Seattle’s Museum of History & Industry has a motorcycle exhibit running through April 26, 2026. The Kickstands Up! exhibit is worth making the effort to visit. It covers a lot of ground from the commercial use of motorcycles to racing with lots of interesting tidbits in-between. And once you finish soaking in Kickstands Up!, you can spend a few more hours checking out the rest The Museum of History & Industry (or MOHAI, as the locals like to call it). Plus, the gift shop has great Kickstands Up! T-shirts, postcards and other cool stuff.
Donna Delivery: Donna Walters was a pioneer because women were not considered for delivery service riders. She changed that by showing the boss she could handle this Harley-Davidson trike just fine. Happened during WWII.
Born in the Fifties: Dirt biking was so much easily in the sixties. Get the bikes loaded in the pickup or van, cruise to an open field, unload, gear up and have at it. You’d get arrested today.
Climb Aboard: Hillclimbs were the “everyman” event back in the 40s and 50s. And these events drew crowds that today’s promoters can only dream about.
Buckin’ Bronco: It is fitting that Buck Murphy’s factory Can-Am is included in the exhibit. Buck was a big, powerful Northwest rider who followed the AMA National Series.
Fast Delivery: Before they started using big brown trucks, The United Parcel Service (or UPS) mounted their delivery drivers (riders) on these Ohio-made Yale motorcycles. Yale got out of the motorcycle business to make other products for Uncle Sam during WWII.
War Machine: Speaking of the war effort, Indian made this shaft-drive motorcycle for use in sandy conditions. Kind of looks like a cross between a Moto Guzzi and a BMW.
Showtime: The Cossacks Motorcycle Stunt Team started performing in 1938. The bikes they ride today are just like what you see here. They will be performing at the Museum on April 18th and at The One Motorcycle Show on May 2nd.
Best Dressed: These guys put the Distinguished Gentleman’s ride to shame. Riders dressed sharp in Seattle back in the day.
Respect: The MOHAI exhibit presents motorcycling in a positive and interesting manner. A group of school kids flocked to the you-can-sit-on-it motorcycle. Their teacher said to us, “Hope you didn’t want to sit on that.” It was cooler to watch the kids enjoying it.
High-Heeled Fun: Why not?
Dick’s Drive-In: Norman (of Motorcycho fame and founding member of The Vicious Cycles) and Jimmy Mac (right) filled up at the Original Dick’s Drive-In after a day at MOHAI. Don’t worry In-N-Out, you’re still my favorite. Somebody drove past and yelled, “I love Dick’s.” I’ve been told it is a Seattle tradition.
Up In Smoke: The amazing Richard Lasher photo of the Mount St. Helens eruption, May 18, 1980.
