Bike lovers cheer up…. You reached your destiny….

Aknisree Karthik

Bangalore: All eyes on the stone building at No.15 Wheeler Road, Frazer Town. It is here a first of its kind museum for the ‘vintage bikes’ is opened under the banner Legends Motor Cycling Café and Museum.

A pony tailed hardcore bike lover S K Prabhu emerged from the museum and welcomed us. Prabhu who has traversed all the over the country with his bikes spoke to us as the last minute preparations like fixing a glass pane, arranging the furniture was going on at the museum.

“I always have a feeling that I was born to ride bikes. I always had passion for bikes. It was there in me right from my childhood. I had been to many countries across the globe and found that India was the place which did not have a museum for vintage bikes” said S K Prabhu in an exclusive chat.

Prabhu has about 25 rare vintage bikes. What is surprising is that most of the bikes are in their original colour. Hold on your breath, what is more surprising is that most of the bikes are in running condition.

“I have travelled the whole country with my bikes. I always have the habit of getting something memorable from places wherever in travel. I started collecting bikes as my passion kindled it and lined on by one at my home. Then I was struck with an idea to open a café along with a museum” added Prabhu.

The visitors can have a wide range of things offered here at my café mostly in the British style. As they sip their coffee they can have a look at the book collections and magazines which I will be placing here in one of the corners.

The vistors can have a look at the 1924 BSA 250cc, 1928 BSA 500cc, 1960 Innocenti, 1960 Fantabulous Scooter 125 cc, 1960 Florettee 60cc, Java Colt Racer, 1962 Czeta and Military bikes like 1942 BSA 500 cc, 1942 Norton 500cc, 1942 Matchless 350cc etc. Prabhu even said that he has plans to flood the museum with much more bikes in the future.

One will surely remember his childhood days once he steps in to the café at the ground floor and move on to the museum at the second floor by opening the doors of the museum which is fixed with a bike handle. What more? The café is too filled with all antique collections right from the fans with wooden blades to the wall clock, and even the toasting machine and refrigerator are antique ones.

Prabhu showed us the LP player and said that he will be playing jazz music for his visitors. The museum too has a huge collection of ash trays which was picked by Prabhu while his journey to various countries. The wall of the museum is filled with charcoal paint pictures. You can even see the oil tins which were used in olden days.

“Even I have plans of serving wine on the museum where all bike lovers can sit and have a chat sharing their experiences. There is no such bike clubs exclusively for the bike lovers in the city. The café will be open from 6 am to 11.30 pm serving scrambelled eggs, cheese omblet, Danish Open, Mutton Biriyani, Chicken Biriyani, Prawn Biriyani, Seer Fish, cakes, and ice creams” said Prabhu.