While travelling in Bourgogne, France, I visited a unique collection of rare vintage and classic motorcycles. The bikes and collection were out of this world. In Australia, we'd keep the bikes in a big shed. In France, they keep the bikes on the upper floors of a Chateau surrounded by a vineyard. C'est la vie....
In one room, 3 Manx Nortons and 2 Rudges were on display, surrounded by rare motorcyle engines (like a 350cc Anzani single), tanks and vintage tin signs.
At the opposite end of the hall, another display room held 3 Vincents and an AJS. Connecting these rooms was a long hallway lined with Nortons (ES2, Interstate Commando, and Atlas with flamed out paint job), MV Augusta (750cc America and 175cc racing single), Velocette and Rudge.
The more unusual bikes included a Tigre faired race bike with horizontally opposed twin cylinder engine with the carbs stuck way out in the breeze and a Louise Clement with pressed steel wheels, leaf spring front fork and pin stripes.
Numerous examples of the (now gone) French marque Terrot were on display. Terrot was the largest French motorcycle manufacturer of its time based in Dijon. The name vanished after it became part of the Peugeot automotive group in the 1950s. The fuel tanks on the Terrot have a similar box like end profile as the tank on the rare 1935 New Imperial GP 250cc single that Trojan Classic Motorcycles have recently acquired (more on this build later).
For the old bike enthusiast, the collection at Chateau de Savigny in Bourgogne is a must see. While you're there you can also view the collection of sports and prototype Abarth race cars and classic military jets! Best of all, you get the old bikes to yourself while the tourists are out getting drunk at the wine tastings.
Timbo
