Are you a collector and if so what type? If not, what are you?

Paul LeClair

Paul LeClair

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Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Today I ran across an article about Bill's Old Bike Barn by Joe Berk in the current November/December 2022 issue of Motorcycle Classics. The writer asked the question "but why" and got me thinking.

Joe Berk writes "People collect for different reasons. Some are completists, they collect to own every variation of an item ever made. Others have a theme guiding their collecting. Still others are loyalists; they collect everything associated with a particular marque. Some collect to revive memories that bring back better times. And people collect different things."

so, what am I? Am I a collector?

For motorcycles I currently again have eight (and a half) motorcycles despite efforts to "thin the herd". Three Laverda triples, (1979 1200 Mirage, 1982 1200 Mirage, 1984 RGS Executive) all of which I have rebuilt from bare frame and bare engine cases. Three Kawasaki's (1978 KZ 650 SR, 2008 ZX 14, 2018 H2 SX SE) of which the 78 has been a bare frame bare engine cases build, the ZX 14 I bought new and heavily modified for considerably more power, the 2018 H2 SX SE I bought lightly crashed and fixed then heavily modified for considerably more power), one Moto Guzzi (1998 Centauro V10 8 valve recently bought not running essentially on impulse and is my current winter garage project), one older Gilera (1957 150 Sport, all of 7 horsepower) which was total bare frame bare engine cases build for the Moto Giro, and one Garelli (1966 150 with Laverda single engine) which was half way through a bare frame bare engine cases build to be run in the Moto Giro when it was heavily damaged in a garage fire caused by the Bentley Turbo immolating itself). I relatively recently sold the 1979 Honda six cylinder CBX, heavily modified including turbocharging, to a serious CBX collector who I think was a completist. I sold my 1994 Harley Ultra Classic that I bought new in 1994, heavily modified, sold to a friend, bought back, kept until 2022, then sold again. When my wife decided to quit riding, I also sold the 2013 Moto Guzzi V7 Special I had bought new for my wife, I sold it because I could not stand seeing it sitting unused. Looking further back, it may sound stupid, but I really don't know how many motorcycles I have bought, fixed, modified, sold, over the past 50 + years.

and I am not going to get started in any detail about all the cars....... Triumph Spitfires, Triumph GT 6's, various Jaguars, the Bentley Turbo that immolated itself, a number and variety of "muscle cars", my current Range Rover Sport supercharged, the main theme seems to have been slightly oddball and mechanically needy, while also usually owning something mainstream and reliable to drive when the interesting stuff was broken......

so, if I were to be a collector, I know I am not a "completist". I don't think I have a theme other than maybe rescuing mechanical derelicts and returning them to use. I don't think I am a loyalist as I will buy and fix and ride or drive pretty much anything. I do admit to buying bikers that revive memories, like my 1978 Kawasaki KZ 650 SR identical to the bike I bought new in 1978 that I had to sell to apply those funds university expenses, and the Laverda triples that remind me of my lust for them in their time when I could not then afford them, although that time was not "better times" as the better times are right now.....

so, I don't think I am a collector, I don't know exactly what I am, although I have identified a theme of being attracted to mechanically needy interesting cars and motorcycles, as well as a theme of ridiculously really high-performance motorcycles that I use as intended. I also cannot easily tolerate having bikes or cars just to have them, leaving them sitting unused drives me nuts. Everything is licensed and insured and on battery maintainers ready to be used. It is not easy even keeping current usage of 7 or 8 bikes, I think that may be why I feel the need to start selling bikes when I accumulate more than about 9 or 10 of them. Would make much more sense to thin the herd again down to about 3 or 4 bikes...........

Are you a collector, and if so, what kind? If not, what are you and why do you have your Laverda(s) and any other interesting vehicles?

