Walt Seigl: The Art of Custom-Made Bikes

French-born photographer Lionel Koretzky has long had an eye for making inanimate objects come to life with his lens. Last spring Koretzky had the opportunity to visit Austria-born, custom-motorcycle designer Walt Siegl at his home and atelier in a small town in New Hampshire.

In the mid 1980s, while working for Austria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Siegl started building custom bikes in his free time. A former competitive racer, he decided to get off the circuit and start a new life after surviving a devastating crash. His passion for bikes and devotion to detail have earned him a reputation for truly exquisite motorcycles - F1-level, meticulously constructed creations, both lightweight and efficient. He personally designs all of his bikes, which are then hand-built in his workshop using only the finest materials.

When Koretzky visited Siegl's shop, he shot everything using available light. As fans of both motorcycles and obsessive design, we currently have a Walt Siegl original on display and for sale at AETHERla. Here, some of the images from Koretzky's visit with Seigl.

Walt Siegl assembling an engine in his New Hampshire atelier.

Carbon-fiber components on a lightweight, aircraft-spec steel frame.

A custom tachometer/speedometer mounted on a limited-series Leggero.