Style on Two Wheels

One of the best things about Cremorne and about the entire Richmond precinct is the way it’s developed in such interesting ways.

The new 381 Cremorne boutique accommodation is a perfect example. While it overlooks the sports and parklands sweeping down to the centre of Melbourne past the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, it also nestles among some of the oldest terrace houses in the state.

It also sits alongside an eclectic mix of businesses, not just design and advertising agencies, which have been there for decades, but also unique specialist places that take advantage of the adaptive reuse potential of the many warehouses in the district.

You won’t find too many businesses like Mid Life Cycles anywhere. In Cremorne Street, a short way in from Swan Street and the Richmond train station, this is all about the obsessive passion for classic and custom motor bikes.

Out the front, you’ll see a couple of stylish examples of what they are on about, motor bikes that are groomed with tender loving care, almost too precious to ride.

According to the men behind the business, this is as much about aesthetics as going for a ride. They are a kind of collective of like-minded enthusiasts, so they’re always up for a yarn about that classic Harley Davidson you once saw on the road to somewhere, or the dirt bike that looks like a gazelle on wheels.

The business, at 22 Cremorne St, is both shopfront and workshop, so it’s the place the aficionados go to get their bike customised to suit, but it’s also fun for a browse, if you’re in to retro style.

There’s a very busy café right next door too – but then, there’s a very busy café down almost every Cremorne and Richmond street these days!