It's really terrible there! and if someone put's it there "on loan" it's theirs forever, a big scam! they come up with so many insurance and upkeep fees, it's not worth trying to get it back, it's all in the small print, they got so many bikes of widows of deceased VMCC bike owners that didn't know what to do with the bikes, it's not funny anymore, like I said a big scam! don't ever fall for it.
Cheers,
Lex
When the NMM got started back in the late 1970s I had an approach from Roy Richards whom I believe was one of the pioneers of this project. He wanted me to part with my experimental prototype WD Royal Enfield and offered in exchange a brand new Honda Gold Wing. He clearly did not know me as I turned it down immediately. He then asked if I would loan the machine to the Museum which I said I would consider. When I asked about the arrangements for taking the machine out of the Museum to run on the road in future years the details of storage costs, insurance costs and all kinds of other costs were flagged and I would have to pay these costs to the Museum to get the machine back even for a short period. Needless to say I declined the offer even though I was told I had a duty to put the machine in the Museum.
I knew a couple of guys in the Midlands at the time who were employed to restore motorcycles for the Museum and was often approached for rare spares to assist in the restorations. I believe the early restorations were full and complete including all the internals but sometime later I was told that in order to save money some were externally restored only.
I have visited the Museum only once when a friend from the US visited and he wanted to go and whilst it is only 20 odd miles from where I live it holds little attraction for me to be honest.
