I question whether this is an issue of nouns or of categories and the valua tion given to those categories. "The" original Masi (let's say serial #00 01) would seem to be the ideal prototype for any standard. In theory, ar e all succeeding Masis copies? If there was a production run of 1000, wo uldn't #1 still be more original (and valuable on that basis) than #1000? My implied argument here is that there definitely should be an "original" c ategory, but these should be museum pieces and kept as originally produce d as possible so that they can serve as models for judging as opposed to be ing judged. That is, unless that serial #1 no longer exists or is not ex tant. I suppose I'm suggesting an analogy here between bike collecting an d book collecting --as opposed to car or motorcycle collecting.
I also like the idea of "hotroods" as a category because it acknowledges th at bikes are expressions of individuality and are often the products of nec essity. It'd be a shame to not to know that, during certain periods, y oung people "chopped" off this or "modified" this or that either out of nee d or on a whim. This actually makes me think of those red reflectors that were "standard" on bikes.
Anyway, a more general question. When it comes to autos, collectors re ally want to know where the car came from, where it was built, who owne d it, and receipts are good. Particular cars have "history" and that oft en determines their worth. Are these factors considered important in the b ike collecting world?
Steve James
Bronx, New York, USA
"watching the Tour"