Biker Lifestyle Articles

Fourth of July Events

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Happy Independence Day from Eagle Leather! A Weekend Full of Events and Shows That Will Keep Everyone Entertained What better way to kick off your Independence Day weekend than with a barbecue at Eagle Leather? Starting about noon on Sunday, July 3, we’ll be serving hot dogs and hamburgers with all the fixings as well as coffee and soft drinks. It’s a family picnic and a great opportunity to meet other motorcycle enthusiasts. You can share information about favorite routes and maybe even make plans to join a group ride later in the weekend. Spend some time browsing in the Eagle Leather store, because Mike has put hundreds and hundreds of items on sale. These aren’t things bought just to put on sale. They might be jackets the manufacturer stopped making, or chaps with only one or two sizes left, or helmets we ordered too many of—it’s all great Eagle Leather merchandise. Also on Sunday, consider heading for the Tacoma Narrows Airport for the Gig Harbor Wings and Wheels. It runs from 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Wings part includes historic planes, fly-bys, and the chance to take flight in a vintage Douglas DC-3. The Wheels part features a classic car and motorcycle show as well as jet-car races. There’ll be vendors, a beer tent, and a kids’ activity zone. Register ahead of time and pre-book flights and parking by clicking here. Monday the Fourth is Tacoma’s Freedom Fair along the Ruston Way waterfront. It’s the South Sound’s biggest annual event. All day long you’ll find music at half a dozen bandstands featuring all kinds of bands, seasoned or up-and-coming, playing jazz and blues, rock and rap, country and Christian music. Put a tip in the hat of John the Magic Man as he performs his roving act in the ancient “busker” tradition. Don’t bother bringing a picnic basket. This year there will be three sites for the Fair’s International Food Court. You’ll find exotic dishes from faraway places—Thailand, the Caribbean, Mexico, Peru, China, Japan, Greece, Polynesia, and more—and down home favorites like corn-on-the-cob, burgers, and lemonade. Over a hundred arts and crafts vendors will offer an assortment of clothing, toys, jewelry and so much more. It’s the perfect place to find unique gifts and items to decorate your home, especially if you want to showcase our Pacific Northwest. Between 1:30 and 3:30 you’ll thrill to the Air Show with some of the best aviation acts in the country. If you want the Freedom Fair to continue, make a donation at entry gate. Souvenir pins and stickers that can get you a discount at participating vendors are available—first-come, first-served—to donors. Or, for fifty bucks, you can become a Freedom Fair Fan and get a VIP pass to the Freedom Fair, a gift bag, a catered lunch, and VIP seating for the air show and the fireworks. Ogle the classic cars, hot rods, and muscle cars at the Car Show between 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. And don’t miss the world champion BMX riders’ acrobatics at 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. The Tacoma Freedom Fair Beach Vault is in its eighteenth year. Pole vaulters young and old will strive for a personal best alongside several of the elite athletes who’ve just competed for the U.S. Olympic team. At Camp Patriot, you can hear music, enjoy a hot-dog-eating contest, let the kiddies loose on the inflatable toys, and watch the filming of the TV show, American Forces Icon. Find more information about all the Freedom Fair events here. At 10:10 p.m. the fireworks extravaganza kicks off over Commencement Bay. Hundreds of shells will be fired from a barge—some will soar almost a quarter-mile into the sky; others will change colors; and still others will shower flowery sparkles over the Bay.

Summer Riding Gear

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Discover essential tips to stay cool and safe while riding this summer. From ventilated footwear to mesh gear and cooling vests, learn how to enjoy your rides without overheating.

