At every turn, these vintage machines are head-turning. What was once made exclusively in the UK is today coveted worldwide.
Over the past decade, thanks to the internet, vintage motorcycles have become all the rage among the growing number of classic bike enthusiasts. In Indonesia, most fans happen to be guys who were born in the 70s. They build and collect bikes and pursue these activities as an obsession. The reason is apparently beyond money, especially when it comes to old British motorcycles.
The Rarity
Most British motorcycle manufacturers including AJS, Ariel, Vincent and BSA are nothing more than a memory today. Only a few of them have survived. Amazingly, what these companies produced decades ago still exists, is ridden and sought-after. The Ariel Square Four, Vincent Black Lightning and BSA A65R Rocket are three of the most sought-after classic beauties today. From Triumph and Norton, two of the surviving companies – whose new products are available to purchase in the market – the 1965 Triumph Bonneville T120 and Norton Dominator 650SS are still very prized. Their prices reach around USD 50,000 to over 150,000. The fact that these bikes are no longer manufactured makes people want them.
The Hunting
According to Erlangga Djojosaputro, a classic bike enthusiast and owner of Thrive Motorcycles shop in Jakarta, what has hooked many people into collecting classic British motorcycles is mostly the thrill in hunting for these beauties and their components as well as the challenge of restoring them. “Not many people are lucky enough to find the ones that are ready-to-ride. In many cases, the bikes still need a bit of restoration work. But this is where the fun lies. There are guys out there who choose to build their classic bikes from scratch, hunt the parts one by one – although that means it takes years to finish one bike.”
The Ride
British bikes have very moody handling and are needy in terms of maintenance. But believe it or not, this is also one of the reasons people want them. They present a challenge. When it comes to riding one, the challenge is worthwhile. l
