By Kathe & Jay Fogleman
We typically do not go on very many group rides because we can’t keep up. Jay often rides his (elderly) 1977 R100 RT sidecar rig and Kathe is more comfortable riding her 2023 Royal Enfield Hunter 350 on non-highways at non-highway speeds. When Ken Richmond announced at an OSBMWR meeting that he would be taking a small group to visit the Nettesheim Museum in Huntington NY, we both knew that this trip would be a unique experience and we did not want to miss it.
We had already heard from club members who had visited the museum on previous occasions that the BMW museum was beyond one’s expectations. Situated in his house and garage, we had heard that both structures were entirely full of antique motorcycles that Peter had doggedly acquired, restored and exhibited. We had already heard about his home-exhibit hall, his exhaustive computer-indexed parts collection, and his large collection of antique bikes, all registered and running, and were excited to see his collection for ourselves.
Smooth Sailing
Ken arranged for our visit on Sunday, September 20. Everyone had Peter Nettesheim’s address and the departure times of the Long Island Ferry for both legs of the trip. Though we were expected to tour as a group, there was no need for everyone to stay together because we knew the schedule, where we were going, and how to get there. Unfortunately, weather predictions were for rain all day on Sunday. Early in the week, Ken asked Peter whether we could reschedule for Saturday, when the weather was supposed to be more pleasant, and he was gracious enough to give up his Saturday plans so that we could make the trip in drier conditions.
To catch the eight o’clock ferry in New London, we made reservations the night before and set off around six forty-five. When we arrived, ferry workers scanned our e-tickets and staged us in the motorcycle area. Ken arrived a few minutes after us, and we nervously looked around for the rest of our group. Soon, we were directed to park our bikes in the front of the ferry’s vehicle section and proceed to the passenger deck, just the three of us.
Once onboard the ferry Ken made contact with the missing group of 4 (Bob G., Gary, Don, and Bob F.). They had arrived early, taken the earlier ferry and would meet us across the sound. We ventured outside when the ferry was well underway, expecting it to be cold but it wasn’t. The conditions were perfect, water smooth and the air warm. It was a beautiful day for a motorcycle ride and a boat ride.
Once we exited the ferry we immediately saw four familiar motorcycles parked outside a small restaurant. Ken went in to meet up with the early birds and we took off for the museum because we knew we would be slower than everyone else.
A Museum To Remember
The Nettesheim Museum is the world’s largest private collection of BMW motorcycles and memorabilia. According to Revzilla, the museum features over 100 rare BMW motorcycles, including every standard production model manufactured between 1923 and 1970, plus numerous post-1970 models and rare vehicles.
As expected, we arrived at the Nettesheim house a little behind everyone else. Not just because we were slow, but also due to a mechanical issue with Jay’s bike (dangling tail light assembly) that took about 20 minutes, a few zip ties, and repurposed screws to resolve in a parking lot. When we finally arrived, Peter’s driveway was full of bikes and he greeted us and helped us get parked. Everyone else was waiting in the former living room, which was full of motorcycles, a gigantic motorcycle sculpture and about a million things to see.
After assembling in the “living room,” Peter led us into an addition that did not exist on previous visits. Added onto the side of the former living room and projecting into his back yard was the new three story exhibit space complete with its own freight elevator. Much of this building was underground and invisible from the front of the house. There were displays everywhere and, it was jam-packed with floor level items and many elevated and hanging items. These were actual displays, not just motorcycles parked in a row. There was professional signage and lighting, and everything looked curated. It was hard to know where to look, everywhere there was something else. Peter shared the stories behind several of the exhibits. We toured each floor and walked outside to the ‘barn” which was another beautiful structure. Before we arrived, Peter arranged a few bikes in front of the garage. After telling us their stories, he started each one so that we could hear them run. The barn was still so jam-packed we had no idea where they even came from. He talked about several of the restorations.
To say that the Netteshiem Museum has a lot of BMW ephemera would be a gross understatement. He has other vehicles, not just motorcycles. He has a BMW propeller-driven engine as well as a post-World War II BMW jet engine that was used in Switzerland before being grounded due to a tragic crash in the 1970s. He has a boat engine that is on loan from BMW recognizing his contributions to their archives, and he has several cars, including a three-quarter scale model of a BMW sports car created as a final project on year in the BMW machinist school. He has an extensive collection of BMW documentation, including motorcycle repair manuals in many different languages. He also has two airplane hangars with more items that he doesn’t have space to display.
Getting to the Ferry On Time
Our ferry was due to leave Orient Point at five o’clock, so we all departed Peter’s house around three-thirty. After stopping for gas, we retraced our route north. Kathe and I arrived at the ferry just behind the rest of the group and just in time to drive onto the ship. The ninety minute trip back to New London was smooth and breezy. The group sat together to hear Ken explain how he initially got to know Peter well enough for him to allow our visit. We debriefed everyone in case someone saw something that the rest of us missed. We were all stunned by what we saw, disbelief that we actually saw what we thought we saw. Everyone was glad they went because it was such an unusual and fascinating experience. When the ferry arrived in New London, we rode I-95 home, arriving right on schedule.
Final Impressions
Our visit to the Nettesheim Museum was the unique experience we anticipated. We probably won’t have the chance to visit again, but if you ever have the opportunity jump on it immediately and you’ll be glad you did. The ferry, though not inexpensive, made the trip by motorcycle so much more enjoyable. When the rain arrived on Sunday we were thankful that Ken had the foresight to move the trip to Saturday and we were still able to participate.