Durable Fashion-Forward Leather Gear

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Durable Fashion-Forward Leather Gear New Gear from Eagle Leather Eagle Leather has added many new items to its house brand, keeping up with styles and trends and offering the best quality. Remember, all Eagle Leather brand items have a two-year warranty against defects. Let’s look at a few of the new items: The Mastermind jacket comes in black soft-milled cowhide. The two full-length utility pockets have built-in fourteen-inch vents. On the back, two fourteen-inch vertical vents are lined with heavy mesh for ventilation and protection. Add warmth by zipping in the full-sleeve Thinsulate™ liners with stretch panels. Fit and comfort are further assured by the two-way front zipper slider, the action back, and the buckled side tabs for that modern form-fitted waist. Women will love the new jackets designed for them, such as the black Monte Carlo jacket. The waist is nipped in, the lapels are wide, and the asymmetric zip front adds to its swagger. For comfort, it has a zipped vent on the shoulders and zip-out linings in the sleeves. There are three zipped pockets in front and two inside pockets. Two belted side tabs and underarm grommets make the Monte Carlo easy to wear. The men’s Gunslinger concealed carry vest has four gorgeous snaps that look like the antique buffalo nickel and the back is in a single panel, so it’s perfect for patches, embroidery, or airbrushed art. The vest has two outside pockets with hidden snap closures and two inside pockets made of special nylon with intrinsic holders for your concealed weapon. We used American sizing and gave the vest ample length so it will look smart and fit comfortably. The lining is heavy-duty polyester lining that will last a long time, and the armholes are trimmed with heavy buffer fabric so the lining doesn’t come out of the armhole. (See, we listen to your concerns and we try to solve your problems.) Also for men is the short sleeve leather shirt. It’s made of soft, light, black leather and has a soft satin liner. It’s extra-long and combines a European-style collar and jeans-pocket front. Four outside pockets offer plenty of storage. We’ve got a vest for women, too. The Fairmont Vest in soft black naked leather has a full length zipper. It has two inside pockets and five front exterior zipped pockets. It is form-fitted for fashion’s sake and has two release zips in the back to ensure comfortable riding. This is just a taste of new Eagle Leather brand gear, so visit the store and browse—ask one of our expert sales staff for help, or poke about the website—and you can ask questions there via live chat. You’ll be amazed at the fashion-forward, rider-oriented, well-made and durable leather clothing we have designed for you.

California Lane-Splitting Bill Update

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Major Lane-Change Bill Update The California Lane-Splitting Bill Moves Forward! California motorcycle enthusiasts have been lane-splitting for a long time. Lane-splitting is just riding between two lanes of stopped or slow-moving cars. In every state except California, it’s illegal. In California, until recently, the laws said nothing about it. As a result, as long as a rider was prudent, no tickets would be issued for lane-splitting. In 2013, the California Highway Patrol (CHiP) tried to set guidelines for lane-splitting, but withdrew them after a huge outcry and a realization that only the legislature can make laws. The law just passed authorizes ChiP to set guidelines for lane-splitting in a safe manner. Although a majority of drivers consider the practice unsafe, a University of California study, explained here, found that lane-splitting was safe as long as the motorcyclist didn’t go more than fifteen miles an hour faster than the traffic on either side and stayed under fifty miles per hour. The most accidents happened when the lane-splitting biker who was going too fast met a motorist who was changing lanes. The study pointed out that, as motorcycle enthusiasts have long contended, sitting stopped or idling along in traffic led to many rear-end collisions and it was safer for the motorcyclist to keep moving between the lanes of cars. The study also noted that having legal guidelines would lead to better awareness and more acceptance among drivers. The bill (AB51) was introduced by California Democratic Senator Bill Quirk December 1, 2014. At that time, it included a provision that motorcyclists had to travel less than fifteen miles an hour over the flow of surrounding traffic. Several motorcycling groups objected, and that provision was removed. The bill finished its legislative journey August 5, when the California Senate passed it unanimously, and it is now on the desk of Governor Jerry Brown, who is expected to sign it. In its final form, AB51 allows such agencies as CHiP, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Transportation, the Office of Traffic Safety, and a safety-focused motorcycle organization to create guidelines about safe lane-splitting. You can read the entire bill in a few seconds—it’s that short and simple—just click here. If the governor signs the bill, lane-splitting will be fully legal in California, and motorcyclists in other states will have a sample law to take to their own legislatures. Let us know what you think about this development on the Eagle Leather Facebook page.

