Getting revved up to visit Newburgh
The Buffalo News
August 14,2016
I’ve never had the desire to ride on or own a motorcycle and probably never will. However, after visiting the Mortorcyclepedia Museum in Newburgh, NY, I have a new appreciation for the machines and the artistry involved in creating them. My family spent almost three hours browsing through the collection; someone who is really into motorcycles could literally spend the entire day here!
The 85,000 square foot museum, which opened in 2011, has almost 550 motorcycles on display on two floors, including the largest collection of Indian motorcycles in the world. Newburgh, located about 70 miles north of New York City, is about a 5 ½ hour drive from Buffalo. The museum is only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday so plan a weekend getaway when taking a trip here.
Before you even get to the main admission desk, there are a couple of motorcycles with sidecars in the foyer, which are perfect for photo opportunities. While you can’t touch or sit on the majority of the bikes on display, it is a museum after all, there are a number of bikes scattered throughout the museum that visitors are allowed to climb aboard and take photos on.
As we walked through the museum, which is housed in a former lumber warehouse, my husband commented on how nicely displayed the bikes and other items were. The exhibits were not too crowded and the descriptions were easy to read and not too technical. You’ll see a variety of bikes, including racers, choppers, motocross bikes and much more.
The museum is the private collection of Gerald A. Doering and his son Ted. Father and son amassed their collection over several decades. The elder Mr. Doering’s first motorcycle was an Indian Scout, so he has a special fondness for that brand, which was the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer before Harley Davidson came along. The museum has the most comprehensive collection of Indian motorcycles in the world. Indian was in business from 1901 to 1953 and the museum has one from every year, except 1901; they have a replica of one from that year.
One section of the museum is dedicated to “Indian Larry” DeSmedt, who was a custom motorcycle builder and stunt rider. DeSmedt got the nickname from the Indian motorcycle he rode when he was young. He was a skilled mechanic who was also a chopper builder and motorcycle artist. He died tragically in 2004 at age 55 while doing a stunt.
Another section of the museum features several bikes from the movies including recreations of the bikes Captain America and Billy’s Bike, which were used in the 1969 movie Easy Rider starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. (The original bikes were destroyed). The movie was a countercultural film about two bikers traveling though the Southwest. It portrayed a number of 1960’s issues like drug use, hippie lifestyle and communal living.
Located along the back of the first level is a large gallery of bikes that are on loan to the museum from private collectors.
Head down to the lower level where you’ll see a number of older motorcycles, including a full-size replica of an 1885 Daimler Reitwagen, which was the first gasoline powered motorcycle in the world. The original was made in Germany by Gottleib Daimler and Wilhelm Mayback. Daimler has been referred to as the “Father of the motorcycle.”
There is even a Buffalo connection at the museum as they have three Buffalo-built Pierce motorcycles on display, including a 1910 Pierce 4-cylinder motorcycle. The three were built in Buffalo, NY at the Pierce Cycle Company, which was started by Percy Pierce, son of George Pierce of the Pierce Arrow automobile fame. The Pierce Cycle Company built high quality, deluxe motorcycles. In 1910, a motorcycle like this would cost around $325, which was considered expensive considering that the average yearly income at the time was $1,156.
There is a collection of military and police motorcycles on the lower level, including a 1964 Harley Davidson that was in the motorcade in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963, when President Kennedy was assassinated. It was the 13th motorcycle in the motorcade; the other 12 are in other museums and private collections. This motorcycle was used in the 1991 film, “JFK.”
Also on display downstairs are two motordromes, commonly referred to as the “wall of death.” In the early 1900’s to 1930’s these would be part of a traveling carnival. Daredevils would ride around the steeply banked track, while spectators would watch from above.
Displayed in that same room are several rows of the original seats from Yankees Hilltop Park. While not motorcycle related, they are interesting none the less. Between the years1903-1912, the New York Highlanders, later renamed the New York Yankees in 1913, played at Hilltop Park. When the team moved to a new stadium in 1914, Hilltop Park was demolished.
Orange County Choppers (Note: This has since closed since the article was written)
Also located in Newburgh is the headquarters for Orange County Choppers, of television show fame. The complex includes a retail shop and a café. The outside walls of the retail shop are lined with a variety of choppers which were featured on the television show. Some of the bikes include a Space Shuttle tribute bike, which was built to honor the crews of the Space Shuttle program. There is also a New York Yankees bike built for Yankee catcher Jorge Posada and alter auctioned off to raise money for charity. (Paul Teutul Sr., who built the bike, actually was the one who bid on and won the bike!).
After visiting the Motorcyclepedia Museum we headed to the Orange County Chopper complex to browse the retail shop and have lunch in the café. The café’s menu features sandwiches, burgers, wraps, and salads. The sandwich buns come “branded” with the OCC logo. I opted for the OCC grilled chicken sandwich made with their signature spices, while the rest of the family enjoyed burgers. The café also has a full bar and even a 4-lane bowling alley. A custom bike, The Orange county Choppers Café chopper, is displayed just inside the front door of the café.
If you go
Motorcyclepedia, 250 Lake Street, Newburgh, NY 845-569-9065 www.motorcyclepediamuseum.org Open Friday-Sunday 10:00 am -5:00 pm.
Orange County Choppers, 14 Crossroads Court, Newburgh, NY 845-522-5222, www.orangecountychoppers.com Café open Sunday-Thursday 11:00am-10:00pm, Friday-Saturday 11:00am-2:00am. Retail store open Monday-Saturday 9:00am-9:00pm, Sunday 10:00am-6:00pm.
