Fun stuff from 2026 Dania Beach show

Is it a real Indian motorcycle and sidecar? Nope.

 Motorcycle shows are supposed to be fun, and Saturday's 2026 Dania Beach (Florida) Vintage Motorcycle Show was plenty of fun. 

So, before we get into the priceless restorations and rarely seen historical treasures, let's look at some fun stuff: 

It looks big, but is kiddie size.

Here's what looks in pictures like a big Indian Chief with a sidecar, a little rough, the way you'd like to find it for sale in some barn in Wisconsin.

But in real life you realize that "it's small!" The motor looks real, but it's a unit motor; the fire extinguisher is toy size, and the saddlebag is no bigger than a lady's purse. The sidecar is too small to hold even a dog. 

The giveaway is the side of the motor, marked "Lenaerts, Brussels, Belgium" — a maker of (originally) non-functional carousel rides for children. 

But this one functions, as this video shows:

The noise you hear in the video is the crackling of the wind. The machine moved silently. The rider claimed the internal combustion motor is real, just so finely tuned you can't hear it. But that had to be a lie, onlookers agreed. It's electric.

More fun stuff:

Arthur Kowitz, of Ormond Beach, Fla., and a friend built this monocoque motorcycle for 1973 AMA racing. It carries a 350cc two-stroke Kawasaki motor.

1974 Norton Interstate has a l-o-o-o-ng kickstand.

Vintage parking meter: two hours for only 5 cents!

1974 Dneper 650 shown by Etier Vichot of Miami looks rough, but came in under its own power. It sounded great!

Children's push tricycle made from an actual war surplus 110-pound practice bomb. A rarely seen vintage toy.

Shiny little lever under the seat of 1955 Triumph Thunderbird 6T shown by Nigel Cardwell of Boca Raton, Fla., is the choke lever. Why crowd the handlebars when this is a closer and easily reached placement?

Lots of children enjoyed the vintage motorcycle show. Great to see them being introduced to artworks on wheels; plus there was an ice cream truck.

Already gorgeous motorcycle gets a little more love.

Heavily stickered Vespa has really low mounted mirrors.

"No Step!" warns fender of sidecar on BMW R75/5 shown by Harold Hickey, of Miami.

Why does the 1966 BMW R20/2 shown by Gary Harker of Fort Lauderdale have three rear view mirrors? Because the middle one is actually a handlebar spotlight, as the video below demonstrates.