Motorcyclepedia Museum - June 22

Peekskill, June 22

The car has to go back to Peekskill, so I take the opportunity to go see the 'Motorcyclepedia' museum on the way. Beautiful road up, car top down, scruffy looking town, but a very nice museum it is. There's a large section just with Indians, a large section with Choppers and other custom stuff, and in the basement a large section just with Harleys. Plus a large section with bikes primarily from the 1910s and 1920s. There's even a Royal Danish Postal Service Nimbus, although with a passenger sidecar instead of the commercial box for parcels and letters. 'Artistic license', I guess.

Array of Indians lined up in chronological order.

Eric Buell wasn't the first to place a black exhaust can beneath the engine. 

Before Bowden cables were universally used, controls were operated by way of rods and linkages.

Above and the two pics below: Indian were among the few manufacturers offering skis as extra factory equipment. Another manufacturer decided to simply attach an Indian engine to their sled.

Above and below: Incredibly cluttered LH side of engine vs beautiful RH exhaust side.

Having seen most of the stock bikes many times before, I concentrate on the specials, and then on the custom bikes. The Arlen Ness 'Two Bad' is by far the most interesting, but as the rest of this particular part of the collection shows, custom bikes don't age as well as stock bikes do. Not that I think most visitors care, especially those not well versed in this subculture. Aside from the motorcycles, the walls are adorned with movie posters and other paraphernelia, and of course posters advertising race meets and such.

Above and below: Two engines, kompressor, two double carburettors, hub centre steering and remote control starting. This was one of the more important bikes that helped Arlen Ness establish himself as USA's premier chopper builder.

Strange contraption used for 'moto-pace', where a bicycle is run right behind the motorcycle, in order to avoid any kind of wind resistance.

Strange BSA chopper painted all in light gray.

Motorcycle art which might have been radical back in the day.  Here Richard Nixon (a.k.a. 'Tricky Dick') is pointing at Lyndon Johnson. The Nixon ad was used to beat him in the 1960 presidential election.

The chopper part of the exhibition.

Above and below: Ducati laser cut in two pieces.

Danish postal Nimbus - sort of....

Totally kitted out Harley dressers from back before LED lights existed.

Copy of a 1867 Roper steam engine motorcycle. Never mind the German guy and his petrol engine from 1885; this one here ran better, looks like a motorcycle and even has a twistgrip.

Tightly packed collection of Japanese motorcycles outside the museum. There weren't all that many Japanese bikes inside....

The museum done with, I drive down to Peekskill, leave the car, have dinner with Nancy & friends and then go by train & subway back to 110th Street. 

Some guys clearly from Brooklyn opened this shop in Peekskill.

Shuttle subway from Grand Central to 42nd St. The whole train was painted like this inside and out, advertising some TV series. 

Ad for avoiding getting HIV by simply taking a pill. Guy on left was one of the precious few not using a smartphone.

Ad for moving company, featuring a disco ball lamp: "The only thing we can't do is send it back to the 70's where it belongs".