Advance Your Motorcycling Skills This Labor Day

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Happy Labor Day from Eagle Leather! An Opportunity To Advance Your Riding Skills Labor Day is a celebration of America labor. Oregon was the first state to make it an official holiday, back in 1887. In 1894, Congress made the holiday nationwide. For a long time, it was thought that Peter J. McGuire first put forth the idea of a day dedicated to American workers. Peter was the general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and one of the founders of the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Others give that honor the Matthew McGuire, a machinist, saying that he proposed it as secretary of the Central Labor Union of New York in 1882. We do know for sure that the Central Labor Union did appoint a committee to set up a picnic. And we’ve been picnicking and celebrating ever since. For many families, Labor Day also marks the beginning of the school year. As the young people, from kindergarten to college, return to their jobs of learning, maybe it’s time to think about a refresher class in motorcycling skills. You have several training programs to choose from in the Tacoma area. Often, if you need a basic course, you can use the school’s motorcycle. Such courses can be a big help to people who often ride pillion. Or maybe you’ve added a sidecar or switched to a trike—there are courses for those, too. An intermediate riders’ course can be a useful refresher and courses for advanced riders can teach most of us a thing or two. There are special courses for off-road riding, too, and even a multi-day camp where you can learn, not just the basics, but the ins and outs of adventure riding. In addition to riding courses, you can find courses in motorcycle maintenance, ranging from understanding your bike and how to make simple adjustments, proper care for your motorcycle, and how to winterize it to advanced courses in the systems that operate your motorcycle. Maybe your motorcycle club would like to take a class together, or maybe you’d like to make it a family affair. You can even find schools that will set up a customized class to cover just the topics you want to learn more about. Now that summer is drawing to an end, and the kids are going back to school, consider taking a few hours—or a few days—to advance your motorcycling skills.

Harley Davidson Products

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Harley Davidson Merchandise at Eagle Leather We'll Help You Find Everything Your Need! Did you watch “Harley and the Davidsons” on the Discovery channel? At Eagle Leather we honor all motorcycles and their riders. Indian fans might try to remember that you don’t get dramatic conflict when you’ve got good guys vs good guys. And for Harley devotees—wow! The series certainly captures the spirit of invention, the adrenalin rush, the creative struggle of a great enterprise. Did you have a favorite scene? We’re talking about it on the Eagle Leather Facebook page—come join in! So, this week’s blog will feature some of the Harley Davidson products we sell at Eagle Leather. We’ve got several Harley Davidson decals and a Harley Davidson license plate mount with the iconic shield or with an inscription in elegant cursive or bold capitals to glam your ride. Add bling with this keychain, which has crystals and the famous Harley Davidson shield logo or heat things up with this keychain, which frames the logo in flamed wings. Eagle Leather carries a wide assortment of Harley Davidson Zippo lighters, too, along with the Zippo lighter fluid and flints. You’re sure to find a style you like—and a Harley-themed lighter would make a great gift, too. One size fits all. Women, and brave men, who ride Harleys will proudly wear the knit pink hat. And every Harley owner needs a patch. This one has chenille lettering. The absolute hands-down cutest Harley Davidson merchandise we carry at Eagle Leather includes the infant hat and booties and the Harley Davidson teddy bear. Guys—here’s a hint—lots of ladies cuddle teddy bears. Whether you ride a Harley and want some brand-name gear for yourself, or whether you buy it as a gift, Eagle Leather has a wide assortment of Harley Davidson items. Just ask our experts sales staff, in the store or on line, and they will help you find what you seek.

Oyster Run Preparations

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Eagle Leather Takes the Store on the Road Come Check Out our Tent and Our Cool Gear! The Oyster Run at Anacortes is the only rally Eagle Leather attends. It’s a high point of the motorcycling year for the thousands of riders who attend this, the largest motorcycle rally in the Pacific Northwest. This year the free event is on Sunday, September 25. Here at Eagle Leather, we look forward to the Oyster Run. It’s a chance to strut our stuff, showing fellow motorcycle enthusiasts part of our huge selection of gear. More than that, it’s a chance to meet up and chat with our customers—some of them we know from our stores in Lakewood and Auburn and others who come to see us at the Oyster run year after year. Preparation begins weeks ahead as we identify what merchandise we want to take to Anacortes. We never order gear just for the Oyster Run. Everything we sell there is also stocked at Eagle Leather stores. (Maybe some folks offer cheap goods ordered specially for rallies, but Eagle Leather does not.) We do, however, try to bring a good selection of gear that’s on sale, so buyers can often save 25%--or even more. We want to bring gear that’s popular and easy to buy. We leave boots behind, for example, because they’re hard to fit on a street corner. We bring lots of gloves, jackets, chaps, even some Gerbing® heated gear. Look for our new line of Outlaw shirts, T-shirts, and hoodies, too. Deciding exactly what to bring can be stressful, because we want to have just the gear that people want to buy. We put out a sign-out sheet so that staff from both stores who want to come to Anacortes can do so. This way, the sales experts are excited to be there. We need about half of our total sales staff at the Oyster Run. On September 25, we close one store so people are either working at the one store that’s open or are at the Oyster Run. We get everything packed and ready to go ahead of time. About four in the morning, we gather and all leave together. We stop for breakfast on the way and arrive at Anacortes about 6:30 a.m. Mike has a lot of experience setting up tents and arranging the merchandise, so he supervises our setup on Main Street. By nine o’clock we’re ready to open. The rest of the day often seems like a blur of handshakes, hellos, and hugs as we greet old friends and make new ones. Mike works right alongside the rest of the staff and we all thoroughly enjoy the day and the festive atmosphere of the rally and, above all, the people. Five o’clock is closing time and we get everything that’s left packed up and the tent taken down. When all the cleanup is complete, we head home. On the way, we stop for an oyster buffet and some well-deserved high-fives for a long, exhausting, but exhilarating day. Right now, we’re all looking forward to the Oyster Run. See you there!

