Newburgh, NY - if you'd assumed that Orange County Choppers hailed from Orange County, CA (as I did), it might surprise you to learn they were actually founded in Orange County, NY, and formerly headquartered in Newburgh. So there's a pleasing logic to Motorcyclepedia setting up shop in this city, which turned out to have a surprising motorcycle pedigree associated with its industrial-era manufacturing past. The core of the collection is American iron: Harley-Davidson, custom choppers (including works by Arlen Ness and a tribute to Indian Larry), rarities like the short lived Excelsior-Henderson, and antique pioneer motorcycles, as well as police & military bikes (including one that was part of the motorcade when JFK was assassinated), and more that are part of specialty and thematic exhibits. A smattering of British, Japanese, and European brands are represented as well. The crown jewel is the massive gallery dedicated to Indian motorcycles - I believe one of the largest Indian collections in the world - displaying every model made (originals and replicas) between 1901-1953 during active production. Even if you're not a moto enthusiast, this museum is super cool and interesting, and is very family/kids-friendly! (Free admission for ages 16 and under.) There's an awesome exhibit of iconic motorcycles from Hollywood TV & movie classics such as The Terminator, Ghost Rider, Easy Rider, Tron, Batman, Happy Days, etc. And as a fan of 60s-70s B movies, I also dug the groovy retro music & movie memorabilia spread out across the museum. Kids are more than welcome. My preschooler (who's more of a car guy) loves the play corner with toys, rides, coloring, and cartoons, or just wandering around the sprawling complex looking at stuff, which is an adventure in itself (and exercise for me!). There are many unique vehicles, not just old bikes and whatnot, though yes, plenty of those too. Founded by Gerald "Jerry" Doering and joined by his son Ted, the father-son duo opened Motorcyclepedia in 2011 (incidentally right after the conclusion of the American Chopper series which propelled OCC to fame) in this massive 85,000 sqft space, starting with their own collection and growing it to the 750+ bikes on display today over two warehouse-sized levels. Wear walking shoes! I was surprised by how much bigger the space kept revealing itself to be. Motorcyclepedia is an absolute treasure, and a must-do attraction in the Hudson Valley IMO. Whether you're a casual visitor or a die-hard motorhead and history buff, there's a lot to explore and be entertained by, with plenty of photo ops and props. We've shared this experience with many out-of-town visitors and everyone has loved it. read more

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This is quite a place to visit and admire the history of motorcycles. With over 700 motorcycles, you can see Indian, Harley, and other motorcycles from their beginnings. The staff is amazing, and super helpful. Yesterday, our motorcycle group met up to visit the museum, and we met amazing Marilyn, now 81, who used to ride motorcycles in one of those metal cages when she was younger. It is always a fun adventure, but I do wish the simulation machine was in operation more often. Definitely worth a visit to this museum. read more

Motorcyclepedia - Group visit - Museums Near Me - Newburgh, New York

I've heard about this place, and really wanted to see it. I drove an hour down from Kingston just so I could check the place out, and I was not disappointed. The only thing I wish they had, was longer hours. Their hours are very limited during the week, and they are open pretty much all day on the weekends. It's an impressive place. They had over 500 bikes, including one room with nothing but Indians. They also had a section on police motorcycles, movie, and TV bikes, custom bikes, and on and on. Seeing and learning about all of the different bikes was a lot of fun. They even have a play area for the kids, while the grown-ups are out looking at the bikes. A fantastic museum. Thanks. read more

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A great collection of motorcycles, from the earliest to the latest. They also include unique custom bike and famous bike used in movies snd by celebrities. Don't judge tis place by the location or the outside. Inside has bikes and their stories very well displayed. The 3 generations of my family really enjoyed this experience. read more

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My husband owns an Indian .otorcycle, so I thought it would be fun to come and see the history of Indian motorcycles they ha e on display. But WOW!! the vast array of motorcycles was amazing. I'm no enthusiast, but even I couldn't believe the technology, the creativity, the innovation and the evolution of this vehicle. Items as early as 1800 to present. Unbelievable. Very cool place. read more

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The amount of different makes and models there is just mesmerizing. For anyone thinking about going to this museum, they should. It is a true museum. If you're in the area and you are into motorcycles it is a must do. I felt moved by the area they have set up for Indian Larry. It's a true memorial to him and the artist that he was. Prepare to be there for hours because there is so much to see. Remembering one of the bikes they have there from the movie Terminator, i'll be back! read more

Motorcyclepedia - Just one of the bikes you'll see - Museums Near Me - Newburgh, New York

