WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) — Motorcycle enthusiasts can now check out the 25th annual motorcycle exhibit at Warren’s National Packard Museum.
People gawked and gazed on the opening night of the motorcycle exhibit Friday, which is far different than the first exhibit 25 years ago.
“Unfortunately, nobody with motorcycles showed up for that display,” said Jim Icozili, chairman of the exhibit.
Not one motorcycle showed up the first year. That’s when the museum executive director Mary Ann Porinchak got help from a motorcycle collector.
“He gathered his friends and a nice close-knit group of people and the next year, I think we had about 15 motorcycles and then we grew from there,” Porinchak said.
Bruce Williams was a collector who helped organize the second show.
“And then the next year, it went to 30 and then we’ve done it every year since,” said Williams.
Williams chaired the exhibit for a while. On Friday night, he was seen answering questions next to his 1915 Austro Omega.
He says they were the first historic bike exhibit in the area, setting a trend for others.
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, there are 25 manufacturers in the show with a total of 38 bikes, including a 1912 Indian Racer owned by Joe Blaha of Rock Creek in Ashtabula County.
Blaha says they don’t ride the Indian Racer. The engine is rebuilt but there are no brakes.
“They had no brakes on the racers, just a kill switch on the ignition,” Blaha said.
Packard, however, never made motorcycles — so why would a Packard Museum hold a motorcycle exhibit?
“So, I was looking for things that connected loosely to transportation and motorcycles were it and I knew there was a cult following for it way back then,” said Porinchak.
The Packard Museum will see several hundred people for the next several weeks — all wanting to see the motorcycles.
“We’ve had over 650 different motorcycles over the 25 years and basically, we’ve had motorcycles from coast to coast,” said Icozili.
The motorcycle exhibit at Warren’s National Packard Museum runs through May 31.
The museum is open every day except Monday from noon to 5 p.m. It’s $10 dollars to get in.
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