Andy Koczwara’s journey began in a weathered Illinois barn, where his grandfather handed him a rusted spark plug wrench at age eight. “Fix it slow, fix it right,” his grandfather would say as they tinkered on a 1940s BSA.
By 15, Andy rebuilt a discarded 1950s Triumph with his father, spending nights troubleshooting carburetors and polishing chrome. Today, the wrench hangs in the St. Charles Motorcycle Museum & Art Gallery, a humble relic of the grit that started it all.
From Hobby to Obsession
For decades, Andy’s collection lurked in garages—Harley Knuckleheads, BMWs from the Eastern Bloc, and rare Indians. By 2024, it swelled to 200 bikes. Then, flipping through a Cycle World article on vanishing motorcycle history, he realized his hoard was more than a hobby.
“These bikes are storytellers,” he says. He mortgaged his home, converting a vacant St. Charles storefront into a museum. “Fear fades. Regret doesn’t.”
Andy Koczwara
The Rarest Bikes You’ll Never Forget
The museum’s crown jewel is the 1938 Sokol 1000, one of 400 Polish bikes smuggled past Nazi checkpoints. Its cracked leather seat still bears the imprint of its original rider.
Nearby, a 1912 Indian roars silently, its Aurora, Illinois-built engine untouched since the Taft presidency. The military aisle stuns with a Harley-Davidson WLA “Liberator” caked in Normandy mud and a German BMW R75, its sidecar still rigged for wartime radio gear.
Art Installations That Rev Your Imagination
Local sculptor Mara Voss welds spark plugs into intricate mandalas. At the same time, metalworker Jake Trent transforms valve springs into chandeliers that cast road-like shadows.
A centerpiece: a driftwood sculpture of a tire tread, carved to mirror the grooves of a 1920s board-track racer. “We wanted art that moves with the bikes,” Andy explains.
How a Man’s Obsession Builds St. Charles Motorcycle Museum
The Moto Art Bar’s Unexpected Twist
The Moto Art Bar pairs Illinois Lynfred Winery Cabernet with a 1947 Vincent Black Shadow—its chrome reflecting the wine’s deep crimson. The “Midwest Flight” features three pours: a crisp white paired with a 1960s Honda Super Cub, a smoky red alongside a 1950s Triumph Bonneville, and a dessert wine matched to a velvet-upholstered 1930s sidecar.
Workshops, Live Music, and Community Fuel
Every Wednesday, teens rebuild donated bikes for veterans, like a 1982 Yamaha XS650 restored for a local Marine. Friday nights buzz with live music—folk duo Two Trick Pony’s banjo covers of Born to Be Wild drew 200 attendees in April.
Veterans groups gather monthly, swapping stories beside the Harley WLAs they once rode. “This place honors our history,” says Army vet Tom Reyes.
The Roadmap for the Museum’s Future Road Trip
By late 2025, 50 bikes from Andy’s vault will debut, including a 1928 Brough Superior—a “Rolls-Royce of motorcycles.” 2026 plans include an electric bike exhibit featuring Tesla-powered cafe racers and a summer camp where kids assemble mini choppers. “Imagine a national rally here,” Andy grins. “Engines roaring, artists welding, bourbon flowing. We’re just getting started.”