I enjoyed my visit here. The museum has large collections of motorcycles , all kinds , all brands more than I could think of. Presentations are nicely done especially the Indian motorcycles . I learned a lot from it's timeline exhibition. I had a surprisingly enjoyable stay. Of course my husband is all smile during and after the visit. We came in on the first hour of opening ( 10 ish) and ending the visit by noon. A recommended place to visit when in the area. read more

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Hours are somewhat brief but this is a great and inexpensive way to kill some time with the kiddos. Lots of super interesting stuff that will please diehards as well as casual motorcycle fans, from police and military to movies and historical pieces. Check out Thursday nights for $5 adult tickets and free kids admissions. read more

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Had a booth at the Vtwin expo.its a hidden gem in Newburgh! It's good for all ages. You don't have to be a rider to appreciate the motorcycles. It was cool to see the different bikes through the ages and the different uses of bikes. The owner is very nice and helpful. They update the museum frequently. I would definitely recommend going more than once. read more

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Amazing museum exhibition of over 600 motorcycles which can be appreciated by both kids and adults. Nearby area has many quality restaurants. read more

Motorcyclepedia - Museums Near Me - Newburgh, New York

Had a great time here! We got here with 45 minutes until closing, so they gave us two vouchers good for a year. The museum is opened only on weekends -- Friday, Saturday, Sunday -- until 5pm. Motorcyclepedia is owned by a family who sells aftermarket auto parts. They've invested a good deal of money into getting great looking bikes. We saw a large selection of Indian motorcycles all the way back from 1902. They are in chronological order, which makes it easy to see the brand's progression. We also saw some movie set motorcycles-- The Great Escape, Alien, and Terminator to name a few. I believe the museum has a wall of death show too, but I'd call ahead to make sure it's on. Some very cool classic and chopper style bikes. Be sure to check out the miniature bikes too -- some of them are as small as a hand! (See pic) read more

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UNBELIEVABLE!! You have to see it to believe it. Beautiful collection of motorcycles from every era. Highly recommend read more

Motorcyclepedia - Museums Near Me - Newburgh, New York

I did NOT expect this museum to be that cool. We went on the $5 Thursday, and holy smokes it was so cool! They have motorcycles from before Motorcycles we're around... like steam powered ones! You can sit on some, and drool at others. Famous movie prop bikes and it was just so cool. We also got to take a free patch home :) Basically, worth the full price, but it's pretty great to get in for just $5 too! read more

What an awesome place! They have an impressive collection and so much history here. I would recommend it to all ages, even if you don't ride, I think you'll find it interesting! Great photo-ops on some of the bikes too! read more

Awesome place awesome staff. They have bikes from almost every year from every make and model. You will not be let down if your looking for a place with cool bikes to check out read more

This is an incredible museum that contains possibly the largest collection of rare and antique motorcycles in the world! Room after room of amazing bikes set up in creative installations makes this place a must see for a bike enthusiast. Highly recommend this museum! read more

Took a ride out to Motorcyclepedia yesterday. What a fantastic place. They have a collection of over 300 motorcycles displayed on two floors. The coolest thing was a representative from Indian Motocycle from every year from 1901 to 1947. You can almost see the thought process happening. What a brave bunch of souls to ride those early contraptions. There are also tons of Harleys, customs and collections from very early motorcycle pioneers like Pope and Thor and Excelsior-Henderson. We spent about two hours walking around checking it out. Could have stayed longer but the ride home was calling. The staff was friendly and unobtrusive. The place was clean. I strongly recommend a visit to my fellow motorcycle Yelpers!!! read more

Motorcyclepedia - Crazy customs at Motorcyclepedia. - Museums Near Me - Newburgh, New York

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This place is beyond amazing no matter what brand make or model Motorcycle , they have it all . The history is so informative. Definitely will be back again. read more

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Amazing museum. Who could rate this place less than 5 stars? It has so much heritage and amazing motorcycles to oogle at and learn about. Its amazing that this place is not more of a tourist spot than it already is. I love it here and would come back just to look again. read more

