Re: [CR]EBayFR Motoconfort Touring

Hi, Don---

Motoconfort is/was a division of Motobecane, under which were branded both bicycles and motorcycles. So they are a giant. They have been making motorcycles at least since the 1920s. You can see an example of the co-branding of Motobecane-Motoconfort in this ebay auction for a 1972 magazine ad----Item number: 180203238213.

I see Motonconforts all the time on French ebay---primarily mid-level touring bikes, mixtes and city bikes. At any given time on French ebay you can search "Motoconfort" and find 50-100 hits, primarily under motorcycles. But here is a typical bicycle auction for a Motoconfort--- 250208040804.

The above bike is, in fact, very cool, and one which would make a great and fun city machine for the wife, and you could probably win the auction for a hundred euro or less. But as is typical with the Continental sellers, they don't take Paypal, don't even know what it is in many cases, and often won't ship even within their own country, so forget about a big box coming to the US.

Also, most of the Motoconforts one sees on French ebay are not really worth shipping over, even if one can persuade the seller to open a Paypal account and bring it to a local French bike shop for boxing.

Folks like Norris Lockley, who drive to France frequently, are in the catbird's seat when it comes to plucking these kinds of little gems. (Norris is also very generous in tipping off the list about some of these obscure beauties). For them it's practical and cost effective to pick up a bike like this, because they can pay in local currency and pick the bike up with their car.

If the average CR member lived in France or within easy access, I'd suspect he'd have 50 bikes instead of a dozen. I know I would!

Cheers,

Peter Jourdain
Whitewater, Wisconsin US of A