Donelson Cycle Motorcycle Museum.

If you are in town for the Supercross, or just need some motorcycle parts (unfortunately not a Kawasaki dealer to my knowledge) , you should plan your trip to include Donelson Cycles Located at 9851 St. Charles Rock Rd.
Saint Ann, MO 63074. I do hope this post is not violating any terms of service on KzR, I have been working the building this week and got a close look at all of the bikes and parts Carl has rat-holed all over this HUGE building. I replaced the service panel in his office area in 2006, and now the other panels get replaced. (14 years later.. repeat customer.. glad I have the same phone number for 20 years).
I know these people personally, and find them (Especially Carl) friendly, knowledgeable and motorcycle savvy to the max. They have been a dealer since 1962. Carl is getting up there in age yet he is still sharp as a tack about anything motorcycle. They also have a Motorcycle Museum located at their St. Ann location. Here is the internet map page: www.donelsoncycles.com/locations

I took a bunch of pics in the museum today, and if you are into the old limeys (beezers- BSA'S and Triumphs) Carl has the LAST BSA his dealership received in 1972 - has never been started - shows 4.5 miles on the odometer.. A long ways from england.. I guess from being pushed? Notice the spark plugs are not in the engine.


An off road inner tube that you do not have remove the wheel to install:


He must have 100 old bikes in the museum, half of them flat trackers . BRAKES? We don't need no stinking BRAKES! lol


Evil Knievel anyone? Actually this isn't Evil's bike, but it looked to me to be the same model he rode (Xr750?). Now THIS is a freaking cafe racer. :whistle:


I took a bunch of pics, but could not get the full jist of carl's Museum. Some random pics:

That's some radical bikes there. And that inner tube! Thanks for sharing!

This dealer is / has been busy this week with Round two of the 2020 Monster Energy Supercross season is set to kick off this Saturday January 11th in St. Louis, Missouri inside of The Dome at America’s Center. A lot of racing legends are visiting Donelson Cycle for whatever reasons, parts, apparel or just to say hi. Here are a few more museum pics I took yesterday.


Ducati race bike. I forget the description. There is a small tags on them describing the rider, races, wins, and signature on the gas tank.


*Edit: After a closer look at the pic, This is twin rotary "wankel" engine motorcycle! The engine technology never really caught on, yet they pop up in different applications occasionally. Extremely rare to say the least.


Wankel probably had problem with emissions. Everyone knows about the global warming thing.. someone should tell China and the Asian countries all about it, along with not dumping plastics and trash into the oceans. duh :sick:

And yet another view facing the back door. Notice all of the non-replaceable motorcycle memorabilia all over the wall. That is a home made power hacksaw made out of old motorcycle wheels and parts / odds and ends hidden by the display tripod. I will get a better pic of it when I pull it out.

Some more pics taken at the Carl Donelson Motorcycle Museum. I have been going 6 days a week lately. I feel like i need therapy after this project.. Unfotunately it's too cold to get my old Kaw out.



This home made power hacksaw caught my eye. If you look close you can see the different motorcycle parts used in the construction, powered by an old Matag electric motor.


A little of it's construction looks a little crude, but after years of being passed around, then finally coming to rest in Carl's museum, it looks like it may still be functional with a little TLC.

And yet another very special and unusual bike that caught my eye. Carl estimated that this bike cost ~$25K to build back in the day, yet was donated to his museum by the owner / builder.


Quite the Rad-Ride. No shifting, no rear brakes. Whaddya want to stop for anyway? Gravity does the stopping for you. :evil:

Thanks, old_kaw, for all of those great pics. That hillclimber sure has a medieval look to it. Crazy stuff!

Mike

Looks like the Jawa front drum brake is about 3” x 1/2”. What more could a person want? :woohoo: :blink: :silly:

TexasKZ wrote: Looks like the Jawa front drum brake is about 3” x 1/2”. What more could a person want? :woohoo: :blink: :silly:

That would be a Maico brake .. whaddya need brakes for?.. they just slow you down. LOL

I am totally amazed at how many complete bikes are all over that massive building. And his parts inventory is absolutely huge. Everywhere I looked there were complete bikes, not scattered junkers. (I spent almost 2 weeks straight there) I didn't see any bikes missing parts, or the tanks gone. they all looked complete and that they would run - given a hot battery and fresh gas.