If you like motorcycles, visit the National Motorcycle Museum (Museo Nazionale del Motociclo) during your trip to Rimini. Browse an exhibit of over 250 motorcycles that represent 55 Italian manufacturers. From the first bikes produced to modern racing prototypes, the National Motorcycle Museum takes you on a fascinating historical journey of the biking world.
Exhibits are set out in chronological themes that retrace the evolution of the motorcycle industry. Complementing the hundreds of examples of bikes are antique photographs, promotional posters and signs. See pioneering bikes from the late 1800s and early 1900s such as creations by Stucchi, the Frera brand and French-origin Werner Brothers. Alongside these, a display of bicycles gives an idea of the radical industrial and manufacturing changes that took place during this early innovation.
Admire well-preserved bikes used during the period between World Wars I and II. A collection of sidecars highlights the development of motorcycles as a common means of family transportation. A major attraction of the museum is the exhibit of scooters, which grew in popularity from the 1940s. Among these are iconic Lambretta and Vespa models. You may be allowed to sit on a few models for photos.
Enjoy the display of Aermacchi, Bimota, Ducati, Triumph and other Grand Prix prototypes. Find a racing bike once owned by the Italian painter Antonio Ligabue. One section is dedicated to Rimini’s motorcycle production. For more information on the industry and specific models you’re interested in, browse among the 10,000 books in the facility’s library.
The museum is about a 20-minute drive south of central Rimini. Parking is available if you arrive by car or motorbike. Alternatively, ride the public bus from Rimini train station to a stop a short walk from the museum building.
Visit the National Motorcycle Museum from Tuesday to Sunday between May and October. From November to April it is open by reservation only, for a minimum of 10 visitors. The museum charges an admission fee. Make reservations and inquiries via the museum’s official website. The organization hosts a vintage car exchange in winter and several summer markets.
