Pre-/Post-Oshkosh Idea: the Harley-Davidson Museum

If you’re heading to or from EAA AirVenture, here’s an idea for a stop: the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee. This is a report on our July 2024 visit. The museum is close to downtown Milwaukee, not right next to the factory as you might expect (the factory is about 15 minutes out of Milwaukee; tours were shut down due to coronapanic and, as of July 2024, hadn’t reopened). I was disappointed to see the “CAR Parking” sign rather than “CAGE Parking”:

Some guys at the entrance apparently interpret “riding bitch” literally:

A few things that I learned at the museum:

• Harley-Davidson has a long tradition in motorcycle racing, though of course these days Honda is the leader
• Harley-Davidson has made various forays into diversification. These have included scooters, golf carts, boats(!), and snowmobiles
• There never were any motorcycle gangs, but there were plenty of female riders and businessmen organized into “motorcycle clubs” (the gift shop doesn’t sell “one percenter”, “Better your sister in a whorehouse than your brother on a Honda”, or “If you can read this it means that the bitch fell off” T-shirts)

Let’s check out the prices over time. In 1916, a hog could be purchased for $248 (about 7,500 Bidies when adjusted for official CPI):

The museum experience starts with a gallery of early Harleys and an explanation of how the engines have evolved over time:

If riding motorcycles wasn’t sufficiently hazardous to your health you could puff cigarettes while riding into a war zone:

You could tumble over backwards on a hill climb:

Here is what a gathering of motorcycle owners looks like, according to Harley:

Harley tried diversity, but it didn’t turn out to be their strength (as with Intel and the 21st century UK?)

Old meets new (gas vs. electric):

It’s an interesting two-hour experience even if you’re not a motorcycle rider.