Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum: Visitor's Guide

The Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum is an essential visiting spot for bike lovers and those who like rare machines. Solvang is a small Danish town in California, US, also known as the Danish Capital of America. In the heart of this Danish town lies the rarest motorcycle museum. This vintage museum features the most peculiar and breathtaking bike collection in the United States.

The Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum is a temple of art and craftsmanship of two-wheel engineering. It is a place where one can witness the rare and old machines that narrate the history of over 100-year-old bikes. Whether you are a die-hard biker, a race bike enthusiast, or just a person who enjoys the road of a well-tuned engine, this museum is a great experience of its kind.

Continue reading this article to learn in detail about the Solvang Vintage Motorbike Museum. This article serves as a visitor’s guide for those planning to visit the museum.

The Solvang museum was established in March 2000 by a man named Virgil Elings, who is a bike expert. He is also a scientist with a PhD in Physics in 1966 from MIT. He then taught at the University of California at Santa Barbara for 20 years and co-founded a high-tech company.

In the present day, the museum is located in a former Brooks Brothers store at 320 Alisal Road, Solvang, CA 93463, in the very center of the Danish-themed streets of the town. The environment at the museum isn’t cold and formal. It is rather as if you have entered the garage of a friend and all the bikes have something to say that is worth listening to.

The entire atmosphere of the place gives you the feel of comfort, where there are no ropes or walls preventing you from being close to the bikes. You are able to look at each detail, each curve, and each piece of art and design that went into these machines.

The uniqueness of this place is that Dr. Elings was ready to relinquish his personal bike collection to people. When it first opened, the museum had only 45 bikes, but it has since increased to more than 100 interesting and rare machines.

The collection is an extensive one of 1910 FN bikes to present-day race bikes. However, the collection specializes in European race machines. Here, the museum really excels. You will find names of pioneer brands, such as the:

• AJS.

• BMW.

• Ducati.

• Gilera.

• Matchless.

• Moto Guzzi.

• MV.

• Norton.

• Triumph.

• Velocette.

• Vincent.

These are the top iconic brands, along with some other legendary brands in the history of motorcycles, found at the Solvang Museum.

The 1995 Britten V1000 is the crown jewel at the museum, which is one of the ten in total that were built by a small group of New Zealanders. The bike builders had a dream of creating the ideal machine. This is the final Britten ever produced. At the beginning of the 1990s, these bikes were capable of 150 mph wheel lifts. All bodywork, including wheels, was made out of carbon fiber by hand. The history of this bike is both beautiful and sad.

One of its creators, John Britten, died in 1995 at the early age of 45. This bike was not used for racing. It remained in its crates until 2004, when it was brought to the museum.

The other one that cannot be missed is the 1949 Vincent Black Lightning. It was a speed demon with a world record in its name. The museum itself has three of these rare machines. It is almost impossible to believe that you can find all three of them in one place. When you look at these bikes, you are not merely looking at rubber and metal; you are looking at pure speed and ambition made real.

Early race bike craft is exhibited in the 1929 AJS R10 that has a 500cc overhead cam engine and a hand shift.

The 1949 250cc Moto Parilla is a reflection of post-war Italian motorcycle manufacturing, which aimed to keep pace with the British Norton in style as well as speed.

You will also find a supercharged NSU and bikes, such as the Douglas, the Velocette Roarer, and even a Last Norton. It is the very last Norton to pass the line, a rotary-powered model that shows how the brand was trying to transform before its final shutdown.

The museum is closed from Monday to Friday. It is open on Saturdays and Sundays between 10 AM and 4 PM. If you plan to visit Solvang, this museum must be one of the top spots on your list. You will regret your decision to stay in Solvang town without visiting the museum afterwards.

Want to visit the Solvang museum on a weekday? No problem! You can visit the museum by appointment between 11 AM and 3 PM on Monday to Friday. All you need to do is call ahead to +1 805-686-9522 and notify them of your arrival. Weekday bookings are good for group tours or for those who want a relaxing, less-saturated tour of the Solvang Museum.

The ticket to enter the Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum only costs $10 in cash. Remember: No cards are accepted. Also, children aged 10 years and below do not require a ticket. You can take them for free. However, they must be accompanied by the guardians.

You can have a quality time at the museum with your family without having to empty your pockets. The cost is quite a bargain, considering the quality of the atmosphere and the huge collection of vintage bikes with deep histories. According to many visitors of the museum, it is a small fee to pay to have such a rare glimpse at the world of classic machines.

There is a thing the museum does every 30 days to keep the display fresh. The staff changes the display and positions of iconic bikes every month. This rearrangement makes the museum’s layout and setup interesting every time you visit. It also provides fans with a strong incentive to return regularly. You can always find something new at the Solvang museum, whether you are a local or visiting the town.

