International travellers and road worn motorcycle enthusiasts may have more in common than the initial glance implies.

This can be seen in Switzerland’s Zurich airport which is featuring an exhibition about Harley-Davidson.

While at first differences in the two worlds are fairly pronounced. The international air passenger wanders the modern halls of modern airports in comfortable clothes where as a rider faces a range of weather conditions wearing various pieces of safety gear as well as the last insect collected on a recent back road.

But regardless of these differences, they both have the urge to travel whether on the back roads or in the open skies.

This could be the reason the exhibit, taking place in the no-parking zone in the middle of the Airport Center from 24 June to 7 August 2011, has been a popular event at Switzerland’s international airport.

Reportedly the inspiration came from none other than Willie G. Davidson, the grandson of the company’s founder and his famous quote, ‘We sell a lifestyle, the motorcycle comes free.’

The masterminds behind the exhibit, Zurich airport’s Patrick Graf and Maria Porsche, explained the exhibition "is not just a promotional exercise. The reason lies in the brand itself, as Harley-Davidson is more than just a motorbike - and thus has much more to offer."

The exhibition is arranged around the three pillars on which this lifestyle is based: firstly, Harley-Davidson’s history, which dates back more than a century; the strong sense of identity and community among its customers; and the powerful machines themselves, the two-cylinder driving force behind the “made in the USA” dream.

Ten Harley-Davidson motorcycles make up the display with accessories and clothing shown on mannequins and glass cases.

Stores selling different motorcycle brands have become a familiar sight in the larger airports around the world and bikes are occasionally put on display. It’s the amount of information and depth that makes this exhibit different from other motorcycle related displays.

"Even if there is no Harley-Davidson store at Zürich Airport and the models and accessories aren’t sold here, the great fascination and interest of all visitors can be easily perceived," enthuses Graf.

The airport exhibition also tells the story of Harley-Davidson. Ten panels display images and text from Harley-Davidson’s history from how it all began in 1903 in a shed in Milwaukee, the company’s growth and why thousands of Harley fans meet up every year to enjoy the community spirit.

"Passengers as well as visitors or shoppers stop and take the time to read about the history, have a closer look at the models or even take pictures to keep this great impression," Graf notes.