The 5 Most Spectacular Motorcycle Museums in the World
General
Most mortals, when they think of a museum, think of paintings, sculptures, fossils, and remains of ancestral cultures. But motorcycle lovers know that there are also true gems intended for them: museums filled with classic bikes, prototypes that still surprise today, and relics from the world of racing. At NG BRAKES, we share your love for motorcycling and competition. And, as always, we want to make it easy for you to enjoy your passion in every way possible. Therefore, we have compiled the 5 essential motorcycle museums that you must visit at least once in your life.
Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum
It holds the Guinness World Record for the museum with the most motorcycles in the world—specifically more than 2,000—and all of them are in good condition (meaning they are capable of running without any issues). Located in the United States, specifically in Birmingham (Alabama), it has more than 30 years of history and offers a total experience to its visitors. In addition to being able to enjoy all the bikes on display (watch out! there are five floors), they also have a 4-kilometer circuit.
This is one of the historic landmarks in our country. This museum was founded by a two-wheel lover who dedicated part of his life to restoring classic models. Mario Soler managed to recover 190 motorcycles, mostly from Spanish brands, which are now on display in over 1,000 m2 of exhibition space, where you can also visit the founder's workshop.
A mandatory stop on your trip to Italy. If you pass through Bologna, dedicate an entire morning to visiting the Ducati museum and factory in Borgo Panigale. There, visitors enjoy an exciting journey through the history of the brand, from its origins far from the world of motorcycling to the present day, both in terms of consumer bikes and competition. In fact, you can see the bikes of all the riders who have won a title with the factory. After this visit, you also tour the factory, where you learn firsthand about the design, manufacturing, and assembly process of their bikes—all handcrafted. An unforgettable experience.
If you are a Yamaha fan, you absolutely must visit the Moto Poggi Collection, also located in Bologna, in this case in Villanova di Castenaso. It possesses such an extensive collection of the brand's motorcycles that even their own engineers visit the museum from time to time. Inside, you can mainly find racing bikes; in fact, none of the Yamahas that have participated in the MotoGP World Championship are missing. Additionally, they also have 'street' models.
More than 30 years ago, Roy Richards opened the National Motorcycle Museum, located in Birmingham (United Kingdom). Today, it houses more than 1,000 motorcycles from 170 different manufacturers and is the perfect place to trace the history of motorcycling. Its permanent exhibition takes visitors back to the 19th century with the emergence of the first models, from where they follow the entire evolution of motorcycles up to the present day.