The magnificent Petersen Automotive Museum has added a motorcycle exhibit to its stunning collection of cars, which showcases more than 25 rare motorbikes from the turn of the century to the 1930s.
Called “The American Motorcycle: Pioneering Machines From the Bunch Family Collection,” the display highlights some of the rarest and most historically significant motorcycles ever produced and explores the contributions of American motorcycling pioneers.
It opened March 15 with motorcycles from the internationally renowned collection of the Bunch family, and it will be on display in the Richard Varner Family Gallery on the museum’s second floor in Los Angeles until April 26, 2026.
Here’s a selection of a few rare machines in the exhibit.
1898 Cleveland Tricycle
This is one of America’s oldest motorized cycles from a pioneering manufacturer, Cleveland, and it features the first spring-fork front suspension.
1904 Thomas Auto-Bi
The Auto-Bi was created by the E.R. Thomas Company, the first motorcycle manufacturer in America to design and build its own bikes and engines.
1905 Nelk
Nelk manufactured motorcycles in Palo Alto, California, many with advanced technology for its era. This one has a liquid-cooled and rubber-mounted engine with overhead cams and is one of the few surviving models.
1908 Indian Single
An early Indian is rare in itself, but this one was owned by stuntwoman CeDora, famous for her performances in the “Globe of Death,” in which riders defy gravity by using centripetal force.
1911 Marvel
History buffs will recognize the Marvel name, as it was a brand created by the legendary Glenn Curtiss, who had designed Curtiss motorcycles and engines for dirigibles and airplanes.
1936 Crocker Speedway Racer
Crocker’s V-Twins are some of the most prized American motorcycles in the world, famous for overhead-valve engines that could outrun the revered H-D Knuckleheads. The Crocker V-Twins were based on the company’s single-cylinder speedway engines, like the one in this racebike that was manufactured the same year Crocker began production of its V-Twin streetbikes.
If you’re ever near the Los Angeles area, the Petersen museum should be on the list of any gearhead’s itinerary, and it’s even better with more motorbikes in it.
About Petersen Automotive Museum
The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles, 90036. Admission prices are $21 for general admission adults, $19 for seniors (62+), $13 for youth (12-17), and $12 for children ages 4 to 11. Active military with ID, personal care attendants and children under age four are admitted free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For general information, call 323-930-CARS or visit the Petersen website.
