design and customize their own leather jacket. Lots of fun on the horizon!