From humble sheds to sprawling museums, step inside the ever-growing garages of Australia’s most dedicated collectors
There’s an old joke in biker circles about the ever-suffering wife’s lament: the ‘just one more bike’ scenario. And just how many bikes are enough? Well, just one more, obviously.
For most single-bike owners, this is not a big deal. Space, finance and the spouse’s protestations keep a lid on things. But some blokes seem to fly against the trend, amassing dozens – sometimes hundreds – of bikes. We went in search of these collections and met some very interesting characters and mouth-watering motorcycles along the way…
Collector: Nick and Megan Hawtin
Location: Rutherglen, Victoria
Bikes in Collection: 50
Publicly Viewable: Caffeine N Machine
Is this the perfect mix – motorcycles, coffee and delectable pastries? Opened in 2020, the couple pooled their respective talents and created this fabulous bakery/cafe right in the heart of Rutherglen. We’re wondering if Megan let Nick keep his motorcycle collection as long as he built her a cafe. Either way, the couple is powering on and gaining national acclaim for their initiative. Best of luck, you two.
Collector: Dave Reidie
Location: Castlemaine, Victoria
Bikes in Collection: 50+
Publicly Viewable: Harley City Collection
When Dave Reidie sold his Melbourne Harley-Davidson dealership back in 2017, he retreated to the peace and quiet of rural Castlemaine and set up a ‘shed’ for his substantial collection of Milwaukee treasures. Amassed over a period of some 40 years, Reidie wasn’t concerned about building the biggest collection; rather, he went about finding unique and valuable machines that fitted his own eclectic taste. Starting in the 1950s with the most recognisable models, Reidie worked backwards to the 1920s, collecting modified racers and bobbers that exemplified that exciting period in Harley-Davidson’s history, with many of the bikes displayed ‘as found’. He hosts an annual open day.
Collector: Ian Boyd
Location: Jurien Bay, WA
Bikes in Collection: 80
Publicly Viewable: Yes, at his home by appointment
Former crayfisherman Ian Boyd bought his first Vincent in 1988, knowing nothing about the marque. Now he has one of the world’s most extensive private collections, comprising 45 machines that cover every Vincent-HRD model from 1933 to 1955. Royal Enfield, Norton and Triumph make up the numbers.
Collector: Ciarán Carruthers
Location: Adelaide, SA
Bikes in Collection: 100
Publicly Viewable: Castambul Classic Motorcycles
A high-flying executive in the hospitality industry, Irish-born Carruthers traces his love of motorcycles – like so many of us – to his wild youth. It was the powerful Japanese fours like the Honda CB750, CBX1000 and Kawasaki Z900 that dominated his imagination, so it’s no surprise to see several examples of these in his vast collection of 70s, 80s and 90s Japanese superbikes along with Triumphs, Ducatis (including a Hailwood replica), BMWs and Moto Guzzis. He gets a bit misty-eyed telling the story of his grandfather who rode as an Irish Army signaller on a BSA M20. Carruthers employs two factory trained technicians part-time to maintain the collection, and enthusiasts can also bring their own classics here for TLC.
Collector: Barry Bly
Location: Warrnambool, Victoria
Bikes in Collection: 100 plus
Publicly Viewable: George Taylor’s Vintage and Rare Motorcycle Collection
If ever there was a ‘barn find’, this is it. Barry is getting on and retreating from the limelight, but everyone knows his enormous collection of strange, vintage and eclectic motorcycles in various states of repair, hiding in plain view in George Taylor’s huge hardware and surplus emporium just outside Warrnambool.
Collector: Dr Dugal James
Location: Bendigo, Victoria
Bikes in Collection: 100
Publicly Viewable: Black Swan Hotel, Bendigo
Renowned orthopaedic surgeon Dr Dugal James is a Bendigo local with a passion for motorcycles, Indian in particular. His considerable collection is housed in the former Black Swan Hotel in the centre of town and, after a protracted soft opening, is now serving local beer, wine and food among his many machines, certainly the largest private collection of Indian motorcycles in Australia, if not beyond. Spanning the full 100 years of production, the collection is spread across two floors of the historic pub, the balance made up of significant Italian and German machines like BMW and Ducati.
Collector: Jack Kaines
Location: Birdwood, SA
Bikes in Collection: 100
Publicly Viewable: National Motor Museum
This well-known museum in the Adelaide Hills curated by Matthew Lombard (below) – famous for its significant collection of motor vehicles and motoring history – also features a beautifully displayed collection of 20th-century motorcycles, the most renowned being the genesis of the collection: a 1936 Brough Superior SS 80 once owned by museum founder Jack Kaines.
Collector: Chris Smerdon
Location: Adelaide, SA
Bikes in Collection: 100
Publicly viewable: No
Smerdon is better known in V8 Supercar racing circles as a valiant privateer who began racing in earnest back in 1992, including the Bathurst 1000 and winning several second-tier championships during his three-decade career.
