Last week I found myself in Atlanta with some time to kill before my flight home. For years I'd heard about the motorcycle collection on display at Blue Moon Cycles, so I pointed the rent-a-van north and dived into the infamous Atlanta traffic.

About 30 minutes (and two whole miles) into the journey I began wondering if it was worth it. The congestion around Atlanta is monumental. But the freeway does offer some relief from the maze of obtuse intersections and plethora of streets named Peachtree-something. The traffic on I-85 finally cleared a little and I was able to get up to highway speed. From downtown Atlanta the trip to Norcross only took about 25 minutes.

Blue Moon is known as a BMW dealership and specializes in parts and restoration services for older Beemers. But they also sell Ural, Royal Enfield and MV Agusta. When I arrived the parking lot was an interesting mix of retro rides, a hacked F650GS and one futuristic MV Agusta Brutale. Once inside I realized the really eclectic stuff had only just begun!

The showroom is dominated by a collection of large-scale (make that HUGE scale) model airplanes hanging from the ceiling. The ground floor is new bikes and an area for apparel. Above that is a diverse collection of European motorcycles. This free museum is situated on an upstairs landing that circles the perimeter of the showroom. Dozens of motorcycles along with signs, toys, gadgets and ephemera are on display.

I only had about an hour to spare- which is not enough time to take it all in. Since it's a BMW dealership, I assumed the collection would only be of interest to BMW owners. But in reality it's a great stop for anyone who loves motorcycles. And despite the brutal traffic jams, it was definitely a detour that was well worth the effort!

Scroll down for more info and photos from my visit.

Blue Moon Cycles
Norcross, GA
www.bluemooncycle.com

Post date: 
10/10/2010

 

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