The San Francisco Musee Mechanique has temporarily moved from its Ocean Beach location at the Cliff House (which is being renovated) to a stunning location on Pier 45, in the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf with stellar views of the bay. This place is a fascinating tour of fun for the mechanically minded, and among their collection is a fire-engine red steam-powered motorcycle, restored to perfect running condition.
I talked about the motorcycle with Daniel Galland Zelinsky, a fifth generation San Franciscan and a second generation collector who oversees the exhibit and is the primary force in its expansion. Between dispensing quarters to the group of travel writers who was visiting (I was with the Bay Area Travel Writers group), he explained that it had been exhibited once since its restoration, but there were no plans for future demonstrations. “Though all it takes to start it is a match,” he said.
Who made it, and why? I asked. Built in 1912 by a Mr. Gilligan in Sacramento seems to be all that is known about it. I’m begging for history, as well as a ride. Zelinsky, who had just taken his 16 year old son for his first motorcycle ride the day before (he owns a vintage BSA), was interested in talking motorcycles but wasn’t interested in taking the Steam Flyer out of the glass case for a demo. “Well count on me to whine until I get a ride,” I told him. Hopefully an antique motorcycle show will come up that he just can’t resist.
The acquisition of the Steam Flyer was a lucky deal for the senior Zelinsky, Ed, a long-time San Franciscan and the owner off the museum. An inveterate collector since childhood, he acquired many of the machines from George Whitney Sr., owner of Playland-At-The-Beach, San Francisco’s landmark amusement park, which closed in 1972.
Ed and George Whitney used to have lunch together every third Thursday of the month, and although Ed seldom sells any of his collection, he loves to trade. Back then, he did a lot of trading with George Whitney. “We traded music boxes and pianos back and forth,” Ed recalls, “but I’ll never forget the day I traded for the steam motorcycle. I remember he had a scotch over ice, shrimp cocktail, and a minute steak. I tried to copy him, but I couldn’t keep up with him on the drinks.”
“Well, I had quite a few drinks, and I was feeling no pain, and george said, ‘Ed, you have a 1904 Franklin. Do you want to trade it?’
“And I said, ‘George, what will you give me for it?’ Well, I don’t really remember the conversation, but I do remember shaking hands with him, and Mr. Whitney telling me, ‘Ed, you are the proud owner of a steam motorcycle.'”
Later, the two men had diner again, and Whitney asked Ed who got the best deal in teh trade. “I don’t know, George, you tell me,” Ed recalls.
Then Whitney said, “Ed, I got the best deal. I got a Franklin that’s running and you got a motorcycle that isn’t.”
Ed told him, “That’s funny, George. I thought I got the best of the deal because I got the only steam motorcycle, perhaps, in the whole world.”
Whitney then called Ed a few weeks later and asked if he wanted to trade back again. “That when I knew I had a good deal,” Ed says.
Time has proved Zelinsky right. Recently, the peripatetic collector received an unsolicited offer of $250,000 for the motorcycle. “Now I know I really got the best deal!” he says.
was in s.f. last week & took a picture of the steam machine. am not able to read the data card from my picture. can someone tell me what it says & any other info or pictures?