Heavy metal in Manchester

Couple of things struck me when I paid a return visit this week to Customising, Culture & Harley-Davidson, the superb exhibition that’s just about to finish at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester after a hugely popular summer run.

First thing is about the bikes. It’s only quite recently that Harleys got so fat and heavy. There have been long Harleys since the early days, and there have been elaborately dressed-up Harleys for just as long, but today’s characteristic bloat is a recent development rather than something fundamental to the DNA. Just check out some of the race bikes in particular and you can see that the essence of Harley is simple and rather elegant.

Some customisers add extra clutter, but others are constantly aiming back towards that essential simplicity. Evidence: this video of Shaw Harley-Davidson building their Captain America bike. www.shawharley-davidson.com/Shaw-Harley-Davidson-Multimedia-Movies.asp?id=103

You just need to go one floor down in the museum to be reminded that the trend in other areas has been towards miniaturisation. There you’ll see cameras, scanners, printers and fax machines from a couple of decades ago that look gargantuan next to today’s multi-functional devices. But in that same period the big Harleys have got bigger.

The second thing that struck me was the possibility of other bike-themed museum exhibitions aimed at families, rather than just committed bikers. What would work best in this context: something that you and I would enjoy, but so would a bunch of kids on their half-term holiday? You can imagine a superb Ducati installation – so many of their bikes are works of art. Maybe moto cross: it’s a very visual, colourful sport. And I’d love to see a bunch of dragsters – bikes and cars – showcased in this way.

Colin Overland