Art and motorcycle enthusiasts will feel a part of the cultural revolution with The Art of the Motorcycle exhibition at the Orlando Museum of Art until July 23, 2006. Based on the landmark exhibition that opened at the Guggenheim Museum, New York, in 1998 to record crowds, The Art of the Motorcycle showcases 80 historic and contemporary motorcycles. Each exceptional example was selected based technical innovation, aesthetic excellence and cultural significance.
The exhibition chronicles the most compelling moments in the evolution of motorcycle design and places these developments in a cultural context. Starting with examples produced in the 19th century, the exhibition shows how the motorcycle emerged as an icon of our time.
Exhibits include the Copeland Steam (Replica 1884), one of several successful steam-powered motorcycles; the Orient (1900), the first commercially produced motorcycle in the United States; the Cyclone Board Tracker (1914), known as the "yellow speed demon" — the fastest bike of its period; the BMW R32 (1923), which shows the influence of German Bauhaus design; the Harley-Davidson EL (1936), the popular "knucklehead" cruising bikes; the Easy Rider Chopper (1993), a replica that replaces the lost original from the 1969 film with Peter Fonda; the Aprilia Moto 6.5 (1995), created by designer Phillippe Starck; and the MV Agusta F4 (1998), designed by Massimo Tamburini in collaboration with Ferrari.