Paul LeClair
 
I think it’s good to overthink everything in life. To self analyze is a good thing, it brings efficiency in work, in leisure, making both much better IMO.
I consider myself an enthusiast passionate in all manner of motorcycles. A small gathering of motorcycles, vastly reduced from 16 machines twenty years ago, down to 7 recently, ranging from fun solid original classics to serious use category machines. I strongly avoid specific model duplication with my garage residents. One must understand that every manufacturer has made great machines, and bad machines. Typecasting myself to one brand simply does not work for me, I’ll be missing out . Can’t have pasta every night, gotta try other stuff.
1974 Norton 850 Interstate
1974 Honda CT70K4 Mini Trail
1981 Laverda Jota Mk2 180
1989 Honda RC30
1991 BMW R100GS
2008 Honda XR650L
2008 BMW R1200GS
The 1st 5 are on a special insurance multi vehicle plate premium giving me full leisure use in North America , but zero work or school transport, with very economical premiums. The last 2 are full use daily transport, one a decidedly touring machine for long distance in high comfort and capability, the other a solid simple high capability street legal off-road machine.
 
My wife says I am not a collector but have a mental illness.

Most of my bikes were bought cheap back when they were not "classic motorcycles" but just an old motorcycle no one wanted and was soon going to the scrap yard. In the 1970's here in Southern California you could buy a really nice condition 1960's Triumph Bonneville for $250 and I could not afford a new bike. As for Laverda's, my neighbor had a Jota in 1977 which I could never dream of being able to afford one and had to wait until they were just an old bike in the newspaper ads being sold for cheap. My Laverda 750's were $200 each in running condition.

Except for the BMW's, Yamaha and SFC1000 all were bought for very little money.

My wife says no more. As she does not pay attention as to what I have it is possible to get more bikes without her knowing! I am currently looking at a 1966 Matchless G12CS for sale.

So at the moment in my garage I have:

1929 AJS M5
1936 Triumph 2/1
1950 Sunbeam S7
1950 BSA M21
1951 AJS 18S
1951 Matchless G9
1953 Triumph 6T
1955 Ariel HS
1958 Ariel HS
1958 Triumph TR6A
1959 Velocette MAC
1960 Rickman TRI-BSA
1961 Triumph T120R
1962 Velocette Venom
1967 Matchless G80CS
1968 Laverda 750GT - American Eagle
1969 Laverda 750S - American Eagle
1973 Norton 750 Commando
1976 Laverda 3CL
1978 Ducati 900GTS
1978 Benelli 500 Quattro
1982 Laverda TS Mirage
1983 Laverda RGS
1996 Honda XR400R
1988 Laverda SFC1000
2003 BMW K1200RS
2006 Yamaha TW200 - Wife's bike
2008 BMW R1200RT

That's what I can remember at the moment. I also have a 40' shipping container with more bikes inside but can't remember what all is in there.

As for old cars, I have a 1953 Chevrolet 2 door Sedan. Although it looks factory, it has a 400HP V8 Chevy motor in it.
 
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Interesting list 1200ts. There are only 2 bikes in that list that I've owned. One is the 1976 3CL, which I still have (it's been Jota-ised). The other is an AJS 18S, although I think mine might have been a year or two earlier (it had a rigid rear end, so I think it was a '48 or '49). I paid $500 for it in about 1972. I probably got ripped off, but it came with a heap of parts including both a 500cc and a 350cc barrel and piston. Same cylinder head did both.

I also remember when Pommy bikes were worth little more than scrap value in the 60's and 70's. Japanese bikes were out-competing them in the market, mainly because they were better in almost every respect (except perhaps handling). You're spot on with your 60's Bonneville evaluation. $250 (Aus) is exactly what I paid for my 1967 Bonneville in the mid 70's. I sold it for $400 a couple of years later, but I'd done a fair bit of work to it to get it running well and looking reasonably good. I reconditioned the knackered top end and put Mikuni carbs on it. I also treated it to a paint job. It looked nice, ran really well and handled beautifully. It's one of the bikes I regret selling. I must not have owned a camera in those days because I've never been able to find a photo of it.

