Harley-Davidson's 105th Anniversary Celebration

Tickets for the H-D Museum were sold out during the 105th anniversary, but the exterior grounds, activities, and entertainment were free and open to the public.

Tickets for the H-D Museum were sold out during the 105th anniversary, but the exterior gr

The realization that I was the sole editor on HOT BIKE covering Harley-Davidson's 105th Anniversary Celebration didn't hit me until I was on the plane. Since this was my first time in Milwaukee for an H-D birthday, I was excited and fortunate with the opportunity. Celebrating in true Harley style, with four days of non-stop activities, concerts, and exhibitions, I knew I had to be on top of my game.

In route to Milwaukee on August 28, 2008, I took advantage of the long flight to relax and sleep...urrr...work. Since the 105th anniversary started on the day I was flying and ended on August 31st, I had some catching up to do planning my itinerary. FYI: In pre-celebration style and in one of the most ambitious organized rides in H-D history, thousands of Harley enthusiasts rode to Milwaukee via 105 different official starting points and along 25 major routes across the country August 17-27. The celebration took place the following day, with several exclusive ticketed events, as well as many activities that were free and open to the public.

Once I arrived in Milwaukee and had my rental, I beat it over to Miller Park and joined the Harley Owners Group (HOG) for its 25th Anniversary. With the parking lot packed to the max and the concerts being the only noise you could hear over the thousands of bikes, I knew fun times were in my brink, and of course, working. Musical entertainment at the HOG 25th included Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Sugarland, The Billy Bob Thornton Band, and the brass: Kid Rock. Prior to the concert, Willie G. Davidson and family gave a warm welcome and thanks to the crowd. Besides being packed in like a sardine for the Kid Rock concert, some cool props here were all the large TV screens set up outside the area so people could enjoy the tunes and their own personal space.

Exhausted between traveling and the HOG 25th, I caught a good night's rest at the hotel. I spent most of the next day at the H-D Museum, where I began my tour on the second floor, and immersed myself in the Motorcycle Gallery Part 1, which is a 3-foot-wide, 180-foot-long line of unique bikes that tell the story of H-D's first 50 years. Then I went through the Harley-Davidson Journey, which are five interconnected galleries of the stories and events that took place over the first five decades of Harley's history. Other galleries on the second floor that I perused include the Engine Room, with some features as a display that shows the evolution of the H-D engine from its earliest to latest incarnation; the Clubs and Competition gallery features a 13-foot-tall replica board track and vintage racers; the Poster Wall, with more than 75 model-year posters covering the walls; the Tank Wall, with over 100 tank designs chosen for their beauty and historical relevance.

Finally, I meandered to the first floor of the Museum, which covers H-D's history in the latter half of the 20th century. I went through the Motorcycle Gallery Part 2, which features bikes built from 1940 onward; Part 2 of the Harley-Davidson Journey is another incredible set of galleries that feature some of H-D's more recent history; the Custom Culture gallery is dedicated to the customization movement and the cultural phenomenon that presented itself in motorcycling; the Design Lab exhibit covers the engineering and styling of H-D motorcycles including prototypes; the Experience Gallery features many bikes you can throw a leg over and enjoy a video similar to real-time riding experience.