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Forming part of the overall 'Petersen Auto Museum', the museum is located in the city of Los Angeles. Most of the displays are car orientated, however there are some interesting and some 'unusual' motorcycles on display.
1903: ORIENT: Orient was established in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA in 1898 and they were the first American company to mass produce motorcycles. The 1903 Orient was developed using a strengthened bicycle frame and the first production run was fitted with French Asters engines, they were known as Orient-Asters. Subsequent designs incorporated American manufactured engines and the use of the Aster name ceased. This motorcycle incorporates an American built engine which generated 2.5hp, the engine was fitted with copper fins to assist engine cooling.
1907: INDIAN TWIN: This motorcycle was manufactured in 1907, the year that V-twin motorcycles first appeared. The rear cylinder of the engine was used as part of the frame in a similar manner to Indian's single cylinder motorcycles of the time. The concept saved weight but it was soon abandoned due to excess stress on the engine casing.
1912: HARLEY-DAVIDSON X8A: Harley Davidson correctly claim to be the world's oldest continuous manufacturer of motorcycles. Single cylinder motorcycles like the X8A ensured a steady turnover of sales for Harley Davidson as it would be another six years before the first V-twin Harley- Davidson appeared. The single cylinder engine was of 30 cubic inch capacity producing 4.3bhp with magneto ignition. The gravity feed oil system was enhanced with the provision of a hand operated oil pump and critically the transmission was fitted with one of the first clutch systems fitted to a motorcycle. The clutch allowed smooth take offs and the ability to free wheel.
1912: INDIAN: Indian starting selling motorcycles in 1902, one year before Harley-Davidson. This tenth anniversary motorcycle retained Indian's established standard of reliable single cylinder engines and chain drive, at a time when most opposition manufacturers were using belt drive. This motorcycle was owned at one time by American Actor, Steve McQueen.
1966: YAMAHA YDS-3 'BATCYCLE': Created by Richard Korkes of Korky's Kustom Studios, the Batcycle incorporated some of the features of the more widely known 'Batmobile', including electronic gadgets, sirens and bat-like wings moulded into the fairing and sidecar. The Batcycle featured in the 1966 Batman movie starring actors Adam West and Burt Ward. Whilst the exhausts appeared to suggest a 'significant power plant', the donor motorcycle was a Yamaha YDS-3 two stroke!
1993: HARLEY-DAVIDSON '45th ANNIVERSARY CUSTOM': This 'HOT ROD Magazine 45th Anniversary Special' was presented to Robert E. Petersen, founder of the Petersen Auto Museum, in 1993.
2006: SKELETON BIKE: Pure Show Bike here, the Skeleton Bike was manufactured from sheet steel and alloy by metal artisan John Holt. The giant skull carries a headlight in each 'eye socket' . The motorcycle is powered by a four cylinder 2,300cc Ford car engine with a variable speed hydrostatic transmission.
MOTORCYCLE SHOWS AND MOTORCYCLE MUSEUMS: Please continue viewing my records of Motorcycle Shows and Motorcycle Museums I have visited by selecting from the following... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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I LOVE NEW TECHNOLOGY, TABLETS, LAPTOPS, DIGITAL CAMERAS, MOBILE PHONES/WIRELESS BROADBAND, GPS, ETC. ALL SO COOL AND 'PORTABLE'......
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