A rare two-wheel-drive motorcycle is one of several rare motorcycles being sold after the Australian Motorcycle Musuem at Haigslea closed about three months ago.
Owner Allen Smith says he wants to enjoy his retirement and found the museum tied him down. However, he will continue tho operate his import business, but do the buying himself at US and Japanese auctions, rather than sight-unseen through a third party.
Drysdale DryvtechHe says there will be several rare bikes going up for sale soon, starting with the Dryvtech 2x2x2 motorcycle built by Australian motorcycle designer Ian Drysdale in the 1990s as a concept bike for the Australian Army.
It is being offered on eBay with a reserve of $10,000 and the auction closing today at lunchtime.
“It’s not of interest to me anymore,” Allen says. “I just bought it for display in the museum. I’m not into trail bikes.”
MTT Y2KAllen says he bought a few rare bikes over the years for some variety in the museum ad may sell them, including one of only 300 Honda NR750 race bikes and his Martine Turbine Technologies Y2K fitted with a Bell Ranger jet turbine engine as owned by Jay Leno. “My son, Michael rides it, but only up and down in a straight line,” he says.
However, he won’t be selling his brute-ugly German Munch Mammoth signed by Friedl Munch.
Munch MammothAllen collected his bikes over several decades of importing and working in bike race teams. His collection also includes a one-off carbonfibre Vincent Black Lightning and a 1988 Norton F1 rotary which is one of only 135 built. Paul McCartney owns number one and Smith owns number three.
Meanwhile, Allen’s import business is going strong, selling about 20o0 bikes a year and two more containers on their way from overseas.