Solvang is approximately 3 hours away from LA and around 45 minutes away from Santa Barbara. Therefore, most guests opt to spend a night or two. There are a lot of places where you can stay in the town.

There are a number of hotels that can be easily accessed from the museum.

• The King Frederik Inn is a luxury hotel that is located directly in the center of the town and has an outdoor pool and hot tub.

• The Corque Hotel is more posh.

• Hotel Ynez is another popular option that includes a pool and modern rooms.

• If you are in the mood for something less fancy, consider the following options:

  • Wine Valley Inn & Cottages.

  • The Royal Copenhagen Inn.

  • The New Haven Inn.

If you wish to do something special, the Alisal Guest Ranch is a full ranch experience that includes horses and trails. It is ideal in case you want to combine your love of the bike and the Old West charm. 

Whether stores, food joints, or the main downtown center, most of them are within walking distance. You will not feel that you are very far away, even if you are slightly outside the town.

If you are already in Solvang, what else can you do other than just visit the Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum? Well, there are many places in the town that you’ll love to visit. The town offers a true Danish experience.

Start with the bakeries. Such as the:

• Danish Mill Bakery.

• Birkholm Bakery.

• Olsen Danish Village Bakery.

These all offer fresh pastry and treats.

• Have a taste of Aebleskiver, a puffy pastry of Denmark, and it is a great match with coffee.

• Have lunch at the Bit O’ Denmark, an old favorite of more than 50 years that offers actual Danish cuisine, such as herring and meatballs.

• You should also visit the Hans Christian Andersen Museum, the sole museum in the USA, which pays tribute to the renowned Danish author.

• Ride the Solvang Trolley (also known as Honen or Little Hen in Danish), a horse-drawn streetcar, which gives you a 25-minute tour of the downtown.

• Elverhoj Museum of History and Art highlights the history of Solvang by displaying photographs, artifacts, and art exhibits.

• Stroll along the avenues with half-timbered buildings/houses and beautiful windmills.

• Visit the Round Tower, a one-third-scale replica of the well-known Observer Tower in Copenhagen.

These are some Danish touches that make you feel like you have entered a European town in this very California.

Solvang is located in the center of Santa Barbara wine country. There are over a dozen wine tasting rooms within the town. In case you are a wine lover, you can spend a day doing wine-tasting and visiting the wineries in the surrounding Santa Ynez Valley.

If you happen to visit Solvang in the month of September, there is a grand festival celebrated in Solvang, called Danish Days. It includes food, music, dancing, and the reenacting of Vikings. Julefest in December has a holiday vibe and offers candle-lit tours and a massive parade.

The Solvang vintage bike museum is distinguished by an authentic and friendly atmosphere, which makes it stand out from the rest. In this museum, you can see the vintage bike from up close and examine the minute details. There is no separation between you and the bikes. Whether you wish to see the:

• 1920s engine.

• How was it assembled?

• The beauty of pre-war Italian race bikes.

• The crude strength put into a 1950s speed bike.

You can learn about all such details of these vintage bikes with ease.

Visitors of the Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum complement the experience. Most museums do not allow visitors to go up close to the treasures and items. Most of them have cages or boundaries around everything, so you cannot go up close and touch them.

Whereas, in the Solvang vintage bike museum, the friendly vibe allows you to check the bikes up close. The employees at the museum are also knowledgeable about each bike.

Always call the museum at +1 805-686-9522 before you go, especially during a weekday. The museum is open only on Saturdays and Sundays during the hours: 10 AM to 4 PM. However, you can still request them through a call if you have plans to visit the museum during the weekdays.

Remember to carry cash for the ticket. They do not accept credit or debit cards.

It is always better to wear comfortable shoes while visiting a museum, as you will have to walk for a long time. 

When you are going on the weekend, you want to get there early in the day. The museum closes at 4 PM. Mornings are not as busy, and you have more time to take in every detail without any rush.

Now that you are in Solvang, you need to have at least half a day to explore the town, visit a bakery, and enjoy the Danish vibe. Make sure to enjoy the whole day.

The Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum is a renowned gem in the heart of Solvang, California, also known as the Danish Capital of America. This museum glorifies the art, beauty, and sheer delight of two-wheel machines. You will find something to love, whether you are a professional biker and know all the bike brands around since the 1920s.

The fact that Dr. Elings decided to share his passion with the world is a blessing to both motorcycling fans and vintage bike history enthusiasts. It costs only $10 per person to visit the museum, and it has no queues or hassles.

Every bike on the museum’s floor has its history, whether it is the legendary Britten V1000, the rare Vincent Black, or the classic Nortons. Visit the museum and get to see these bikes yourself.