I'm not a collector, I just buy bikes I like and keep them for a time before moving them on.
The current stable is:
1976 Laverda Jota
1985 Kawasaki ZG1300 with HRD sidecar
1981 Benelli 900 Sei
2008 Benelli 1130 Tre-K
1976 Moto Guzzi LeMans 1
1985 Ducati MHR Mille
1986 Yamaha TY350

As I get older and my back gets more knackered, I find that the sporty riding position (rearset footrests, low bars, hard seats) isn't as comfortable as it used to be. The time it takes to reach my pain threshold whilst riding is getting shorter as I get older, so I'm not riding them as often as they need to be ridden. The sensible thing would be to thin out the herd, but I can't decide which one to sell first. I like them all.
 
Strange but I have found my absolute limit is three bikes and even then it always feels like one too many. I'm not short of space to keep them but for some reason I feel I can't give enough attention to more than a couple.
Currently have my 1980 Jota and a 1994 Triumph Sprint 900 I recently picked up for about £650 which has turned out to be an excellent buy.
Car wise my wife has a DB9 which I am allowed to polish.
 
I'm also a hoarder, an amasser.
I've got about 15 bikes, 7 or 8 of which are running. All Italian though I'm still toying with the idea of selling the SFC to buy a Vincent for touring. The others are projects. All bought when the price of old metal was reasonable, apart from the Guzzi Falcone.

Most of the bike collectors I know don't ride, or not much.

Paul
 
I have a ’collection’ of bikes, but don’t particularly consider myself a collector as unlike many collectors I know, I don’t buy bikes with the intention of just keeping them for the sake of it. However, I won’t dispute there is probably an element of some syndrome or other involved in my amassing of bikes and spare parts since 2010 (the year I was given ‘freedom’ to start dabbling in bikes again).
I have quite often bought bikes as I thought they were a bargain (I.e. Zane Laverdas and the less loved Breganze models) and/or on the basis, if I don’t, they may well end up on the scrap heap, but it’s not always a very economic way of buying a bike If you plan to make it useable, which is always my intention. It was also my intention to have rideable bikes available to lend to friends, or friends of friends, if they came over to the island bikeless and wanted to experience riding a bike around the TT course etc.
Recently, I had the daft idea of trying to acquire as many ex IOM TT race bikes as I could, but soon realised: a) few of the surviving bikes were anything like what was raced in the 70’s and 80’s and b) I couldn’t afford it. 😢
I have also, over the last 3-4 years, lost a little bit of loyalty by buying other makes of Italian bikes, mainly on the basis they were newer, inexpensive to buy, and had a lot more hp than any of my Laverdas so satisfying my lust to get up the mountain mile faster. However, I may well have exhausted that desire and I am seriously considering what I really need is smaller, lighter bikes, many of which are still fast enough to provide any thrill seeking, but I’m less likely to drop it when I am not riding it.
I do also suffer a bit from sentimentality, and have bought back or considered buying back bikes I have previously owned. However, I need to sell in order to buy, and as stated above, deciding which one(s) have to go is often far less easy than deciding what to buy. 🤔
 
Out of my league here as the many of you subscribe to the adage "too much is hardly enough"... down to my last three Laverda, was 5.

Each birthday a reward was to be had, so it came to pass, have 40+ basses, latterly took up "doubling" ie different musical instruments, 8 saxophones, 4 flutes, 4 clarinets, 1 Oboe, 1 trumpet, 2 mandolins, 15+ electric guitars, Ovation 12 string guitar ( 1974 ), Tricone resonator guitar, 5 string Banjo, 2 Violins, 3 upright Double Bass, 3 Chromaharps, 3 acoustic drum kits, 3 Alesis drum pads..... 5 keyboards, 1 13note midi pedal trigger, then there is the stage production equipment.... about 80% are used at times.

