Motorcycle show back and roaring
Part of Bruce Shepard’s job as a museum curator is to arrange exhibits that reflect the community in which he lives. And early on in his role at the Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre he noticed a tremendous number of motorcycles on the city’s streets — even in January.
“When I first arrived in Medicine Hat, it was January 2011,” Shepard said. “While I was walking to work I heard a motorcycle coming along and then pass me. Nothing curious about that, but it was winter.
“Then, I was getting a haircut and I noticed a photo of the stylist and her husband with matching Harleys and that got me wondering about the popularity of motorcycles in Medicine Hat.
“As the curator, it’s my job to hold up a mirror to reflect the community, and say, ‘ This is who we are,’ ” Shepard said.
At this point, the gears started turning. Shepard felt the museum should host a motorcycle show, and he was introduced to local Harley- Davidson retailer Ivan Karsten. He discussed his idea for a display with Karsten, and that’s when Shepard tapped into a local network of motorcycle aficionados and collectors.
“There was a core group of riders in Medicine Hat who had been riding since they were kids, and they’re now in their 50s,” Shepard said. “Among themselves, they’d been talking about putting on a motorcycle exhibit but hadn’t started putting it together. That’s what I stepped into, and I basically said, ‘ OK, your machines, the community’s garage.’ ”
This core group became a steering committee, and more than 90 motorcycles were offered to the museum.
Local designer and Ducati rider Rene Waters helped prepare the gallery with art and display material.
The first exhibit, called Motorcycles! Riders and Collectors of Medicine Hat, ran from Aug. 20 to Oct. 13, 2012.
The response, according to Shepard, was phenomenal. During the three months the display was up, more than 7,000 people toured the museum and the show.
“From the time it closed,” he said, “people were asking when we were going to do the next one.”
The answer to that question, quite simply, is now. On Monday, June 29 the doors will open for a new exhibit, called Motorcycles II: Speed, Style and Art.
“We’re responding to a number of comments raised during the first exhibit,” Shepard said. “The two we heard the most were: Are all these bikes from Medicine Hat, and, what’s the fascination about riding and speed?”
Shepard is not a motorcyclist, but he said he recognizes an important story in his adopted community. The new display will include machines ranging from a 1936 Harley- Davidson to a 1956 Panther to a modern- day land- speed racing jet- powered motorcycle.
There are fewer machines in this latest show, but Shepard said the goal this time around is to explain the owner’s passion for the motorcycle.
To do this, the motorcycles will be displayed against a background that represents someone’s garage — complete with various parts and pieces, tools, and riding gear.
“We’re going to have a number of engines on display, too, to help explain the mechanics behind speed and show more of the internal components of motorcycles,” Shepard said.
During the 2012 exhibit, enthusiasts arrived from Calgary, Lethbridge and other southern Alberta towns. Shepard is hoping the 2015 edition will draw people from even farther away. Plus, the new show will run longer than the previous one, from June 29 to Oct. 10.
“If we run it through the summer and fall, we’re shamelessly attempting to bring more riders and others who might be interested from all over the country,” he said.
Shepard shared an unattributable quote that often circulates in the motorcycle community: Four wheels move the body, but two wheels move the soul.
He said, “We just wanted to find out why Medicine Hat has so much motorcycle soul. I’m not able to prove it, but I believe this community has the highest number of motorcyclists per capita.”