Twisting the throttle

Motorcycle extravaganza at car museum

By J.M. Simpson on July 28, 2016

There is nothing that starts the heart beating quite like the sound of a vintage motorcycle when the throttle is opened up.  

For those who love pre-1991 motorcycles and scooters, LeMay - America's Car Museum (ACM) is hosting its fifth annual Vintage Motorcycle Festival Saturday, July 30,  from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Haub Family Field.

The ACM is located at 2702 East D Street in downtown Tacoma.

The event is one of five signature events hosted by the museum.  In the past, the festival has traditionally been held in late August.

"We hope to increase participation to exceed four hundred vintage motorcycles this year," wrote Mark Zenor, chair, Vintage Motorcycle Festival Advisory Board, in a news release.  "We have some great seminars lined up and the famous Seattle Cossacks (a motorcycle stunt and drill team) will be back this year with another great show."

Along with the chance to see a show and learn more about various motorcycles, there will also be a used bike corral, food trucks  and vendor booths. Restoration and touring services will also be available.

The festival will feature iconic Harley-Davidson, BMW, Ducati, Triumph, Indian, Honda, Norton, Kawasaki, BSA and other motorcycles.

More than 2,500 enthusiasts from across the country and Canada are expected to attend.

"The museum's mission is to celebrate America's love affair with all vehicles, and the motorcycle is certainly one of them," wrote Ashley Bice, marketing and communications director for the ACM, in an email. "There will be a little bit of everything for the audience."

Beginning at 9 a.m. Sunday, all motorcycle riders are invited to participate in the Sunday Ride through the Mount Rainier Valley.  

The cost to attend the festival is $20 per person, and that fee allows admittance to the museum.

For more information, visit www.vintagemotorcyclefestival.com.