Riding Inside the Wheel

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Think Outside the Box; Ride Inside the Wheel Check Out The Monowheel! Imagine a big wheel—five or six feet tall. Now imagine a motor, a seat and a little gas tank mounted on a track inside that wheel. Of course, it has to be mounted on bearings because you can sit inside that wheel—a monowheel motorcycle—and drive it. That is, if you’ve got a wide daredevil streak. Kevin Scott is just such a daredevil. Last October he set the British speed record for monowheel motorcycles using a 200-cc go-kart engine in a 59-inch wheel, according to Road & Track magazine. His vehicle, named WarHorse, hit 61.18 mph, breaking the old record of 57 mph. The UK Monowheel Team and Kevin set that record at Elvington Airfield in North Yorkshire. The team of four engineers, aged between 49 and 60, has been building innovative motorcycles since 2010. American Kerry McClean held the old record, set at Irwindale Speedway in California in 2001. Kerry is a pioneer monowheel builder in our time. He’s a champion of do-it-yourself monowheel building and has built some pretty powerful machines—one using an eight-cylinder engine. Driving a monowheel is tricky. The only way to steer is to lean and the only way to stop is with the throttle (and, we bet, boots on the asphalt). Avoiding a “gerbil incident” is a major challenge. That’s when the rider loops around with the outer wheel. Probably not what you want in traffic. Monowheels have been around about as long as any kind of cycle, and have been powered by feet, gas, and electricity. They’ve always been dangerous, but old advertisements indicate that people bought them. You can see various old models at Douglas Self’s online museum. They are not very practical for long rides or even for commuting, but if you’ve got the itch, you can buy a Wheelsurf for about $2500.00. They are made in Brazil and sold by a Dutch company. The Wheelsurf is built so that you feel enclosed when you sit in it; the odd weight distribution takes some getting used to. It’s smaller than many monowheels. Three little wheels on the inner frame contact the outer rotating frame, which has a solid rubber tire. The engine is a standard Stihl 55 cc two-stroke single cylinder with one speed and a centrifugal clutch. It’s derived from a chainsaw motor and starts with a pull-cord. It’s got a maximum speed of 30 kmh. Two little auxiliary wheels descend during braking and are said to operate well at low speeds on level ground. Going downhill, it’s about as responsive as a skateboard, we hear, except that you’re apt to be spinning around inside it because the outer wheel stops and you don’t. If you decide to buy one, you might want to wait a bit as fixes for several problems are underway. According to the folks at Wheelsurf, several models have been registered in the US and are road-legal. Frankly, we don’t think it’s ready for prime time, because it’s slower than the turtle-est moped and breaks like a battleship. But, it isn’t all that expensive and it should be great in parades! What do you think? Tell us on the Eagle Leather Facebook page!

How to Prevent Deer/Cycle Collisions

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Stay Alert to Stay Safe It’s that time of year again, when romance strikes the deer herd. Stags have one thing on their mind—and it’s not watching out for motorcycles. Does are running about with their half-grown fawns, so we need to watch out for the second and third deer in a group. All the deer are busy chowing down on the green grass on the roadway verge before freezing weather sets in, and they can run into the road on less than a moment’s notice. Motorcyclists often get the worst of it in a deer/cycle collision and there have even been fatalities, so the wise rider will learn a bit about deer and how to avoid them. Deer like to hide in the shadows and chew their cuds during the day and are most active at dusk and dawn, so pay special attention then. At night, you’ll probably just see the reflection of your headlight in the deer’s eyes. Pay attention to Deer Crossing signs because they are put up on stretches of road where lots of carcasses have been found—indicating many deer/vehicle collisions. And if the sign reads Deer Migration, be especially careful because whole herds pass through. Slow down in deer country and be ready to hit the brakes. It’s wise, if traffic allows, to slow way down or even stop when you spot a deer on the shoulder. The animal may very well panic as you get closer and jump in pattern that would avoid a wild predator, but be squarely in your path. Stay safe out there! - Mike

