Featured Bikes

1968 Triumph Daytona!

1968 Triumph Daytona
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Winning the first big road race of the year at Daytona Beach has always been important to motorcycle manufacturers. Those manufacturers whose machines take the podium can produce "win ads" and let the world know their motorcycles are not only faster than the competition, but more durable.
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Such was the story with Triumph in 1966 and 1967; they finished first in '66 then first and second in '67. Triumph won Daytona in 1962, but Harley-Davidson had otherwise prevailed every year since the Bobbie Hill-led five bike BSA sweep in 1954. Following a great win in 1966 with Texan Buddy Elmore riding, then with a win by Nixon and a second by Elmore in 1967, Triumph renamed the twin-carb T100 Tiger the T100R Daytona Super Sports. Cycle World road tests of the time cited a top speed of 105 mph, and quarter mile figures of 14.9 seconds, 90 mph in stock trim. The authors of "Triumph in America" confirm the Daytona's styling thus; "The Triumph twin had evolved smoothly and logically into the purest expression of Edward Turner's 1938 art." And while the 650cc Bonneville may have fit the American penchant for cubic inches better, it was the 500cc Daytona that was the true road race-bred machine in Triumph's lineup. Of course AMA rules mandated overhead valve bikes be no more than 500 cc's. Triumph's wins are even more impressive given the side valve Harleys were 750 cc machines.

The Triumph Daytona pictured is in distinctive 1968 colors, aquamarine and silver with white pin-striping. Beginning in 1969 Daytonas carried twin leading shoe front brakes and other along with a stainless steel fender option. 1974 was the last year for the Triumph Daytona. This 1968 Triumph Daytona, T100R is in excellent semi-restored condition and is on loan to the Museum from David Beaty, Iowa.

1911 Detroit

1911 Detroit
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Recently loaned to the Museum for a one year installation in the Best of the Best gallery, this rare, exquisitely restored Detroit is owned by Bruce Linsday of Ohio.
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The Detroit Motorcycle Manufacturing Company was organized early in 1911 to build the Detroit, a machine bearing some resemblance to the Pierce motorcycle of the same era. Typical motorcycle design of the time had the fuel and oil tanks as well as the exhaust and tool compartment as separate sheet metal parts attached to the frame by brackets. In the design that Mr. James Brady of Bay City, Michigan developed, oversized frame tubes house fuel, oil, tools, even parts of the ignition and exhaust system. The result was a very clean look enhanced by a unique fork design and striking "V" handlebars complementing the design of the frame. Also note the twist-grip-to-bellcrank operated throttle and ignition timing among many parts nicely nickel plated. The 500cc belt-drive single was a relatively expensive motorcycle and did not sell well against competition. With very few motorcycles made in less than two years, the company was liquidated in 1912.

1913 Thor Added to "Best of the Best" Display

1913 Thor
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Among the finest and rarest early American motorcycles is the Thor. From 1908 to 1918 Thor made house-branded singles and V-Twins. But before and during this time they supplied motorcycle kits to customers and parts to other motorcycle manufacturers. In fact, they supplied engines to Indian Motocycle Company in Springfield, Massachusetts early in their manufacturing history.
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This 1914 Thor is owned by Pat Simmons and his wife Cris. Since Pat is often on the road with the band, he engaged restoration expert Steve Huntzinger to transform the bike to its original glory in 2010.

Leading up to The Great Depression, over 250 brands of motorcycles were made in America. But "badge engineering" will show that many brands were assembled from components made by other companies much like bicycles still are today. Going back to 1886, Aurora Independent Machine and Tool Company in Aurora, Illinois, a large foundry and machining operation, was a major supplier to many industries including that of motorcycle assemblers and later held a subsidiary that manufactured household appliances.

The Motorcycle That Won the War

Harley-Davidson® WLA
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World-wide, motorcycles have been important to military engagements. Harley-Davidson® began producing limited numbers of the WLA for the US Army in 1940. The WLA was based on the then current WL model, a 45 cu in (738 cc) flat-head, solo-seat v-twin, with the suffix "A" meaning Army and the "L" signifying high-compression.
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Production accelerated once America had entered the war with over 90,000 WLAs riding into battle before most conflict ended in 1945. Production restarted for the Korean War in 1949, to finish again in 1952. Most WLAs produced after Pearl Harbor were "marked" as 1942, no matter what their actual year of production. The bike pictured is dated 1942. Harley produced the WLC for Canadian forces to a slightly different specification.

