On December 14th the Harley-Davidson Traveling Museum arrived at Bakersfield Harley-Davidson, accompanied by it’s driver/curator, Mike Quinn. The Traveling Museum is, as the name implies, a mobile collection hand picked from H-D’s fabulous Archive collection based in Milwaukee.
The Museum is not a static collection. Each year the company hand selects new displays according to an ever changing theme that emphasizes an aspect of the Company’s rich history. For 2006 the collection emphasizes the Company’s racing heritage and included a board-track Peashooter from the early part of the 20th century, a CR dirt track racer from the 1950s, a VR-1000 racing bike (forerunner of the modern V-Rod series of liquid cooled Harley-Davidson motorcycles), among many other displays.
Other display cases contained trophys and racing memorabilia spanning the Company’s lengthy and successful racing history.
Even though the musem was in town mid-week over 800 enthusiasts filed through the Museum to enjoy this year’s collection. We all look forward to another visit next year, and another opportunity to enjoy more offerings from the Harley-Davidson Archive Collection.
Special thanks to Don Oldaker and Dave Fisher for helping to put together this article. Pictures to follow.
