Haas Moto Museum Date: An Unexpected Pleasure

This little museum is tucked into the Design District of Dallas, an unexpected but rather apt location for this gem, the building houses a jaw dropping range of motorcycles from an 1899 Peugeot Tricycle to a 2019 Brough Superior. (There are over 70 rare vintage cycles to appreciate as well as a robust and modern collection.)

Also among the two wheeled collection are motorcycles from the race track, an avant-guard avenue, sculptures and artwork, and custom built cycles on display. (Above: Adam examining one of the mini art cycles made from found ingredients. Titled “Lo Rida” 2001 by Michael Ulman.) Click or tap here to see more from Michael Ulman, who—as a side note—is also the creator of the "Mad Max" guitar.

Above: This cycle stopped us in our tracks, as it was radically different from all else. The title is “Galaxy" by Mitsuhiro (Kiyo) Kiyonaga 2508cc, 2020 USA, and the plaque reads, “Beset by a host of logistical and engineering challenges throughout the pandemic of 2020, master craftsman Mitsuhiro “Kiyo” Kiyonaga struggled to fashion this three-engine, 12-cylinder racer with an overboard displacement of over 2500cc. What emerged from that ordeal was this landmark creation, capping the immediately famous Kiyo trilogy of Honda CB750 racers, fulfilling his lifetime dream of progressing from one engine all the way to three in a series of stunning land speed racers.”

We learned from the very eager-to-share staff, that due to the pandemic the “Galaxy" has yet to be tested on the Bonneville Salt flats where it will practically FLY due to three engines! The other two bikes mentioned are displayed next to the “Galaxy". And it’s an incredible set. Click or tap here to read more about Kiyo Kiyonaga. If your interest is peaked, peruse the site linked. It features other creators and also highlights other bikes on display at the Haas museum.

Does this next one look familiar? “Tron” rings a bell loudly doesn’t it? It’s titled “Neutron” by Parker Brothers Concepts, 2017. The description reads, “This customized electric-powered Neutron features a mesmerizing pair of hubless wheels supporting its futuristic profile; this (illegible) dispenses with the niceties of the “street legal” requirements to offer a raw, unvarnished (but fully operable) glimpse into the future."

By the time we reached this section, we were the only visitors in the building. At which point the tall guard broke his statuesque state, became friendly and enthusiastically shared that the Parker brothers are one of the go-to talent for movie and television projects that require a unique look...like the upgraded Bat-mobile. You can find more information on the Parker brothers and see other projects here.

According to the guard, “The Killer” as seen above by Craig Rodsmith 2019, is the Best in Show due to its almost impossible engineering. The plaque reads, “Inspired by a few grainy photographs of a concoction from the 1930s by a group of German engineers, Bobby Haas cajoled Craig Rodsmith into taking on a challenge that seemed sheer folly at the time—build from scratch an Art Deco masterpiece of design and engineering with a three-cylinder engine somehow embedded in the front wheel...and manage to accomplish this without any CNC machinery over a 70-year-old manual lathe and mill...and then wrap this engineering marvel in the exquisite hand-crafted aluminum bodywork that only Rodsmith can fashion. And the Aussie master craftsman responded by producing a motorcycle for the ages.” Need I write more? Just the link to his site you ask? Here it is.

The information for the grunge spirited “RK Fighter” 2011 by RK Concepts reads, “Armed with a Buell 1200cc engine and surrounded by “hullet-holed” metal, the RK Fighter appears to be designed more for the rugged challenges of war than for the flowing ribbon of street gliding.” (Whoever wrote these descriptions earned his wage. Don’t you just love the end of that last line?)

As we meandered our way through the collection, I became increasingly shocked in the vast differences each motorcycle had in comparison to another...this kind of design pulls from an endless source of inspiration and gives back in kind!Above: The “Salt Shaker” by Hazan-Haas Racing 1650cc 2019 did so well, according to a museum employee, that Bobby Haaz decided to put it on display directly after, and it’s now at rest. I take that to mean it won’t be raced again.