Orange County Tourism www.orangetourism.org
Directions
From Buffalo, take the I-90 east towards Syracuse, to the I-81 south to NY 17I/I-86 east to I-84 east towards Newburgh
The 85,000 square foot museum, which opened in 2011, has almost 550 motorcycles on display on two floors, including the largest collection of Indian motorcycles in the world. Newburgh, located about 70 miles north of New York City, is about a 5 ½ hour drive from Buffalo. The museum is only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday so plan a weekend getaway when taking a trip here.
Before you even get to the main admission desk, there are a couple of motorcycles with sidecars in the foyer, which are perfect for photo opportunities. While you can’t touch or sit on the majority of the bikes on display, it is a museum after all, there are a number of bikes scattered throughout the museum that visitors are allowed to climb aboard and take photos on.
As we walked through the museum, which is housed in a former lumber warehouse, my husband commented on how nicely displayed the bikes and other items were. The exhibits were not too crowded and the descriptions were easy to read and not too technical. You’ll see a variety of bikes, including racers, choppers, motocross bikes and much more.
The museum is the private collection of Gerald A. Doering and his son Ted. Father and son amassed their collection over several decades. The elder Mr. Doering’s first motorcycle was an Indian Scout, so he has a special fondness for that brand, which was the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer before Harley Davidson came along. The museum has the most comprehensive collection of Indian motorcycles in the world. Indian was in business from 1901 to 1953 and the museum has one from every year, except 1901; they have a replica of one from that year.
One section of the museum is dedicated to “Indian Larry” DeSmedt, who was a custom motorcycle builder and stunt rider. DeSmedt got the nickname from the Indian motorcycle he rode when he was young. He was a skilled mechanic who was also a chopper builder and motorcycle artist. He died tragically in 2004 at age 55 while doing a stunt.
Another section of the museum features several bikes from the movies including recreations of the bikes Captain America and Billy’s Bike, which were used in the 1969 movie Easy Rider starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. (The original bikes were destroyed). The movie was a countercultural film about two bikers traveling though the Southwest. It portrayed a number of 1960’s issues like drug use, hippie lifestyle and communal living.
Located along the back of the first level is a large gallery of bikes that are on loan to the museum from private collectors.
Head down to the lower level where you’ll see a number of older motorcycles, including a full-size replica of an 1885 Daimler Reitwagen, which was the first gasoline powered motorcycle in the world. The original was made in Germany by Gottleib Daimler and Wilhelm Mayback. Daimler has been referred to as the “Father of the motorcycle.”
There is even a Buffalo connection at the museum as they have three Buffalo-built Pierce motorcycles on display, including a 1910 Pierce 4-cylinder motorcycle. The three were built in Buffalo, NY at the Pierce Cycle Company, which was started by Percy Pierce, son of George Pierce of the Pierce Arrow automobile fame. The Pierce Cycle Company built high quality, deluxe motorcycles. In 1910, a motorcycle like this would cost around $325, which was considered expensive considering that the average yearly income at the time was $1,156.
There is a collection of military and police motorcycles on the lower level, including a 1964 Harley Davidson that was in the motorcade in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963, when President Kennedy was assassinated. It was the 13th motorcycle in the motorcade; the other 12 are in other museums and private collections. This motorcycle was used in the 1991 film, “JFK.”
Also on display downstairs are two motordromes, commonly referred to as the “wall of death.” In the early 1900’s to 1930’s these would be part of a traveling carnival. Daredevils would ride around the steeply banked track, while spectators would watch from above.
Displayed in that same room are several rows of the original seats from Yankees Hilltop Park. While not motorcycle related, they are interesting none the less. Between the years1903-1912, the New York Highlanders, later renamed the New York Yankees in 1913, played at Hilltop Park. When the team moved to a new stadium in 1914, Hilltop Park was demolished.
Orange County Choppers (Note: This has since closed since the article was written)
Also located in Newburgh is the headquarters for Orange County Choppers, of television show fame. The complex includes a retail shop and a café. The outside walls of the retail shop are lined with a variety of choppers which were featured on the television show. Some of the bikes include a Space Shuttle tribute bike, which was built to honor the crews of the Space Shuttle program. There is also a New York Yankees bike built for Yankee catcher Jorge Posada and alter auctioned off to raise money for charity. (Paul Teutul Sr., who built the bike, actually was the one who bid on and won the bike!).
After visiting the Motorcyclepedia Museum we headed to the Orange County Chopper complex to browse the retail shop and have lunch in the café. The café’s menu features sandwiches, burgers, wraps, and salads. The sandwich buns come “branded” with the OCC logo. I opted for the OCC grilled chicken sandwich made with their signature spices, while the rest of the family enjoyed burgers. The café also has a full bar and even a 4-lane bowling alley. A custom bike, The Orange county Choppers Café chopper, is displayed just inside the front door of the café.
If you go
Motorcyclepedia, 250 Lake Street, Newburgh, NY 845-569-9065 www.motorcyclepediamuseum.org Open Friday-Sunday 10:00 am -5:00 pm.
Orange County Choppers, 14 Crossroads Court, Newburgh, NY 845-522-5222, www.orangecountychoppers.com Café open Sunday-Thursday 11:00am-10:00pm, Friday-Saturday 11:00am-2:00am. Retail store open Monday-Saturday 9:00am-9:00pm, Sunday 10:00am-6:00pm.
Orange County Tourism www.orangetourism.org
Directions
From Buffalo, take the I-90 east towards Syracuse, to the I-81 south to NY 17I/I-86 east to I-84 east towards Newburgh
