CBI Showcases Vintage Harley Davidson

CHATHAM – When he managed the Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels, Md., Claudio Togo was fascinated by one of the inn’s amenities: a vintage Harley Davidson motorcycle.

 So when Togo became general manager at Chatham Bars Inn, he brought the bike with him.

 It helped that both inns — and the motorcycle — are owned by Richard Cohen, who bought the restored bike in 2013. Now the motorcycle, complete with original sidecar, sits in the Chatham resort’s horseshoe-shaped front drive. And it’s been attracting quite a bit of attention.

 “You can’t walk by it and not stop and appreciate it, take a picture,” said Togo. “It’s a wonderful diversion for our guests when they’re walking to the beach.”

 The green motorcycle — the only color Harley Davidson offered in 1918 — is a fully-restored Model J, one of the first with battery operated lighting and ignition that the iconic company offered, according to the plaque that sits alongside the bike. 

 The bike runs, Togo said. “It’s in perfect working condition,” he said. He’s had an affinity for motorcycles since he was young, getting his first job in Milan, where he grew up, in order to buy one.

 It’s not the only new attraction at the inn.

 An original Norman Rockwell painting, “The Spirit of America,” now hangs above the fireplace mantel in Stars, the dining room. The painting, which dates from 1974, depicts a diverse group of Americans in front of a flag. An original Jamie Wyeth is now above the fireplace in the south lounge. Cohen has an affinity for unique items, Togo said, including antiques and historical objects. Also in the lounge, for instance, is a large antique music box, and spread throughout the inn are various antiques and ship models.

 Not far from the motorcycle is a time capsule that was discovered several years ago when the front drive area was being landscaped. It was reburied and won’t be unearthed until 2100.

 “There are a lot of fun little things around here,” Togo commented.