French title
Frame n° 12217
- A piece of history
- Just three owners from new
- Rare original condition
- Ex-Coluche bike
Coluche was a true motorcycle fan. He began roaming around Paris on a 50cc bike as a teenager. Then, Georges Moustaki offered him a Yamaha 250cc two-stroke. A long list of machines followed, his favourites being Harleys and fast Japanese bikes from the late 1970s, especially those prepared by Yoshimura. With the help of journalist Eric Courly, Coluche even created a new world record for a kilometre on 750cc machines, riding a Yamaha OW31 at the Nardo ring in Italy on 29 September 1985.
Known for his generosity, some of his bikes were available for his friends to use, kept in the yard at Rue Gazan in the 14th arrondissement, Paris.
This motorcycle was bought in 1987 at the auction sale dedicated to Coluche, when the majority of his machines, including some of the most powerful bikes, were sold to friends and collectors. It was bought by a French pre-war automobile enthusiast, who admired the comic and was also a fan of enduro bikes. After using it sparingly during 1987, he conserved the bike in its original condition, keeping it on display at a friend's dealership for many years.
The motorcycle is presented today in a sympathetic, original condition, as if, once Coluche had disappeared, it was tucked away to wait for another fan to step forward. The current owner having kept it as a relic, the bike is now in need of restoration, although it remains full of charm, as if preserved in a time capsule holding the spirit of France's favourite comic too.
