The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the country’s premier showcase of motorcycling heritage and history, will spotlight over a hundred of the world’s most recognizable enthusiasts in its new exhibit, “MotoStars: Celebrities + Motorcycles.”

Scheduled to open next month, the 8,000-square-foot exhibit at the Pickerington, OH museum will feature many priceless machines, exclusive memorabilia and tales from celebrities’ favorite two-wheel adventures.

A dedication ceremony for “MotoStars: Celebrities + Motorcycles” will be held June 28, 2008, on the grounds of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. The dedication ceremony will gather featured MotoStars, Motorcycle Hall of Famers, industry leaders and enthusiasts for a momentous ribbon-cutting.

Notable celebrities offering personal motorcycles and memorabilia to the exhibit are:

• Auto racing legend and Alligator motorcycle inventor and manufacturer, Dan Gurney
• General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz
• “King of the Kustomizers” George Barris
• and rock legend, “Rush” drummer and lyricist, Neil Peart.

Famous movie bikes include the 2004 MV Agusta F4-SPR ridden by Will Smith in “I, Robot”. Exotic custom motorcycles designed and built by Austin Weiss for entertainers such as will.i.am, frontman for hip-hop group “The Black Eyed Peas”, and Carlos Mencia, critically acclaimed comic and star of Comedy Central’s “Mind of Mencia”, will also be featured.     

Killin Time by Austin Weiss for will.i.am 

“The Museum extends its thanks to those who have already agreed to play a role in this significant exhibit,” says Mark Mederski, Executive Director of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. “To make ‘MotoStars’ as diverse and comprehensive as possible, the Museum welcomes further support and assistance from industry colleagues, collectors and celebrities in gathering pedigreed machines and memorabilia.”

Throughout history, motorcycles have played a starring role in the public and private lives of a significant number of celebrities and personalities. Whether they are adventure tourers, collectors, builders or ambassadors of the sport, each MotoStar has a unique story to tell about what fueled their interest and love for riding. Museum visitors will find these private glimpses into the community of motorcycling especially compelling.

“Motorcycling, whether an occasional hobby or lifelong obsession, has always connected individuals from very different walks of life,” says Mederski. “Whether you work in a factory, the corporate suite, or on a Hollywood set, you’ll always have a shared bond and make new friends if you spend time on two wheels. For that reason alone, we expect this to be our most popular exhibit ever.”

“MotoStars: Celebrities + Motorcycles” is the latest in a series of award-winning exhibits at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. The current “Motocross America” chronicles the history of the country’s original action sport and has drawn record crowds. Past exhibits, including “Heroes of Harley-Davidson” and “A Century of Indian” have brought motorcycling to life and introduced the industry’s history to a new generation of riders.

For an online tour of current Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum exhibits and a schedule of upcoming events and special activities, please visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org.

Play a Starring Role: How to Contribute

Manufacturers, builders, collectors or individuals interested in lending appropriate bikes or ephemera in support of “MotoStars: Celebrities + Motorcycles” are invited to contact exhibit curator David Morris. Says Morris, “The Guggenheim Museum’s ‘Art of the Motorcycle’ exhibition was the first-ever motorcycle exhibit to reach beyond the core enthusiast and embrace the general public -- and it proved to be one of the most successful museum exhibits ever.

True to the Museum’s mission to fully explore the stories and history of motorcycling, ‘MotoStars’ will go even further. The exhibit not only presents celebrity machines, it provides a rare glimpse into the passion that has brought famous persons and motorcycling together.”

As in all Motorcycle Hall of Fame exhibits, rare images, footage, memorabilia and ephemera will play a major role in illustrating stellar individuals and their love for two wheels.

Following the exhibit’s installation at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, a national tour of “MotoStars: Celebrities + Motorcycles” is planned.

For more details, contact David Morris at damorris@motorcyclemuseum.org or (386) 852-9898.

About the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum

The goal of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is to tell the stories and preserve the history of motorcycling. Located on the campus of the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, Ohio, the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum honors those who have contributed notably to the sport, and three major exhibition halls showcase the machines and memorabilia that have shaped motorcycling. The Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and is closed on New Year’s, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Adult admission is $10 per person; students 12-17, $3. AMA members, $5. Seniors receive a $2 discount and members of motorcycle clubs and organizations are eligible for a $1 discount per ticket. A $25 family rate and group rates are also available. For more information, call (614) 856-2222, or visit the Museum’s website at www.motorcyclemuseum.org.