GEORGE TOWN, Oct 6 —The hobby of collecting various items is far from unusual.
But what one collects can be varied from the stamps and coins to more unusual items.
In hotelier Philip D. Theseira’s case, it is classic motorcycles.
And on certain days, he can be seen tinkering with the motorbikes as a form of unwinding after work.
His passion for these bikes started from a young age when he was in primary school and aspired to own one of these beauties one day.
Theseira’s first two-wheeler was a Triumph Tiger 100 that he bought in the mid 1970s for a few hundred ringgit.
“The value of money was big then,” he said, adding that he must have spent quite a bit on his collection although he cannot recall the exact amount.
Part of the cost is because he needs to purchase spare parts that sometimes can only be obtained overseas.
He also stores the bikes under covers in his garage and rides them around the neighbourhood to keep the engines in good condition.
He said he was fascinated with old British and American bikes because of their distinctive thumping sounds and unique designs.
“The old bikes had a simple engine and there is more chrome to them,” he said.
His father, he added, had familiarised him with the many motorcycle brands such as Velocette, Francis Barnet, Harley Davidson, Ducati, BSA and Norton.
“The more I heard the stories, the more it got me all worked up and interested,” said the Royale Chulan Hotel Penang general manager.
He said he was eager to own a classic motorcycle from the time he was 15 or 16 years old based on the stories his father told him and seeing them on the roads.
“Currently in my possession is my old faithful Triumph T100 1956, which I acquired from a childhood friend in the neighbourhood.
“I bought it the late 70’s and rode it for a while and stored away for some time until it was restored to its original condition,” he said.
He also has a Harley Davidson that he bought in the mid-1990.
Among his memorable riding trips with the Harley was when he was posted to Kota Kinabalu in early 2002 and rode it with the local bikers group called the “Thunder Riders Penampang”.
They rode up to the tip of Borneo and took other day rides.
“There was not a good Harley mechanic based there at that time and I had to fly out my mechanic to service my bike and those of fellow riders.”
He recently bought a BSA Bantam 125cc 1951 in its original condition.
The BSA Bantam bikes were used by the military personnel and postmen during the British era.
“In my early days, I also had a BSA, AJS, Norton, Triumph and a Suzuki GT 250.
“Unfortunately, most were sold as I did not have the time to take care of them as I was working away from home.”
He learnt how to do simple repairs through trial and error and also with help from fellow classic biker friends.
One thing Theseira often rues over is the fact he rarely has time to ride much due to work, which often finds him busy on weekends as well.
“Perhaps when I retire I will be able to enjoy riding again,” he said.
The seasoned biker advised those less experiences to plan their journey well.
“Make sure your bike is in good condition, wear protective clothing, have a good full face helmet, be disciplined and alert on the road.
“Lastly, enjoy the journey.”