The New BMW Self Driving Motorcycle

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Motorrad Vision Next 100 A Bike Intelligent Enough to Avoid any Hazards “Look, Ma, no hands.” BMW has unveiled the Motorrad Vision Next 100, its concept of the motorcycle of the next century. This is the fourth and final concept vehicle BMW has produced to celebrate its centennial. The other vehicles are a Rolls, a Mini, and a BMW. Though the motorcycle probably will never hit the production line, many of its features will. As Harald Krueger, BMW’s CEO, puts it, “I am selling emotions, passion. If a customer just needs to go from Point A to Point B, they don’t need a BMW.” The bike has a connection to Washington State, too. It’s mostly made of ultra-light carbon fiber, which is produced in a plant in Moses Lake. In a partnership with SGL, the world’s single-largest carbon fiber producer, BMW has expanded the plant to provide carbon fiber for its i-series cars. The carbon fiber body makes the motorcycle very light and helps it stand on its own when parked. The gyro-stabilization system helps with that, too. The lightweight frame aluminum and carbon fiber will also improve both range and performance. The concept bike’s shape is loosely based on BMW’s iconic triangular frame. It has no front fork. Instead, it has a flexible, “bionic” frame, the “Flexframe,” which does away with all joints and is supposed to make the vehicle easier to steer. At higher speeds, the whole frame is firm, so the handlebars are harder to turn, and it becomes more flexible during low-speed turning and cruising. The engine looks like a classic gas engine, but it’s not. Instead, it’s an electric drive-train, so it’s emission-free. The engine’s outer housing, where the pistons would be in a gas engine, extends outward while you drive, making it more aerodynamic, and pulls back into the frame when you stop. BMW already has the i3 city car, which is battery-electric, and the i8 hybrid sports car, both of which evidence a commitment to electric vehicles. You won’t find any gauges, either. You wear a visor that uses augmented reality technology. What you see depends on what you ask for or where you look. When you look straight ahead, all you see is the road unless the bike must inform you of a hazard; look up or down to see the informative displays. According to BMW, this smart visor “spans the rider's entire field of view and provides not only wind protection but also relevant information, which it projects straight into the line of sight as and when it is needed." It shows routes, displays information about the bike that would otherwise be on dashboard gauges, acts as a rearview mirror, and allows the driver to control the bike using eye movements and finger gestures. Such systems are expected to be available for motorcycles in the fairly near future because they are starting to be available in consumer electronics. BMW also gives the driver a suit that has monitors your pulse and temperature and then provides intrinsic air conditioning and heating. It also gives drivers navigational signals through vibrations in the sleeves and legs. Further, the motorcycle has sensors and a “digital companion” for crash avoidance. The digital companion displays in the visor and shows the ideal line and your current banking angle. The driver can turn over control of the vehicle to this self-driving technology at any time. The self-balancing gyro stabilizers help keep the bike upright while you ride. And the tire tread morphs to suit the road surface. In fact, the whole motorcycle is designed to be safe enough so that you can ride without a helmet or leathers—too safe to fall.

