# Fantastic Motorcycle Exhibition at SFO San Francisco Airport!



## New Mexico Brant (Aug 2, 2021)

If you get a chance go visit the motorcycle exhibit at the A Terminal (international) of the San Francisco Airport. It is up until September 19th, 2021.  Free to visit besides parking, it is located in the ticketing area so you do not need to go through security (or need a plane ticket).  Thank you to Jason Z for the heads up!

My favorite bike is the untouched “as found” Yale.  Original paint, tires, and Yale grips; only a couple wires seem to be replaced.  

Can someone please tell me why motorcycle restoration people take such short cuts on the pedals? Repop Torrington 10’s, Chinese repop Standards, and post war white blocks just look so gross on these machines worth tens of thousands + machines.  It makes one wonder what else is completely wrong and incorrect with these bikes.  

Sorry for the photos, it was very hard to take pictures with the background glare.  

Still worth the visit!


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## New Mexico Brant (Aug 2, 2021)

More pictures:


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## New Mexico Brant (Aug 2, 2021)

Final pictures:


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## Jesse McCauley (Aug 2, 2021)

I get stuck in all the wrong airports -


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## Balloonoob (Aug 2, 2021)

That's quite an exhibit. Thanks for sharing! Wish I could see it. I'm sure in some cases someone took the original pedals, tires, and probably a seat or some grips and swapped them out for repops.  I imagine many of the older motorcycles that don't make it to wheels through time or get prepared for the annual 100 year old motorcycle race are never expected by owners or museums to actually run and ride.  May as well leave what's left of the original machine for display instead.


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## cyclingday (Aug 2, 2021)

Nice!
Thanks, for the tour, Brant.


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## TrustRust (Aug 2, 2021)

Nice display !!
I totally hear you on the pedal thing Brant..
It’s made me mental for decades lol !!
It’s the first damn thing I look at on pedal era motorcycles 🤪🤦🏻‍♂️🙄


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Aug 2, 2021)

I’m planning to visit the exhibition!
Thanks for posting!

SFO is providing free shuttle bus rides from the *South San Francisco Ferry Terminal to the airport*. ... The SFO Ferry Connector Bus will meet each weekday morning ferry arrival in South San Francisco and transport passengers to the International Terminal at SFO in less than a half-hour.


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## Freqman1 (Aug 2, 2021)

That trio of board trackers gets my attention! Is this someone's private collection or on loan from a museum? I'm gonna have to make a trip back to Maggie Valley this fall but it won't be the same without Dale there. V/r Shawn


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## New Mexico Brant (Aug 2, 2021)

Freqman1 said:


> ! Is this someone's private collection or on loan from a museum?



They all were from private collections; three primary lenders.


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## OC_Rolling_Art (Aug 3, 2021)

Awesome pieces, thanks for sharing.


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## fat tire trader (Aug 4, 2021)

There was a mountainbike exhibit there in 1989 at which, my mentor, Charlie Cunningham's bike was stolen

Charlie's personal bike, with hand-machined brakes and many unique touches, was stolen from a display case at the museum exhibit of the United Airlines Terminal in San Francisco International airport in 1989. Of the ten custom bikes displayed, the "Ham" proved irresistible to ...someone, we'll never know! We just hope some day it will find its way back home here, scuffed but rideable.



			WOMBATS - Women's Mountain Bike & Tea Society - Links - The Cunningham Bicycle


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## Pondo (Aug 5, 2021)

Great pics, great bikes.  I'm going to have to head down there in the next few weeks to check it out.  Thanks Brant!


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## Pondo (Aug 5, 2021)

fat tire trader said:


> There was a mountainbike exhibit there in 1989 at which, my mentor, Charlie Cunningham's bike was stolen
> 
> Charlie's personal bike, with hand-machined brakes and many unique touches, was stolen from a display case at the museum exhibit of the United Airlines Terminal in San Francisco International airport in 1989. Of the ten custom bikes displayed, the "Ham" proved irresistible to ...someone, we'll never know! We just hope some day it will find its way back home here, scuffed but rideable.
> 
> ...



That really sucks.  I'd be gutted if that happened to me.  My Redline BMX got stolen decades ago.  I hadn't been riding it for years but it was still a blow.  I'm going to find another one to fiddle with.


