I hate bike/car museums. While I appreciate that the bikes have been preserved for us to see, I always get a sad feeling when looking at them. It's as if the bike is whispering "psst Firko, get me out of here! to me as I walk past.
I restored a '73 250 Maico for a well known and wealthy identity a few years ago thinking it was going to be his race bike. I spent an inordinate amount of time on the engine making sure it would be as reliable and fast as possible. I fitted a NOS Magnum clutch, one of the first PVL ignitions in the country, a brand new factory pipe, brand new alloy Konis and even went to a lot of bother to fit tapered roller head bearings. I painted the the original fibreglass a beautiful factory red and prepped a set of plastic race fenders and alloy tank for racing. Sadly, the bike never fired a note in anger after it left my house. It's been sitting in the Nabiac museum for at least 15 years along with many of the owners other bikes and it shits me seeing it sit there deteriorating by not being used......Yep, I hate museums.