“Conceived by Max Hazan and Bobby Haaz, this “from scratch” speed merchant, built and piloted by Hazan around a Motus 4 pushrod engine, challenged the Bonneville Salt Flats in September 2019 and sprinted away with a new world record, topping 207 mph. In the process, the Salt Shaker added a fresh chapter to the legendary saga of Max Hazan, nonpareil custom builder.” To see the style of Max Hazan, tap or click here.

For the Brough Superior, I'll go back in time a bit. This is a 1938 Brough Superior SS80 De Luxe 982cc twin. “The Brough Superior still reigns supreme as the Rolls-Royce of its genre, for its meticulous design, advanced engineering, and raw speed; in its day, the SS80 was often attached to sidecars.”

Let’s talk about Lawrence of Arabia for a hot minute:

"The specter of British war hero T.E. Lawrence, immortalized as Lawrence of Arabia, casts an otherwordly glow over his Brough Superior SS80. Lawrence met his death in 1935 while aboard his seventh Brough, swerving to avoid two boys on bicycles ... a near mythic figure to the end.”

Painting above by Makoto Endo whose collective work you can see here.

This gorgeous steampunk inspired BMW is named the “Gute Geist” by Dirk Oehlerking 2020. “Conceived as the patriarch of the Phantom family of custom creations by master craftsman Dirk Oehlerking. “Gute Geist” (the “Good Ghost”), like the White Phantom and Black Phantom before it, is powered by a BMW boxer style engine, in this case an R100RS Type 247, Vintage 1980. Gute Geist features elongated, hand-formed bodywork that is the stunning hallmark of the Phantom series, leaving no doubt that its lineage traces its roots to the same workshop in Gelsenkirchen Germany that fashioned the White Phantom in 2016 and the Black Phantom in 2018.”

And yes, to your pleasure, you will see the other two phantoms when you visit the museum. The family is quite lovely when viewed next to one another. Oh, you need to know more? Click here to go to Kingston Customs.

Lastly, I thought this huge beastie above needed to be added to my photo collection from our museum pleasure walk. There’s NO WAY a person of my size could EVER handle this mammoth. It’s titled “The Rocket” by Bobby Haas & Strokers Dallas 2016. “Unmistakable fingerprints of Art Deco design infuse all 125 inches along the arched frame of this 258cc juggernaut, from its trio of bespoke grillwork to its 1938 Cheverolet headlamp.” More of Strokers Dallas work here.

This museum puts a feather in my cap for an excellent date plan! I’ve never been particularly interested in motorcycle design and now I’ve completed a 180. Adam enjoyed it quite a bit too.

To my disappointment, as I studied the brochure in preparation for this post, I discovered The Dragon Gallery which is an extension of the Haas Moto Museum! I KNEW this building too small to house the growing collection. It's so tightly packed into the location, there’s really no way to get a clear photo of many of the vintage bikes (thus the reason you don’t see any posted here. But they are just as fascinating and interesting to read about.)

But, who is Bobby Haas? And why motorcycles? View this short video.

To paraphrase the brochure, he invested in the buyout world of the 80’s, playing a central role in the acquisitions of Dr. Pepper company, the Seven-Up Company, and Sybron International. Following his success he went on to become one of the “most celebrated aerial photographers” and the creator of two of the most widely distributed works for National Geographic. 

He kickstarted his first motorcycle at the age of 64, and a few years later began assembling a motorcycle collection to be exhibited in a museum (he does not ride the bikes). The Haas collection exceeds 230 cycles and continues to grow.

And because I KNOW you want to visit the museum now, here’s a link to Haas Moto Museum. I can’t believe we actually have something like this in Dallas! Why haven’t we heard of it before? Well...it’s relatively new! So go on! 

$10 adults | $7 seniors | $5 students | Free for military, 1st responders, vets | NO children under 12