The weather in northeast Wisconsin has been as gloomy as an Edgar Allan Poe short story. In an effort to brighten my outlook, I called a friend in the Milwaukee area and arranged to meet him for lunch on a recent Monday.
I left Green Bay at about 10:30 and enjoyed a pleasant drive down I 43. After a quick stop for some MacDonald's coffee in Sheboygan, I was soon cruising into Milwaukee and felt the drear lift. We had agreed to meet at the Motor Bar and Restaurant, which is part of the Harley Davidson Museum in downtown Milwaukee. As I walked in I noticed that the restaurant reflected its connection to motorcycles well, with motorcycle racing featured on the big screens and a late model Harley motorcycle on display in the bar area.
Karl, my lunch companion, had already arrived and secured a table. He worked for Harley for about twenty years as an engineer and service representative, and said that I had just missed seeing Bill Jr., the great-grandson of one of the founders, William A. Davidson. Although now retired from full time work, Karl still has many connections to the Harley motorcycle family. His knowledge of all things Harley, and internal combustion engines in general, seems to know no bounds. We each ordered a bowl of chili and a soft drink as we caught up on the happenings in each other's lives.
The chili came with cheese and onions, in addition to the requested extra crackers. The waiter came around no more than necessary as we talked about our friends from Road America and plans for the summer. At our age the stories inevitably include friends who have left us with only our good memories of them. After lunch we ambled across the street to the museum.
We are both Harley Owners Group (HOG) members, so museum admission is free. The museum awards a pin each year members who visit, so we picked up our pins before going up to the main exhibit hall. As always, we were met and welcomed warmly by a staff member. The place was not very busy that day, so the staff member had time to talk about the museum and tell a few stories. One involved a conversation he had facilitated mostly by accident between an employee of Oshkosh Truck who was visiting the museum and the Harley designer who holds the position Willie G. Davidson held for years. Oshkosh Truck builds military vehicles, and their discussion was about what type of motorcycle Harley could develop that would most benefit the United States Armed Forces. The gentleman was still in awe of what he had heard and the conversation he helped to bring about.
Karl and I have visited the museum many times, so we walked to the area where the newest exhibit was located. It is a collection of Harley Davidson sales posters from the very beginning of the company. Karl was able to describe what was unique about each model featured and why it was important to the company's history. One particular poster was of a sixties era Electra Glide and Karl said he had put 100,000 miles on an identical motorcycle as he visited dealerships in the west. Another featured two Sportsters from the the same era and Karl said the scene overlooking a body of water had been shot in the Wisconsin Dells area. It is a very interesting exhibit and a video explains the process of photographing and preserving the posters.
Next, we went up to the archives. This is where the bikes that are on display are prepared. Harley has at least one copy of each of their bikes produced in a given year. Karl's friend, Bill, is the archivist. He was not around so we just looked through the chain link at the bikes warehoused on the other side.
Our final stop was the design center display on the ground floor. Harley is featuring an exhibit that depicts their factory racing history. Karl knew or worked with many of the people featured, so it was fascinating to hear stories that could not be captured within the confines of an 8 x 10 card within the display. Harley is still competitive in American Flat Track, but has been involved in all types of racing since its very beginning.
As I walk around that museum it reminds me of Lambeau Field here in Green Bay. The place is spotless and it is apparent its owners take great pride in its appearance. Staff members are proud be a part of the organization and eager to share their knowledge. Just as Packers fans and ticket holders are excited, even honored to be in Lambeau Field, the Harley Davidson Museum gives me a warm feeling about owning a Harley. In my head I know it is all part of marketing the product, but in my heart, I love the place.
Before saying our good byes, Karl and I made a quick stop in the museum store. We looked at a few pins and posters before deciding it was time to go. I pointed my truck back toward Green Bay and reflected on the day. It is still deep winter, but an afternoon in the midst of the Harley mystique can lift the dark veil and rekindle thoughts of bright skies and dry roads.
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