Motorcyclepedia - Museums Near Me - Newburgh, New York

I came across the Motorcyclepedia Museum from several of the motorcycling magazines that I subscribe to and through a great podcast, Hog Radio. Having a free Friday and wanted to do something with my son and our friend we hopped in the car for a short ride from Bergen County to Newburgh, NY. From the outside the museum is nothing special and almost looks disappointing with the exception of the Wall of Death in the parking lot along with several beautiful Harley Davidson motorcycles belonging to other visitors. But as the saying goes, "don't judge a book by its cover". As soon as you enter the museum you are overwhelmed by the sheer number and beauty of the motorcycles visible near the entrance. A $10.00 fee is well worth it. The three of us spent close to 3.5 hours looking over myriad of motorcycles dating from 1900 through today. The main floor has hill climbers, ice racers, board track racers, customs, choppers, and some unusual pacers from the bicycle racing era. In addition, there is the largest, most complete collection of Indian motorcycle in the world. Dating from 1902 to 1953 with many unique Indian motorcycles and a few 1990's Indians as well. Proceeding to the basement we were astounded by a massive collection of Harley Davidson motorcycles, police and military cycles as well as every type of the 20th century motorcycle you can think of. Some are fully restored, other are as is. Each is beautiful in their own right. The volunteer staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and courteous. The museum is only open Fridays through Sunday. My son, our friend and I have been to the annual motorcycle shows in Manhattan and we have been to HD's Vehicle Operations in York, PA and certainly enjoyed them. Nevertheless, we enjoyed this visit even more. One other recommendation. Stop by Billy Joe's Ribworks, at the end of Broadway, near the Hudson River. Great food at a good price. read more

I would have given this place 5 stars but on Saturday 8/3/2014 at 4pm the ugly witch behind the entrance counter was nasty. the Motorcyclepedia Museum was great in every other way. read more

This was probably one of the best museums I've ever been to. Even people who are not motorcycle fans will enjoy it. Such an amazing place with tons of different motorcycles from all over the world. The collection is owned by 1 person, this guy has so many biked that they dont fit in this humongous place. You can take pictures on several motorcycles. There are a bunch of bikes that were featured in famous movies. Totally worth the trip! read more

What a great surprise. I heard so people talking about this place so we stopped in to check it out. The neighborhood you go thru to get there seems a little questionable but no worries. Quite an impressive collection. If you're a bike enthusiast and you're in the area don't miss it. read more

This place is incredible. The amount of historic motorcycles is overwhelming. It would take many hours to see and read about all the motorcycles. There's lot of other memorabilia there as well. Its $11 bucks to get in and there is a large parking lot to park your bike . read more

If you're interested in motorcycles, history or anything inbetween, you MUST visit this museum. My hubby likes motorcycles, although he doesn't own one. Went for his birthday. Only open Fri, Sat, Sunday. We were there 2+ hours and I only saw HALF of the museum. They have an incredible collection of motorcycles, going back to the early 1900s. They also had a motorized wheelchair for me, since I can't walk around for too long. Friendly staff, ready to answer any question. Easy access, plentiful parking. So many great information cards to read, not boring at all! WHAT AN AMAZING PLACE! I can't wait to go back. read more

Wonderful family day at this newly discovered motorcycle museum. Excellent collection of well-maintained bikes and other vehicles and memorabilia. Very friendly staff, as well, and we loved that our 8 and 10 year old daughters were both entertained and educated by the exhibits and that they had a good number of "climb on board" opportunities for them to get hands on with some of the coolest bikes! Thanks for a great Father's Day weekend visit! read more

Great place to spend a few hours with your friends, whether you like motorcycles or not. I can't believe it's in Newburgh. The brochure says they have over 300 motorcycles, and I believe it. I was dizzy from looking at so many bikes. The museum features a room full of Indian Motorcycles from 1902 to 1953, and a some of the quirky models, rarely seen, scooters and military models. There is charge of $11 for adults. read more

One man owns all of the motorcycles at the museum. ALL of them. That's A LOT of motorcycles. My husband enjoyed looking at the motorcycles. I don't know a thing about them but enjoyed reading the history behind some of them. I read more

What a hidden gem. I had no idea this place existed. The place is well laid out and clean and organized. An amazing collection and the staff was super friendly and helpful and extremely knowledgeable. read more

I found this place by accident on the internet.I'm glad I did.If you are in to bikes this is a MUST SEE ! Every year Indian.Harleys to Hondas.A working WALL of DEATH.This place is worth the trip from anywhere!! Very handicapped friendly.I have my own scooter but I think they have two available .The staff goes out of their way to help.Plan to spend the day there.We only had a couple hours and it wasn't near enough time.I am already planning to go back.This time it will be an all day trip! read more

This is quite impressive a place even if you are not into motorcycles as is the case with me. You can spend hours looking at all the items on display. They've done a good job here. read more

Even if you are not a motorcycle rider or don't own a bike worth to go to see this place.We spent more than 2 hours there.It's fun and very interesting.I wish they would do more advertising,so more people could see all these amazing and unique bikes.Tickets cost $10 but they only open 3 days a week Friday-Sunday.When you are there make sure to visit Orange County Choppers ,it's 5 minutes away from this place by car. read more

took my MSF class here and it was fantastic great teacher and plenty of classic Indians to see