Technically, this entry in our Rider’s Library section is a look at a book. However, it is impossible to cover this book without going into the remarkable story beyond its pages. The Motorcycle — 120 Years of Motorized Masterpieces from the Haas Moto Museum is a stunning, large-format masterpiece in and of itself. Printed on heavy stock in hardcover, the book covers more than 230 motorcycles and numerous examples of art and sculpture, with more than 350 detailed color images on 256 pages.
The Motorcycle is a tribute, a memoir, and a biography all at once. It documents the legacy of a remarkable man, Robert B. “Bobby” Haas. The book tells of Haas’s career being anchored as a 1969 honors graduate from Yale University and a 1972 graduate of Harvard Law School. He then applied that powerful intellect to the world of private equity where he was part of billion-dollar deals.
Despite that, Bobby Haas was not a C-suite stuffed shirt. He had passions and talents that ran deep. After his achievements in business, Haas pursued a new path in the art of photography. He became one of the most accomplished contemporary photographers, with aerial photographic works published in National Geographic books.
Titles Haas authored included Through the Eyes of the Gods: An Aerial Vision of Africa (2005), Through the Eyes of the Condor: An Aerial Vision of Latin America (2007), and Through the Eyes of the Vikings: An Aerial Vision of Arctic Lands (2010). Haas donated the proceeds from these books to various endangered species charities.
In all, he published a dozen books, including Shakespeare and the Brothers: Embedded with a Band of Bikers, which was inspired by the Haas’s fascination with the biker culture and exploring the tight-knit bonds of brotherhood within one of the largest motorcycle clubs in the world, which is comprised of Vietnam war veterans.
At 64, Haas mounted his first motorcycle, and the fusion of his passion for photography, art, and motorcycles reached critical mass. The result was the concept of a motorcycle museum unlike any other. Haas Moto Museum & Sculpture Gallery combines motorcycle history, art, sculpture, custom design, competition and more.
The Motorcycle — 120 Years of Motorized Masterpieces from the Haas Moto Museum gives voice to Haas’s vision, a dream that he transformed into reality before his death in September 2021.
The book lays out the story of the collection in the museum in three major parts:
Part 1: History Hall. This is where the collection and motorcycling begins. On display are rare survivors and full-on restorations from motorcycling’s days before the 20th century, which includes the sidecar alcove.
Part 2: The Racetrack. The reader is taken from spindly board track racers to high-tech road racers, minimalist flat trackers, rugged off-road racers, and high-velocity land-speed machines.
Part 3: The Custom Shop. A mind-boggling variety of the most creative machines ever put on wheels is on display for museum visitors.
Each image caption and the other narrative content is concise, clear, and colorful in its telling the story of the bike on display. That narrative and those captions are the result of Haas and Stacey Mayfield’s collaboration in life and art. Mayfield is the Haas Moto Museum Director.
We’re including only a tiny sample of images from The Motorcycle—120 Years of Motorized Masterpieces from the Haas Moto Museum here. To fully appreciate this book about the sweeping and unique collection of motorcycles and art, you must lay your eyes on its 256 large-format pages. Better yet, gain a full appreciation of Bobby Haas and his spectacular legacy, by getting to Dallas and experiencing Haas Moto Museum & Sculpture Gallery first-hand; I sure hope to.
Don’t miss Ultimate Motorcycling contributor Tim Warriner’s report on his visit to Haas Moto Museum. The Motorcycle—120 Years of Motorized Masterpieces from the Haas Moto Museum can be purchased at the Haas Moto Museum or the museum’s website.
The Motorcycle—120 Years of Motorized Masterpieces from the Haas Moto Museum Fast Facts
- Title: The Motorcycle—120 Years of Motorized Masterpieces from the Haas Moto Museum
- Authors/photography: Stacey Mayfield, Bobby Haas
- Principal photography: Grant Schwingle
- Additional photography: Brandon LaJoie, Brent Graves, Shaik Ridzwan
- Published: 2023
- Publisher: Weldon Owen Insight Editions
- Format: Hardcover with 256 9.5-by-12-inch pages; color photography
- ISBN: 9798886740479
The Motorcycle—120 Years of Motorized Masterpieces from the Haas Moto Museum Price: $60.