Promote Your 2017 Rides

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Plan Your Riding Season The Ride Guide is Free and Easy Can you remember the “olden days” when, if you wanted to publicize an event like a charity motorcycle ride, you’d send a notice (if you got fancy, you could call it a press release) to the local newspaper and then put up flyers wherever you thought motorcycle enthusiasts would congregate? Times sure have changed! If you’re publicizing a motorcycle ride nowadays, you’d better have a website or at least a Facebook page dedicated to the event. You’ll want to tweet about it, and maybe post some pix from last year on Pinterest. Social media has brought a whole new way of publicizing your event. At the same time, it’s brought the big puzzle—how do you get your event noticed amid the tsunami of websites, pages, tweets, and so on? And if you’re looking for a ride, how do you wade through a world of possibilities to find the ride that suits you, in your neighborhood, when you can participate? Eagle Leather’s Ride Guide is the answer. The folks who visit Eagle Leather’s home page are all motorcycle enthusiasts and most of them live in the Pacific Northwest. The home page features a link to the Ride Guide that no one can miss. It’s hard to think of a way to reach thousands and thousands of riders—and it’s free and easy. Listing a ride on the Ride Guide is easy as pie. And you don’t need to have all the information about the ride when you first list it. So, if you or your group has put a group ride on your calendar for 2017, get it onto the Eagle Leather Ride Guide now. You can add more information as it becomes available down the road. It’s important to get onto the Ride Guide as soon as possible after you’ve chosen a date (not that kind of date—the month and day) for your ride. We like to talk about upcoming rides in the newsletter, and the sooner you’ve set the date, the more likely it is that we’ll be able to mention it (or more) in the newsletter. The newsletter goes out once a week to over 30,000 motorcycle enthusiasts and most of them live in our neck of the woods. Now that’s getting the word out! Riders—if you’re looking for a congenial group or a worthy cause and want information about rides once the weather is cooperative, check the Eagle Leather Ride Guide. Ride planners—the Ride Guide is waiting for your information. You can start with just the name and date and add other information later, as you decide on the details. You can also link your notice in the Ride Guide with your website or Facebook page.

Antique Motorcycle Museums

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

The Best Antique Museums in Washington State Explore the List Below What’s a motorcycle enthusiast to do when it’s too snowy and icy to ride? One neat thing is to visit a motorcycle museum. Just what you’ll find depends on the focus the museum has, but you can bet whatever you see will be interesting and drool-worthy. Here are some motorcycle museums and collections in Washington State. Please note that this is not prime tourist season and some museums will have shorter hours. Call ahead and check on opening times. The LeMay Family Collection was named by the Guiness Book of World Records as “Largest Antique and Vintage Vehicle Collection” in 1997, and it’s right here in Tacoma. Harold and Nancy LeMay began collecting vintage autos and motorcycles (as well as associated memorabilia) in the 1960s. Nowadays the collection is housed in the America’s Car Museum and at the Marymount Event Center. Both locations include motorcycles. Be warned, America’s Car Museum looks small from the outside, but it’s a five-story garage underneath. The 195,000 square foot museum displays over 300 vehicles, and among them right now is the restored Pope motorcycle Steve McQueen loved to ride in the 1970s. At Marymount, the collection is housed in several buildings; with your paid admission, you can request a free docent to guide you so you don’t miss anything. Near Tacoma, in Spanaway, is Burgin’s Motorcycle Museum upstairs of Vintage Motorcycles Northwest. John (Johnnie) Burgin, who built the collection, passed away in 2005. His collection began after he retired at age fifty. The collection includes over fifty vintage motorcycles and is one of three that includes every Harley-Davidson Knucklehead ever built—from 1936 through 1947. He also rebuilt old military bikes and you’ll see a lot of them, too. According to the Spanaway Visitors Guide website the museum is open weekdays by appointment. You can take a tour here. In Auburn, at the Hinshaw Motorcycle Store Ron Orr shows off his collection of Japanese bikes that dates back to the 1940s. The bikes come from major brands, and some not so well-known and are beautifully restored. The collection is upstairs from the shop and may be chained off. If so, ask permission to see it. Find pictures here. Café Veloce is an Italian restaurant in Kirkland that displays, in fewer than ten bikes, the history of Italian motorcycles. Rumor has it that, if you ride your motorcycle, you'll get ten percent off your check, but you should verify that. Clubs can reserve the back room which accommodates as many as thirty people. Find more information here. Chehalis is about halfway between Seattle and Portland on US 5. It’s home to an historic movie-house and the Chehalis-Centralia Steam Train, but we’re interested in the Vintage Motorcycle Museum. It began back in the 70s when Frank Mason was looking for a hobby and decided to collect vintage motorcycles. When he had forty bikes in his collection, he opened his own museum. He’d also started to acquire historic buildings and housed the collection in his Foster Bakery Building, which dates from the 20s. Frank specializes in pre-1916 motorcycles and has both original and fully-restored machines. You’ll find brands like: Excelsior, Pierce, Emblem, Reading Standard, Thor, as well as Harley Davidson and Indian, and some wooden bicycles, including an example of the first bicycle made in America. The six-thousand square foot museum is on two stories. It’s usually open mornings from Tuesday through Friday, but do call first. You’ll find more information here: http://www.antiquemotorcycles.net/.

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