How's the new museum ?

[45OZ]

Hey all I was talking to some friends last night about the move from hershey to Tiawan Ted's, I did not get a chance to see it in rhinebeck so I was wondering if anybody here has visted it & what they think?
Anybody have any pictures I don't hear much talk about it around here, What are the hours & Does it cost anything to go? If so do members still get in for free like at hershey ?
I'm surprised that we don't hear that much about it since it movved & rhinebeck is over
Oz

[starklite]

The Museum is not officially open yet. During the Rhinebeck meet Ted hosted a private showing for AMCA members.
I was lucky enough to view the new Museum building on Thursday along with a few others with a tour by Ted.

The place is amazing! The building is an old 80,000 sq ft lumber store. Out of that room, Ted is using 12,000 sq ft for offices. The rest of the space is all museum.

When you first walk in you are upstairs, and you are amazed at how many bikes are in the collection, including the AMCA bikes and AMCA display. The AMCA has 2-4 times the display space that was offered at the Hershey museum.

After walking around upstairs, Ted asked us if we would like to see the basement. We went downstairs and WOW! These are mostly the Doering's personal collection of bikes that they started collecting in the 40's. Over 300 motorcycles! They even have a tractor trailer from the 50's that hauled around a wall of death, and they will eventually setup the wall as a display with the truck! This place is huge!

The downstairs is far from being finished for museum display, as the bikes were just all in lines, no display cards. If you like police bikes he must have 30 police bikes. The collection consists of restored bikes, unrestored bikes, bikes restored in the 60's & 70's and everything in-between.

Once completed it will be a great museum to visit. I believe he is currently waiting on approval from the city so he can open the upstairs section. He needs to install like 300 parking spaces outside and other rules before they can open to the public.

This is a great deal for the AMCA, and the AMCA Foundation. Hershey was costing thousands of dollars per year. At the new location, the Foundation is being charged around $100/year for rent! That amount won't even pay to turn the lights on for a week let alone heat and a/c!

Official news and pictures can be seen on the foundation website:

http://antiquemotorcyclefoundation.org/newburgh.html

Sincerely,
Gary Stark
Starklite Cycle
951-968-3070

[45OZ]

Thanks Gary didn't hear to much about it, sounds like it might be nice, so I read from this that this is not an amca museum but an Antique Motorcycle Foundation Museum.
Now since it's not AMCA will info be posted on the AMCA site or how does that work?

[starklite]

I think our board needs to explain the differences between the foundation and the Club.

From my understanding: The museum is being run by the foundation, while using bikes on loan from AMCA club members. The foundation does own at least one bike, the Indian Torque Four. And you can donate a bike to the foundation and receive a tax deduction for your donations.


Now here is where it gets tricky -
Differences between the Foundation and the AMCA
The AMCA for years was a 501c corporation so it was tax exempt.
However according to IRS rules it should not have been granted that exemption, and we were caught several years ago. (another story)
That's when the foundation and the AMCA split was created, so we would comply with tax laws.
(short explanation)

Next question what does this mean to AMCA members?

In theory it shouldn't mean anything to AMCA members. It should make the club better. How? Well the sole purpose of the foundation is to promote interest in Antique Motorcycles, and make people aware of their existence by having museum displays and other activities.
As more people become aware of the antique bike scene the foundation should direct them to the club where they can join and experience club activities.
So in theory the foundation and club should be a symbiotic relationship with both supporting the other for the betterment of the sport.

Now maybe a foundation and AMCA board member can clarify, that our understanding of the two is correct?

Gary Stark
Starklite Cycle