A fabulously successful IT entrepreneur, Smerdon has mixed his love of high-speed thrills with business acumen and a love of beautiful motorcycles. His ‘shed’ contains almost 100 exquisite two-wheeled machines in a modern facility with two full-time staff to maintain and preen his immaculate steeds.
Every bike, from the oldest to the newest, is gleaming and ready for the road. And while the collection is not open to the public, many of his bikes have been displayed at events such as the Australian Superbike Championships at The Bend.
Collector: Ian Spooner
Location: Mannum, SA
Bikes in Collection: 100
Publicly Viewable: River Rides Motorcycle Museum
Spooner and his ever-tolerant wife Belinda have turned their collection of unusual machines into a delightful museum originally at Peterborough and now at Mannum on the Murray River in South Australia. With a preference for unique machines, predominantly Italian small-capacity vintage bikes from Benelli, Laverda, Bimoto and Gloria, Ian began modestly, buying his first bike at the age of 16 and gradually building the collection.
A humble, hard-working tradesman, Ian is building an extension to his ‘shed’, enabling him to increase his display space from the current 60 machines to the full 100 restored and running bikes, along with his extensive memorabilia collection.
Collector: Teo Lamers
Location: Yea, Victoria
Bikes in Collection: 200+
Publicly Viewable: Cathedral of Moto Guzzi
Lamers’ ‘shed’ is located in the glorious rolling hills of Victoria’s Yarra Valley and is every bit the shrine to this revered Italian marque where more than 200 machines are on display, with numerous sources citing it as the largest collection of Moto Guzzi machines anywhere – including the factory museum in Mandello del Lario! Why Moto Guzzi? Lamers explains that back in the 1960s, while at university, he was disappointed with his ‘slow’ BMW and went in search of a non-Japanese shaft-drive replacement and the V7 was the only alternative. The rest, as they say, is history. The collection spans Moto Guzzi models from the 1920s to the 1990s.
Collector: Johnny Gee
Location: Cheltenham, Victoria
Bikes in Collection: 250+
Publicly Viewable: Naked Racer Moto Co.
Gee’s collection is truly mind-boggling and a very clever amalgam of motorcycle workshop, comfort food diner, nightspot and boys’ toys museum. It is arguably Australia’s ultimate motorcycle man cave. Well known to Melbourne bikers since 1988, the vast collection includes rare racers, custom cruisers and vintage masterpieces from Vincent, Indian, Bimota. Even a ridiculous Y2K jet turbine motorcycle capable of more than 400km/h.
Collector: Greg Maguire
Location: Tamworth, NSW
Bikes in Collection: 200+
Publicly Viewable: Powerhouse Motorcycle Museum
Tamworth local and agricultural entrepreneur Maguire is a self-confessed motorcycle nut – and the entire ground floor of his office is devoted to displaying his collection of rare and desirable two-wheelers. Well, perhaps 25 per cent of his huge collection. Maguire and his delightfully nerdy curator, Frank, rotate the display frequently to exhibit the balance of his 200+ collection, which includes such marques as MV Agusta, Velocette, Ducati, Norton, Indian and Harley-Davidson.
Collector: Brian and Marg Kelleher
Location: Nabiac, NSW
Bikes in Collection: 800 plus!
Publicly Viewable: The National Motorcycle Museum
The story of Brian and Marg Kelleher has to be the ultimate motorcycle romance. Brian (76) bought his first motorcycle, an AJS 500 twin, at age 16 and now has more than 800 of his own, plus another 200-odd on loan from mates “hiding them from the missus”. Most readers will be familiar with the museum complex just off the highway at Nabiac crammed with bikes of all ages, shapes and sizes. Brian and Marg’s excuse was to preserve Australia’s motorcycling heritage and prevent significant bikes from leaving the country. Their favourites include a rare 1919 Kenilworth scooter, a twin-cylinder water-cooled two-stroke Scott, and a Vincent Black Knight.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
When quality over quantity counts, some of these smaller collections and museums are definitely worth a visit
Collector: Robert Stein
Location: Mudgee, NSW
Bikes in Collection: 16
Publicly Viewable: Robert Stein Winery
Off Ulan Rd, northeast of the township, you can see the family’s collection of 16 historic motorcycles ranging from a 1927 Douglas through to a 1966 Triumph Thunderbird and 1976 BMW R60. You can even buy your favourite wine like Norton Shiraz or Triumph Cab Sav.
Collector: Colin Gitsham
Location: Mount Pleasant, SA
Bikes in Collection: 16
Publicly Viewable: Cabinet of Curiosities
The ebullient Gitsham has been a feature of the local motorcycle community for decades and has found a home for his bikes and memorabilia in a heritage-listed former service station in leafy Mount Pleasant. Standout machines include rare 500cc two-stroke racing bikes from the 70s and 80s, with the prize being (arguably) a super rare 1974 Yamaha TZ750 – or maybe the TZ500G raced at the Isle of Man in 1980. Oh, by the way, the whole collection is up for sale. I promise not to tell the wife!
