REVolution: 100 years of motorcycles

NOW CLOSED

Special Exhibitions Gallery
16 November 2013 – 16 February 2014

Featuring 105 motorcycles, this exhibition was a celebration of chrome. It was created by the Museum team in association with local experts Bill and Jason Veitch (from McIver and Veitch), Brian Walker and Trevor Kempton.

BMW, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Indian, Kawasaki, KTM, Moto Guzzi, Suzuki, Triumph, Yamaha – these were just some of the well-known marques on show. The bikes were chosen to illustrate changes in motorcycle design and technology over 100 years, from the 1902 Motosacoche (basically a bicycle with a motor attached to it) to the custom-built magnificence of the mighty Metallic-ah.

New Zealand’s own motorcycle manufacturing company was also represented with the 1991 Cardinal Britten V1000 motorcycle. Famously designed and built by John Britten in Christchurch, only ten V1000 motorcycles were ever produced.

Interactive exhibits gave visitors the chance to delve into the science behind motorcycles – from tyre treads to the phases of a four-stroke engine. A helmet-cam view invited visitors into the nail-biting leans and close calls at the Isle of Man TT racecourse with Kiwi racer Bruce Anstey. Five motorcycles were also set up for visitors to sit on – including a Harley-Davidson, a BMW Superbike, a vintage Triumph, a KTM motocross bike and a Suzuki child’s motocross bike.

Exhibition statistics:

82 683 visitors
105 motorcycles dating from 1902 to 2013
47 lenders from around New Zealand
10 000+ interactions on touchscreen catalogues