Published 01.07.2021

Thanks to its location beyond 1900 meters above sea level at the heart of the mountains in Tirol’s Ötztal, Obergurgl makes a true heaven for outdoor sports lovers. The winding Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road, leading from Obergurgl to scenic South Tyrol, offers bikers and automobile enthusiasts an incomparable driving experience.

Obergurgl is also home to Gurgl Carat, Europe's highest Conference Center newly opened in 2020. After the lockdown caused by the corona virus, we are now going to restart with an extraordinary “Indian Motorcycle Special” exhibition. In this blog post you will read why we are heading at full speed towards this exhibition of two-wheeled rarities, what a dramatic event preceded it and how many possibilities our building offers thanks to its special location and architecture.

It was in the night of 17 to 18 January 2021, when a fire was detected at "Top Mountain Crosspoint - Motorcycle Museum" on Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road. Many of the 350+ historical motorcycles were destroyed by the flames, as was the building. But at least some of the valuable vehicles could be brought to safety. Construction works for the museum reopening are currently under way and the opening day will be on 18 November 2021. In order to offer a great foretaste, some of the rescued motorbikes can now be admired at Gurgl Carat as part of the “Indian Motorcycle Special”.

Before the fire disaster, the exhibits had their place in the Motorcycle Museum in Hochgurgl:

Some 15 models of the “Indian Motorcycle” brand will be presented on site. Founded in 1901, it is the oldest American motorcycle brand and just as legendary in the USA as its competitor Harley Davidson. The oldest model shown in the exhibition is the "Indian Camelback" dating from 1906, its name refers to the shape of a camel's back in its rear part. But also other models from decades up to the 50s make the hearts of motorcycle fans beat much faster. The vintage motorbikes are complemented by a vintage car, namely a Chevrolet Pickup Thriftmaster from 1951. The total value of the exhibits is around € 450,000.

“Gurgl Carat is perfectly suited as an exhibition location due to its glass facades. You can already see the vehicles from the village square. The special exhibition is sure to be a crowd puller," states Attila Scheiber with conviction, owner and founder of the Top Mountain Crosspoint Motorcycle Museum.

In fact, it is the extraordinary architecture of Gurgl Carat in the form of a diamond that gives the “Indian Motorcycle Special” the finishing touch. “Our conference center offers the perfect setting to present the rarities in the proper light. At the same time, the exhibition remarkably shows the potential of our congress building which is simply predestined for presentations of sports and engines just because of its unique location in the high Alpine region,” reveals Gurgl Carat managing director Felix Kupfer.

If you want to see it for yourself, you have the opportunity to do so daily from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm until 24 July 2021. “You can view the exhibits, admission is free, and take a closer look at Gurgl Carat at the same time,” explains Kupfer, inviting everyone to visit the special show.

“Indian Motorcycle Special” at Gurgl Carat: f.l. Felix Kupfer, Managing Director of Gurgl Carat, and Attila Scheiber, owner and founder of Top Mountain Crosspoint - Motorcycle Museum, with an Indian Four 1940 and a Chevrolet Pickup Thriftmaster 1951.

© Gurgl Carat

“Indian Motorcycle Special” at Gurgl Carat“: f.l. Felix Kupfer, Managing Director of Gurgl Carat, and Attila Scheiber owner and founder of Top Mountain Crosspoint - Motorcycle Museum, with an Indian Camelback 1906, in the background an Indian V2 1912.

© Gurgl Carat