Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Larz Anderson European Bike Day

In late Sept., I went up to Brookline, Ma., at the Larz Anderson Transport Museum for their European Bike Day.  It wasn't a great turn-out as the weather was iffy, and I don't have any photos, but I thought the exhibit in the museum was outstanding.
http://larzanderson.org/visit/exhibits/beauty-of-the-beast/
To me the highlight of the exhibit was the three (not one, not two, but Three) V-8 powered motorcycles.  There was one of the replica Moto Guzzi V-8 race bike.  I think these were built by the Moto Guzzi factory, in which case maybe they shouldn't be considered replicas.  While my preference is for singles, this bike is a technological tour de force.  Bill Burke had been to the show not long before and didn't remember seeing the Guzzi and it's not listed on the website, so maybe it was/is only there temporarily.  Next to this was the Morbidelli V-8, with the longitudinal motor, and the Australian Drysdale V-8, with a transverse motor like the Guzzi.
There's lots of very early bikes, both American and European, including a Flying Merkel, Emblem, Pierce, BSA, and Douglas.  There's a Crocker, a nice display of TZ Yamaha race bikes, an oval piston NR750 Honda, a Hercules rotary, and a Rokon Trailbreaker.  And, there's a nice photo display of legendary women motorcyclist including the striking Anke-Eve Goldmann.
The show is on until May, 2016, so if you're in the Boston area, it's definitely worth a visit.  The building and grounds are worth a visit in themselves.

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