On the top floor of the freshly rejuvenated galleria that now houses the Buda Entertainment & Gastro center by Kolosy Square in District III, the “World of the Hungarian Motorcycles” exhibit opened in March to provide a place of honor for multiple pristine bikes of wildly varying design that were mostly built here in Budapest, where motorcycle production thrived between 1928 and 1974.
A wide assortment of locally crafted classic rides from throughout this period are now on view here, and motorcycle enthusiasts from any country will be fascinated by this assortment of moving Hungarian-made antiques – most of them still operational – designed with curvaceous frames and meticulous detailing, inspiring fanciful visions of taking one out on the highway to travel across Europe for an epic wind-whipped road trip. Even those with no affinity for two-wheeled vehicles can still appreciate the artful craftsmanship that went into these motorcycles’ styling and production, while numerous English-language placards impart ample background to the history behind these bikes and their Magyar manufacturers.
Beginning with a few models created in the late 1920s that were basically engine-mounted bicycles, the Weiss Manfréd Steel and Metal Works of Csepel Island gradually produced motorcycles of greater strength and speed; the exhibit highlights one of these early leather-seated motorbikes in remarkably good condition, with a pair of leather goggles attached to the handlebars affixed with wooden grips.Weiss Manfréd ceased motorcycle production amid the devastation of World War II, but in 1946 they regrouped to manufacture simple mopeds – until the company was nationalized with the rise of Hungary’s communist regime, and eventually renamed as the Csepel Iron and Steel Works. Backed by the Soviet Union’s resources, the factory launched a new line of Csepel 100 and Csepel 125 motorcycles in the late 1940s; the Csepel 125 enjoyed such high demand that it was continually in production through 1966, by then uniquely branded as the Danuvia (although bearing a logo suspiciously similar to that of BMW).
Communist-era copyright infringement aside, the two black Danuvia motorbikes on view in this exhibit both look like a whole lot of fun for tooling around town; the D-Csepel model is a low-slung mini-cruiser with a sleek zeppelin-shaped tailpipe, looking like perfect wheels for any teenage rebel without a cause.
The 1950s saw some significant new domestic motorcycle models designed and mass-produced with additional state backing, and the more powerful Csepel 250 became successful enough that the line received its own brand in 1954: the iconic Pannonia, sometimes sold with matching space-age sidecars.
Demand for the Pannonia continually increased into the ’60s – partially because Hungary’s communist system made it considerably easier for members of the masses to buy a motorcycle than to acquire a car – and the exhibit includes a few eye-catching Pannonia models over the years, including a black-and-silver 1968 P10 chopper that any Hell’s Angel could proudly ride today.
Nonetheless, by the 1970s Pannonia motorcycles were no longer competitive in the Soviet export market, so after almost 700,000 bikes were built in Budapest, the last model was produced in 1974 – and this display includes one of these final-year Magyar-made machines for going mobile, an orange Pannonia P12; the helmet mounted on the saddle is affixed with a ’70s-appropriate sticker of a hand giving the peace sign.
In addition to these powerful motorcycles, some cool Hungarian-produced scooters and mopeds are also on view here, including the feminine two-seater Tünde with a long tail reminiscent of a classic Cadillac, a sporty little scarlet Berva moped, and the 1961 Panni red-and-white scooter with its cute little speedometer centrally mounted in the handlebars.This “World of the Hungarian Motorcycles” exhibition is completely comprised of vintage two-wheelers belonging to the vast private collection of antique vehicles held by the Buda Entertainment & Gastro center’s owner; perhaps this is why a few classic models from other countries are also included in the display, such as a green racing Triumph from Germany, a Czech JAWA touring bike with a trailer and completely enclosed sidecar, and a fairly cool Honda hog.
As the Buda Entertainment & Gastro center remains a work in progress, all of these bikes are set up within a long hall of empty storefronts where construction is still continuing, beneath a detailed series of freshly painted ceiling murals that playfully depict days from the Book of Genesis. However, at this point most visitors to the complex only go directly to the ground-floor supermarket or the Bed Cinema, missing out on the motorcycles and much more.
While the ghost-town feeling of this singular space can seem a little forbidding for the time being, the “World of the Hungarian Motorcycles” show is a welcoming addition to draw people to an underutilized corner of Budapest, complemented by an intriguing display of retro Hungarian posters, many psychedelic wooden sculptures by Magyar artist Antal Sprok, and a newly opened bar aiming to carry every single craft beer brewed in Hungary. This all displays an impressive dedication to showcasing Hungarian history, artistry, and culture, and we hope that these antiquarian bikes will spur more people to get their motors running and head out this way.
