Reading Public Museum Born To Be Wild Exhibit

[FJRski!]

Anybody else here see this?  Born To Be Wild
Thought I would post up on this show; even though it is mostly HDs and choppers.  [Say what you want about cruzers; when I was out riding Monday, I counted 6 HDs and only 1 other sportbike, a red VFR. So no bashing.]  Although I must say, the the ~'46 Indian they labeled as most aesthetically pleasing had atrociously fugly fenders.  I found the exhibit very interesting from a historical perspective.  Plus, a lot of the contributors are local, and there are some really rare bikes.  I didn't quite know where to post this, because it isn't a ride report.  We drove over in the car.  So I'm putting it here in Region 6 since I figure it will mostly appeal to local interest.  

[DosEquis00]

Thanks for the tip as I will go over and check out the exhibit.

[Tiger Al]

Nice post FJRski, I didn't know about this event.  I think I'll take the family to see it.  I always enjoy freaking the kids out with the mummy exhibit upstairs anyway.  

[FJRski!]

Since you frequent the area, have you ever seen the auto museum on the 2nd floor of A to Z Vacuum (on Penn Ave nearby)?  Just go into the store and ask the guy at the if you can see the cars.  Used to be free.  I think they're still there. He had an old split window DeSoto (circa 1950) and a late 50's early 60's Imperial in mint condition with a record player installed below the dash.  It was a little before 8-tracks.  Worth checking out if you are in the neighborhood.

Then there's Stonewall Willie...

[DosEquis00]

Nice post FJRski, I didn't know about this event.  I think I'll take the family to see it.  I always enjoy freaking the kids out with the mummy exhibit upstairs anyway.  

Rincewind 2.0 no way...1.0 is enough

[Rincewind]

Rincewind 2.0 no way...1.0 is enough

   I guess starting over wasn't for me anyway.

Thanks again for the post FJRski - it will make a good weekend jaunt.  I see it is running thru the first week in March.  I wasn't aware of the auto museum you mentioned.

[SilverHound]

Very Cool! Thanks for the post. I believe I will take the wife and kids there this weekend.  

[DosEquis00]

   I guess starting over wasn't for me anyway.

Its good to have you back!

[SilverHound]

Took Mrs. SilverHound and my two younger daughters there yesterday. It was a nice little exhibit. I was bummed though as the green bike in your photos was gone. Good time though. Again, thanks for the tip.

[DosEquis00]

Thanks for sharing..stuck with projects this weekend so hopefully next weekend I can go check it out.

[Marcster]

Hey all...  My first post here....  It's actually a repost of what I posted on another forum, but I thought I'd add a few more photos to this thread.  My wife and I went to see the museum on 12/30/08.

Here is a shot looking up through the atrium when you first enter the museum:



If you've watched the movie Easy Rider, then you've seen this bike:





And here is the other one from that movie:



More choppers:







Two engines!:



More of that stained glass:



There were a few police bikes:



This was in it's "original" condition:





(The front fender had deep gouges from the headlamp assembly, probably due to bumps in the road).



Plenty of antiques:







There was an Asian-art influenced chopper in the Asian art area (I don't have a good pic of that one), and most of the Indian motorcycles were in the Native American area.

"Suicide" shifter:



There were a few modern bikes:



(other new bikes included a BMW trike and an absolutely stunning 2009 Suzuki B-King)

But the choppers stole the show:











And what trip to the Museum would be complete without a photo of a real shrunken head?:

[Rincewind]

Welcome to STN, Marcster, and nice pics.  Good of you to include the shrunken head.  

[Marcster]

Welcome to STN, Marcster, and nice pics.  Good of you to include the shrunken head.  

Thanks you for the welcome and compliment.  I took the photos with my brand-new Sony DSC-H50/B (it's a bridge camera).

Unfortunately, I was trying to control too much of the manual settings and only about 1/2 my photos turned out (most had motion blur).  I should've just knocked the ISO down to 200 or 400 and let the camera do it's thing, but...

I may go back, and bring a monopod this time. (Photography is a hobby of mine).

[FJRski!]

Hey all...  My first post here....  It's actually a repost of what I posted on another forum, but I thought I'd add a few more photos to this thread.  My wife and I went to see the museum on 12/30/08.

Welcome to the forum.

When we gettin' together for a ride?

You were at the museum (Tuesday 12/30) same day we were.  

Great photos.  

[Marcster]

Welcome to the forum.

When we gettin' together for a ride?

You were at the museum (Tuesday 12/30) same day we were. 

Great photos. 

Thank you FJR!  It was also great to see yours and also the placard about the Enterprise bike.  My wife was dragging me through the museum...  I'm one of those guys who can spend all day and read every placard.  I wanted to spend all day at The Midway (an aircraft carrier that's been converted to a museum) when we were there, but my wife was dragging me along (we did spend 4 hours there). 

You sure you wouldn't mind being seen riding with a guy on a (250cc) scooter?   I'M out there regardless of the temps though... I've been out in as low as 19 degrees, but once it gets below 25 degrees it's not the most fun...  No riding right now though, my township is unbelievably heavy with cinders.

Hey, if you did the Reading Toys For Tots Run back on November 2nd, then you may have bumped into me once before...

[SilverHound]

Marcster great pics and welcome! I see your shrunken head and raise you one mummy.   Pretty soon no one will have to go to the museum as we will have posted all the exhibit pictures.

[DosEquis00]

I wanted to spend all day at The Midway (an aircraft carrier that's been converted to a museum) when we were there, but my wife was dragging me along (we did spend 4 hours there). 

I never liked the Midway as thanks to her breaking down off the coast of Japan we were called back from our destination to Australia.

[FJRski!]

You sure you wouldn't mind being seen riding with a guy on a (250cc) scooter?  

Actually, it probably wouldn't bother me.  I had no idea what a Kymco 250 is; with a name like Bet & Win, I was visualizing something more like a Ninja 250.  I had a Honda 175 as a daily commuter for several years.  It's more about how you ride than what you ride.  But you're right, somehow I don't see a scoot and a Wee mixing it up too well on a day trip.  You never know...

Now, Anybody got a pic of the Samurai warrior?

[Marcster]

Actually, it probably wouldn't bother me.  I had no idea what a Kymco 250 is; with a name like Bet & Win, I was visualizing something more like a Ninja 250.  I had a Honda 175 as a daily commuter for several years.  It's more about how you ride than what you ride.  But you're right, somehow I don't see a scoot and a Wee mixing it up too well on a day trip.  You never know...

Now, Anybody got a pic of the Samurai warrior?

I just posted a pic of my scooter over here: http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,34705.0.html  A good friend of mine rides a Virago 750 and we're talking about getting together for lunch -- that would be an equally oddball combo.

I have blurry pics of that warrior (one of the many pics that didn't turn out).

[Rincewind]

Leaving in 10-minutes to see the exhibit with my dad and my kids.