JAKARTA - The British automotive world is gripped by grief and anger. A 1904 Riley motorcycle has reportedly been stolen from a property in Ousden, a rural area not far from Newmarket, Suffolk.
This theft is no ordinary occurrence. The 121-year-old motorcycle is believed to be the only remaining example in the UK. The only other known example is thousands of kilometers away, stored in Canada. Its loss is a major blow, not only to the owner but also to the legacy of the British automotive industry.
As reported by MCN, as quoted on Thursday, December 18, the theft allegedly occurred under cover of darkness, between the afternoon of Monday, December 15, and the morning of Tuesday, December 16. The perpetrators apparently had to bypass several security measures before making off with the antique motorcycle. The locked property complex was broken into, the concrete warehouse where it was stored was breached, and the locked trailer was dismantled piece by piece. Although it appears to have been planned, Bill Fellowes, the motorcycle's owner and great-grandson of the founder of the Riley Motor Company, suspects the theft was more opportunistic. This suspicion arose following a recent spate of similar thefts targeting rural properties in Suffolk.
With a bitter tone, Fellowes delivered a direct message to the thieves. He emphasized that the motorcycle was nearly impossible for the average person to ride. The drive belt wasn't even attached, and even if it were, it had to be started by pedaling like an old-fashioned moped. There was no clutch like on a modern motorcycle; once the engine started, the wheels turned. The rider had to manually adjust the decompression lever, pedal speed, fuel mixture, and ignition system—a complex procedure understood only by a select few.
More than just a vehicle, the Riley motorcycle symbolized the Fellowes family's long history of industry. Originally known as a ribbon manufacturer in Coventry, the family moved on to bicycles, and then to motorcycles and cars, a legacy that lasted until the 1970s. This legacy Fellowes wanted to preserve and pass on to the next generation.
The motorcycle is estimated to be worth around £10,000, or the equivalent of Rp223 million. But for the Fellowes family and British automotive history, its value goes far beyond its paper price. Therefore, Fellowes is now offering a reward for anyone who can return this historic motorcycle. He hopes that no collector would want to keep such an iconic stolen item if they knew its origins.
"I hope that with a reward, they will choose to return it, rather than destroy it or simply dump it in the bushes," Fellowes concluded.
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