SHARING THE PASSION FOR MOTOR COLLECTING AROUND THE GLOBE

When and why did you start collecting?

Started something like 20 years ago. A friend in 80s had a BMW K 100 RS and was making trips of international tourism around many countries and I always envied this since I didn’t have the means to have all that, so I always had this great German model in my mind. Years later I started to find my first BMWs 50/5 in a basement in Brescia, started to grow my collection and looking after it. That’s when my passion started.

Have you ever gifted a motorcycle? If yes, to whom?

I never actually gifted a motorcycle. But I gifted the restauration to a friend and member of my motorcycle club, Miriam Orlandi. She took a solitary trip through America, from Alaska to Argentina, for several months, with a BMW R 100 and even wrote a book about it. After this lengthy trip the motorcycle clearly had some problems, so she abandoned it at her parents’ house, I decided to take it to my garage and gift the restauration of this motorcycle with such an interesting story, which looks amazing with all the rest of my collection. Will be giving the motorcycle back in pristine condition in the next few months.

Does the collector, even if collects mainly for himself/herself, has a social role?

Absolutely. To spread and preserve the culture which is not only connected to an object. I believe that a motorcycle, like cars, paintings, books and everything about our past lives represents our history. Collecting motorcycles means care, share and preserve a culture that identifies with important motorcycle brands, many not in business anymore, of which collecting certain models testifies the existence of a past no more with us.

Does your collection include memorabilia?

I’m fond of memorabilia, especially vintage petrol pumps and signs, poster ads, mainly from the 50s and from cars and motorcycles brands. I have a couple Shell petrol pumps, one of Esso and some very big signs that old Esso gas stations used to hang at the service stations and casually found them in the countryside of Cremona. Farmers there used the signs for covering the food for the farm animals. I paid a farmer that dug them out with a tractor, I cleaned and fixed them like my motorcycles. And to think that a couple years back a sign just like the ones I have was sold at auction for 15000 euros. The satisfaction comes not from the money side but from finding them in this lost place. Now the signs are shown at my garage.

Do you collect only motorcycles?

I actually have some cars too. I can’t afford to collect also cars, which also need ample space to properly store them. I had a couple of Porsche 911 Targa, I sold one and I kept the 1985 that I knew perfectly because the last owner was a friend. Moreover, I share with a great friend a cars collection, which he owns, but not having time to care for them I took the job and regularly check on them. We participated together in a lot of classic cars competitions around the world, the last being in Pebble Beach, California.

To which motorcycle are you most attached and why?

In reality it’s two. The absolute first, forever my dream, a 1985 BMW R 80 G/S Paris-Dakar. A dear friend of mine had it and I bought it when he died. Other than being a fascinating motorcycle it keeps alive the memory of this person I really cared for. The second one it’s the BMW, made by Silvio Fatichi and used by pilot Bruno Birbes at the Pharaons Rally in Egypt and Paris-Dakar in 1987.

In your opinion, what’s the best motorcycle ever built?

Being a BMW fan, I’d say two: the BMW Gaston Rahier won with at the Paris-Dakar; the other one is the BMW G/S which various pilots used, coordinated by the engineer Laszlo Peres, at the ISD, the Enduro Six-Days, 1979 and 1980 and the ISDE 1981.

If you had to buy a new production motorcycle, which one would it be?

I’m heavily connected to BMW, mostly by passion and even I don’t disdain other iconic and famous brands I’d buy a 1250 GS. Even though for the use I have, long trips included, 1980s BMWs are more trustworthy because of their mechanics, which I understand and can work with. As famously said: ‘If it isn’t there, it can’t break’, so I feel comfortable and confident working with motorcycles with no complicated technology.

Are there experts or magazines you use to fine your choices?

I mostly rely on experts that know the history of the brand and know pilots and engineers that used and worked on the motorcycles. I contact often Stefano Vaccari, engineer from Modena, who made my BMW replica that I use for Enduro Vintage races. He knows every BMW pilots and engineers that directly worked on this type of motorcycles and I think I can’t have a better source than him.

A ‘beautiful and impossible’ motorcycle you want in your collection?

I’m chasing this motorcycle for a while, but the current owner doesn’t want to sell it, and it’s the official motorcycle engineer Laszlo Peres used in 1979 at The Six Days of Siegen, Germany. This is the motorcycle my replica is based on but I’d love to have the original in my collection.

An adjective or phrase you would use to define your collection?

It’s my spiritual sanctuary.

You’re a finance expert working for a large insurance group, is investing in motorcycles a good investment?

If I want to give an example, a good portion of my assets was used to build my collection, so I would say for sure that yes, it is a good investment.

How do you choose a motorcycle for your collection? Who do you consult and where do you do your research? Do you frequent exhibitions or events? If yes, is there an event you wouldn’t ever miss?

In Italy the most important is the Novegro in Milan. At this market-fair there are exhibitions not only from professionals but also private collectors, and more often than not those collections contain interesting and rarely seen motorcycle mostly found in basements or inherited from family members.

Who will care for your collection when you’re gone?

I have two daughters more interested in shoes and bags more than motorcycles, of course. One of my daughters is interested in motorcycles and maybe she will one day share my same passion. If that’s not the case, I’d love if the motorcycle club I’m president of, U.S. Leonessa 1993, will take care of my collection.

Do you have any suggestions for a weekend in Brescia? Also for motorcycles enthusiasts?

Brescia has so much to offer even if it’s less mentioned and popular than other close cities, but we have a lot to offer, like the Castle and Mille Miglia museum in old town. We’re really close with motorsports here that even the headquarters of my motorcycle club is inside the Mille Miglia museum, with the only motorcycle shown being my BMW Fatichi that Bruno Birbes used at Paris-Dakar. I’m going to suggest a beautiful trail on Garda Lake, that starts at Tremosine and is considered one of the most beautiful roads in the world, the Forra road.

For lunch instead the tavern at Mille Miglia is perfect, not much sophisticated but on brand for bikers, where the food marries the passion for motorcycles.