Motorcycles on parade at Reagan library – Thousand Oaks Acorn

Motorcycles on parade at Reagan library

In the 1980s, Harley-Davidson stood on the brink of bankruptcy. That was until then-President Ronald Reagan rode to the rescue.

The iconic American motorcycle company came to President Reagan because it was having trouble competing against the cheap new Japanese imports.

“Ronald Reagan actually made a tariff to make it harder to import motorcycles, which lasted five years and gave Harley- Davidson enough time to turn their company around,” said Melissa Giller, director of communications and programs at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley.

The history of the 40th president’s ties to motorcycles is just one of the many narratives featured at the library’s exhibit, “Born to be Wild: Vintage and Celebrity Motorcycles,” which opened July 9 and runs through Nov. 9.

Bikes used in the movies are a big attraction. The movie motorcycles on display include the 1991 Harley ridden by Arnold Schwarzenegger in “The Terminator,” the 1920 Indian Scout ridden by Anthony Hopkins in “The World’s Fastest Indian” and the bikes ridden by Alicia Silverstone and Chris O’Donnell in “Batman and Robin.”

The exhibit also contains vintage bikes from around the world, including the De Dion- Bouton from France, which dates back to 1899.

On opening day, many visitors came to the museum unaware of the new exhibit and were pleasantly surprised to find it.

“I didn’t know about the motorcycle exhibit before I came here, but I’m really enjoying looking at all the interesting older bikes on display,” said Jim Davis, a Bakersfield resident.

Other vintage bikes on display are a 1903 Harley-Davidson, a 1913 Californian, a 1922 New-ACar and a 1948 Indian, which is an exact replica of Floyd Emde’s winning bike from the 1948 Daytona 200.

“What’s so great about this exhibit is it answers to a bunch of different crowds,” Giller said. “If you are a motorcycle enthusiast, I think you’ll really love the vintage motorcycles. . . . If you are a celebrity or movie buff or maybe a parent with young kids who have seen ‘Star Trek,’ ‘Transformers’ or ‘Bedtime Stories,’ you’re going to want to come up for that side of it.”

The display has contributed to an influx of new people attending the museum, said Todd Bittner, a library volunteer.

“There’s a lot more motorcycle enthusiasts who have started to come to the museum, and they are really enjoying all the Harley-Davidson bikes on display,” he said.

One such motorcycle enthusiast, Mathew Vreeke of Simi Valley, could not believe all the different types of bikes.

“I’m impressed with how many collectors the bikes are from; they are all really beautiful and unique,” Vreeke said.

The Reagan Library is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The admission fees are $12 for general admission, $9 for seniors 62 and over, $6 for children 11 to 17 and free for children 10 and under.

For more information, call (800) 410-8354 or visit www.reaganfoundation.org.