Any wonder you the accumulators of laverda and other brands are seen to be less than possessed of all your facilities, that opinion obviously has an effect, we keep collecting, go big or go home.... well, home is bigger than big...j
 
Impressive list of instrument, I currently only have a trumpet, bugle, hunting horn and an alto sax (that’s still in its box waiting for me to try it out after several years in a cupboard. At least it’s now in my study, next to my chair…) I must admit I do fancy buying a bass guitar - I couldn’t make any noise worse than my missus and her cello 😜
 
John (or Jon? not sure of your spelling), it seems obvious from your collection of stuff that you're primarily a musician, but with a side interest in motorcycles and electronic engineering. Mathematicians are often good at music and vice-versa. But that link is broken in my case. I'm not bad at maths, but rubbish at music.

My great grandfather (Harry Douglas) was a full-time professional stage actor, singer and comedian who was quite well known throughout the eastern states of Australia in the late 19th to early 20th century (died in 1911). My dad used to play a mandolin and sing very well, so I guess he inherited some of his granddad's musical talent. But I got 0% of it in my genes. My entire musical instrument collection consisted of a WW2 Navy bugle that my uncle souvenired during the war and gave to me when I was a kid. As it was a Navy bugle, I kept it on my boat until someone stole it. I couldn't play much of a tune on it, but I could produce a loud noise. It saw use a few times as a foghorn, which is oddly appropriate because another ancestor on my mother's side (Scottish engineer Robert Foulis) invented the steam-powered foghorn.
 
iis_iis said:
Out of my league here as the many of you subscribe to the adage "too much is hardly enough"... down to my last three Laverda, was 5.

Each birthday a reward was to be had, so it came to pass, have 40+ basses, latterly took up "doubling" ie different musical instruments, 8 saxophones, 4 flutes, 4 clarinets, 1 Oboe, 1 trumpet, 2 mandolins, 15+ electric guitars, Ovation 12 string guitar ( 1974 ), Tricone resonator guitar, 5 string Banjo, 2 Violins, 3 upright Double Bass, 3 Chromaharps, 3 acoustic drum kits, 3 Alesis drum pads..... 5 keyboards, 1 13note midi pedal trigger, then there is the stage production equipment.... about 80% are used at times.

Any wonder you the accumulators of laverda and other brands are seen to be less than possessed of all your facilities, that opinion obviously has an effect, we keep collecting, go big or go home.... well, home is bigger than big...j
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I would just love a big double bass to look at !!!!!
 
Dellortoman said:
John (or Jon? not sure of your spelling), it seems obvious from your collection of stuff that you're primarily a musician, but with a side interest in motorcycles and electronic engineering. Mathematicians are often good at music and vice-versa. But that link is broken in my case. I'm not bad at maths, but rubbish at music.

My great grandfather (Harry Douglas) was a full-time professional stage actor, singer and comedian who was quite well known throughout the eastern states of Australia in the late 19th to early 20th century (died in 1911). My dad used to play a mandolin and sing very well, so I guess he inherited some of his granddad's musical talent. But I got 0% of it in my genes. My entire musical instrument collection consisted of a WW2 Navy bugle that my uncle souvenired during the war and gave to me when I was a kid. As it was a Navy bugle, I kept it on my boat until someone stole it. I couldn't play much of a tune on it, but I could produce a loud noise. It saw use a few times as a foghorn, which is oddly appropriate because another ancestor on my mother's side (Scottish engineer Robert Foulis) invented the steam-powered foghorn.
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Like many the wannabe's am no different, during the biker pub band power trio i was in ( 1978 ), you had to have a "name or handle", on all my instrument cases in that period, was JON, in letters that where as big as the bass cases. Glory days are hard to let go, hence the moniker sticks. Other reasons also to do with modern age security on the internet.

Bike rider first, GT750K Kettle, a walk up start to triples. Only in the last 25 years i made up for having little money in early life, as others have stated in this topic, overcompensation is no bad thing, to my mind.

Your too quick to judge yourself Cam, no one in my family were musical, at least there was the demonstrated capacity in your family bloodline.... i hear it many the time "am not musical.." yer right, as i stick a Ukulele in their hands, one finger chord...first chord in "walking after midnight" lovely melody, "your journey has commenced..." you know you want to Cam... the inner you awaits to be the outer you.... a smile here, j.
 
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