National Motorcycle Museum To Permanently Close In September, 2023

[Bob Riebe]

https://www.rideapart.com/news/640892/national-motorcycle-museum-closing-2023/?utm_source=Master%20List&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=



The Yale motorcycle was built by the Consolidated Manufacturing Company based in Toledo, Ohio, after they had acquired the rights to the California motorcycle. The California is famous as the first internal combustion vehicle to cross the American continent in 1903. The first Yale was the Yale/California built in 1906 and the first actual Yale motorcycle, a 3 1/2 hp, single cylinder model was announced in 1909. This board track bike was built in 1914 and the Yale Motorcycle Company closed the year after.

The Consolidated Manufacturing Company continued until December of 1915 when they announced that they had stopped manufacturing motorcycles and also their Yale and Snell bicycles. With the escalating war in Europe there was a large demand for materials to support the conflict, and a large portion of the company’s production was turned over to the manufacture of shrapnel.

Professionally restored by Lonnie Isam, Jr and Bryan VanderLaan, Sturgis, SD
Graciously on loan to The National Motorcycle Museum

[Ranger99]

I'm not surprised at all
Most everything seems to be fad
driven these days. Wasn't too long
ago that there was that television
show about the "custom chopper
builders " and everybody wanted to
do that. There was even at least one
fairly successful technician in the
shop that quit to persue that thing
of "building custom choppers ".
There was even a few places that
opened up on the route between here
and the hunting spot. ( of course,
all that went bust almost immediately)
Then there was a motorcycle gang
television drama, and everybody wanted
to be an outlaw biker for about 2
years there.
Now we've got the modern Bonanza
television show and everybody wants
to be a "Cartright"

Oh well  . . .

[GTS225]

I think my "breakfast club" of old car guys is going to drive down for a visit this summer.  Most of them are model A guys, but I drive a hot rod T-bucket.  Should be a good trip.

(Yeah, I live in Iowa.)

Roger