Hear from Joe Berk as he discusses his visit to Jameson’s Classic Motorcycle Museum in Pacific Grove, California, on the beautiful Pacific Coast.
The Skinny
- What: Jameson’s Classic Motorcycle Museum, 305 Forest Avenue, Pacific Grove, California 93950. (408) 460-1949. Admission is free; a $2 donation is suggested. Open 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays only, mid-March through December.
- How To Get There: Head west until you run out of land; that will put you on the world-famous Pacific Coast Highway. Take Exit 402 to Del Monte Avenue, which becomes Lighthouse Avenue and then Central Avenue. Turn left on Forest Avenue and you’re there.
- Best Kept Secret: Ask to see the Vespa scooter collection in the room behind the museum’s main display area.
Jameson’s Classic Motorcycle Museum, Pacific Grove, California
I found myself thinking of Matryoshka dolls, those nested Russian dolls, one inside another, when visiting Jameson’s Classic Motorcycle Museum. The motorcycles, the museum, the town of Pacific Grove, and northern California’s Pacific coastal region form layers of hidden gems, just like those Matryoshka dolls. We’ve featured several of them in earlier Destinations pieces, including the Pacific Coast Highway, Hearst Castle, and a loop through the Santa Cruz Mountains. The area has wonderful roads and destinations, a conclusion firmly reinforced by our visit to Jameson’s Classic Motorcycle Museum in Pacific Grove.
Neil Jameson created the museum that bears his name, and, by any measure, he was one hell of a man. Born in Hollister, California, Jameson was a sheep and goat farmer; he served in the U.S. Navy, then went on to a 25-year career as a firefighter. He became a successful businessman and investor, and remained a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast and collector. In 2010, Jameson bought the building that houses his collection, previously home to the local newspaper. Many of the motorcycles in the museum are bikes Jameson rode, including a 1972 BMW R75/5 that took him to the Arctic Circle and back. Some of the motorcycles are in original, unrestored but mechanically perfect condition. Others have been returned to as-new perfection by Emma Booton, an expert that Staci Jameson Hayes (Neil’s daughter) describes as “a restoration goddess.”
The collection in Jameson’s Classic Motorcycle Museum is eclectic, with motorcycles from America, Germany, England, Japan, Spain, and even France, as represented by the oldest motorcycle in the collection, a burgundy 1913 Peugeot. An electric-start Triumph Bonneville, a rotary-engined Suzuki and the Suzuki two-stroke GT750 LeMans “Water Buffalo” triple, an Ariel Square Four, Kawasaki two-stroke triples, Nortons, BSAs, a Bultaco, assorted BMWs, and several others grace the collection. Neil Jameson passed away in 2021, so today Staci manages the museum. I enjoyed my time with Staci, and I especially enjoyed her stories about Neil Jameson. Staci told me her father was a hard worker, a dedicated rider who loved his motorcycles, and a skilled horse trader. When Neil Jameson saw something he wanted, Staci explained, he found out what the soon-to-be-former owner wanted and used that knowledge to trade into it.
The ride into and out of Pacific Grove is spectacular. Pacific Grove is the Monterey Peninsula’s northernmost point, bordered by the city of Monterey, the Pacific Ocean, and the Del Monte Forest. The town is a combination of terraced hills, beautiful homes, vibrant colors, and a cozy downtown area, all exuding casual Pacific Coast luxury. Go west from the Pacific Coast Highway and the route takes you past a scenic 1855 lighthouse, the oldest continuously-operating lighthouse on the west coast. Huge breakers crash into the very edge of America, the Monterey Peninsula’s northernmost point. On our trip home, California State Routes 68 and 17 and the Chualar River Road took us through the Salinas farm country. It was all stunning.