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## jimbo53 (Aug 5, 2021)

fat tire trader said:


> There was a mountainbike exhibit there in 1989 at which, my mentor, Charlie Cunningham's bike was stolen
> 
> Charlie's personal bike, with hand-machined brakes and many unique touches, was stolen from a display case at the museum exhibit of the United Airlines Terminal in San Francisco International airport in 1989. Of the ten custom bikes displayed, the "Ham" proved irresistible to ...someone, we'll never know! We just hope some day it will find its way back home here, scuffed but rideable.
> 
> ...



There is a mountain bike museum just on the other side of the Golden Gate Brisge in Marin. When I was there in 2016, Joe Breeze was there and gave my son an I a personal tour. A very friendly humble guy who was there at the beginning!


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## Blue Streak (Aug 6, 2021)

I was at SF Airport in early June but did not have time to get to the International Terminal to see this exhibit. There was an exhibit of photos of women motorcycle riders in my terminal and the brochure below for the motorcycle exhibit:


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## Goldenrod (Aug 6, 2021)

Blue Streak said:


> I was at SF Airport in early June but did not have time to get to the International Terminal to see this exhibit. There was an exhibit of photos of women motorcycle riders in my terminal and the brochure below for the motorcycle exhibit:
> 
> View attachment 1458294
> 
> ...




How do they keep those skirts from catching on fire?


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## cyclingday (Aug 6, 2021)

In the list of credits that made this exhibit possible, you might recognize the name Pat Simmons if you are a Doobie Brothers fan.
He and his wife Cris are motorcycle enthusiasts through and through.


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## Blue Streak (Aug 6, 2021)

Goldenrod said:


> How do they keep those skirts from catching on fire?








						Early Women Motorcyclists | SFO Museum
					






					www.sfomuseum.org


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## razinhellcustomz (Aug 12, 2021)

New Mexico Brant said:


> If you get a chance go visit the motorcycle exhibit at the A Terminal (international) of the San Francisco Airport. It is up until September 19th, 2021.  Free to visit besides parking, it is located in the ticketing area so you do not need to go through security (or need a plane ticket).  Thank you to Jason Z for the heads up!
> 
> My favorite bike is the untouched “as found” Yale.  Original paint, tires, and Yale grips; only a couple wires seem to be replaced.
> 
> ...



I would tend to think that some of these guys either don't know any better or just don't give a crap.. It's like these CLOWNS that put JUNK gm crap motors into old Fords, all it does is make them less desirable to the purists that just don't care about any thing but to CHEAPEN out said vehicle...


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## razinhellcustomz (Aug 12, 2021)

Blue Streak said:


> I was at SF Airport in early June but did not have time to get to the International Terminal to see this exhibit. There was an exhibit of photos of women motorcycle riders in my terminal and the brochure below for the motorcycle exhibit:
> 
> View attachment 1458294
> 
> ...



I always LOVED the VERY rare and obscure Jefferson motorcycles that were only produced for a hand full of years in the small rural town of Jefferson Wisconsin...


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## New Mexico Brant (Dec 8, 2021)

I just stumbled over the digital catalog for this show, it is a must see!









						Early American Motorcycles
					

SFO Museum Exhibition Catalog. San Francisco International Airport




					issuu.com


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## Boxtubebob (Dec 8, 2021)

New Mexico Brant said:


> I just stumbled over the digital catalog for this show, it is a must see!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The display has been moved from SFO.
I am not sure where it is now. 
It was really nice to see.


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## razinhellcustomz (Dec 8, 2021)

New Mexico Brant said:


> I just stumbled over the digital catalog for this show, it is a must see!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I wonder if their is a hard copy of this catalog available? If so i would love to obtain one.. Thanks for sharing Brant.. Razin..


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## New Mexico Brant (Dec 8, 2021)

razinhellcustomz said:


> I wonder if their is a hard copy of this catalog available? If so i would love to obtain one.. Thanks for sharing Brant.. Razin..



I don’t think so. I was thinking the same thing.  I would love to buy one but I can’t find anywhere that mentions a print copy being available.


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## Axlerod (Dec 9, 2021)

New Mexico Brant said:


> I don’t think so. I was thinking the same thing.  I would love to buy one but I can’t find anywhere that mentions a print copy being available.



They have hard copy brochures but it’s not really a catalog. It unfolds into a pretty cool centerfold.


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