History
Our History
The Piston room History
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1970's
First bike: Atom 50cc
Followed by: Honda 50cc SSV (1973)
Other motorcycles follow: Triumph Bonneville, Honda 750 K2, and others.
1969
Theo’s love for motorcycles begins after watching Easy Rider, igniting a lifelong passion for riding and collecting.
1980s–2000s
Continued buying, selling, and restoring motorcycles.
Passion shifts toward Harley-Davidson, especially WWII models (some running, some needing restoration).
Collection stored in Theo’s home garage.
1975
Theo purchases a red 1000cc Honda Gold Wing—one of the first belt-drive models. It creates a stir among enthusiasts.
Ordered from the original Rancho dealership on the former Wits University premises.
Circa 2010
Collection moves to Sherwood Place (basement parking area).
Harley-Davidson memorabilia begins being displayed, much of it donated by Fanny from Johannesburg Harley-Davidson.
Key contributions by Franz Kun during this setup.
2008
First “man cave” created in the storerooms at the bottom of what is now the Brom Fischer Shopping Centre.
No known photographs of this space exist.
Later Years
A 4,000m² warehouse is purchased.
2,000m² of the space is dedicated to Theo’s motorcycle collection and memorabilia.
Ongoing donations and support from Fanny continue to enrich the display.
Post-2010
Sherwood Place undergoes redevelopment.
Collection relocates to The Piston Room at Stratham Park.