Harley's 45-inch flat-head v-twin was nothing if not reliable and could easily run on 74-octane fuel, hence its suitability for war zone police, escort, courier and radio duties. In spite of some being equipped with a Thompson machine gun scabbard, very seldom was the WLA ever used as a fighting machine.

Few WLAs remain in original shape. Many were bought by returning GIs and "civilianized," some even fueling the chopper cult of the postwar era. This excellent restored machine is owned by Bruce Linsday from Ohio. It is one of several military motorcycles to be featured in the upcoming Motorcycles at Work exhibition opening June 3 during the Vintage Rally at the National Motorcycle Museum, June 3-5, 2011.

  • 45-cubic inch, 738 cc, flat-head, air-cooled, 45-degree v-twin
  • 2.745 inch bore x 3.8125 inch stroke (69.72 x 96.93 mm)
  • 23 horsepower @ 4,600 rpm
  • Leading link front forks, rigid rear
  • Dry weight 576 lb
  • 3-speed, chain primary and final drive
  • Top speed 65 mph

1939 Triumph T100 Tiger

Harley-Davidson® WLA
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In 1938 Edward Turner unleashed his 500cc Triumph Speed Twin, followed by the T100 Tiger in 1939. Triumph's first parallel twin was a nimble high performance machine nearly 200 pounds lighter than typical twin and four cylinder machines made in America. By comparison the stock Tiger had 34 horsepower, seven more than the WLDR, Harley's flat head 750cc race bike.
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The Tiger and its slightly milder version, the Speed Twin both received telescopic forks after World War II. Removing the rear section of the Tiger's mufflers gave the casual tuner an open megaphone. The parallel twin design Edward Turner brought to Triumph was the mainstay through its entire 75+ years at Meriden and remained so in John Bloor's resurrection of the marque in 1995. Dozens of racers rode to fame on this motorcycle design and countless racing records were set due to its sound engineering. This fine Triumph T100 Tiger is on loan to the Museum by Don Rosene of Anchorage, Alaska.

1913 Jefferson Single

Harley-Davidson® WLA
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Each of us has our motorcycling stories, but what if you inherited a few boxes of motorcycle literature, photos and business records that confirmed you were related to a great motorcycle inventor and manufacturer? That's pretty much what happened to Jeff Haberman of Jefferson, Wisconsin, a small town one hour west of Milwaukee. And it set him on a course to learn all he could about his great uncle A. F. Haberman and grandfather's involvement with the Jefferson motorcycle.
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Jefferson Motorcycle Company's origins are a bit complex. It was organized in Milwaukee in 1910 as Waverley Manufacturing. Industrialist Perry Mack, who was very involved with engine development with Harley-Davidson at its beginnings, put his name on the engines, but sometimes other of his subsidiary manufacturing concern's names took the place of Mack. Soon the company moved to Cambridge, Wisconsin, with bikes renamed Kensler/Waverley.The next move was to Jefferson, Wisconsin where the machine took the name P.E.M. (Perry E. Mack), then later became the Jefferson in name. Jeff Haberman has researched crumbling old newspapers to learn that Jeffersons in OHV single and V-twin configurations were made from about 1911 to 1915, then the company supplied just parts until about 1919 when it was dissolved. Haberman looks for Jeffersons in old photographs he comes across. "They have very distinctive handlebars that let you know you're looking at a Jefferson." Most of the Jeffersons Haberman has encountered are the V-twin model, but in a casual conversation with a very old motorcycle enthusiast, Perry Mack's son, Bill, Jeff got wind of a rare OHV single, just the engine, and managed to acquire it. The machine pictured here is reconstructed around that engine and is based on documents Jeff inherited and has acquired since. He has also carefully researched existing machines including a "barn fresh" Jefferson board track racer he owns. Haberman is such a student of the Jefferson that he has reproduced the wide variety of front and rear suspension systems the street and racing machines were made with, some experimental. Learn more at www.jeffersonmotorcycle.com and make sure you take in this fine piece of design and workmanship on your next visit to the Museum.