An extremely rare Riley, an old British motorcycle produced in 1904, disappeared from its owner’s property in the UK last week.
The owner of the Riley 1904, Bill Fellowes, reported its disappearance last Monday, November 15. According to him, the motorcycle was locked in the barn on his property in the village of Ousden, Suffolk, England.
According to Ride Apart, the thieves cut through a padlocked gate to enter the barn. In addition to the motorcycle, they also stole several other tools.
The worst part is that Fellowes is apparently a descendant of the original founders of the Riley Cycle Company. So, beyond the material loss, the motorcycle also carried sentimental value.
“My great-grandfather founded the company. […] It means a lot to the family. It’s a shame because it’s the only one in the UK, and the only other one is in Canada,” Fellowes told Motorcycle News.
While the Riley 1904 is worth £10,000 (around US$13,000), which could certainly generate a profit if sold, it is very unlikely to be seen on the streets in its current condition. After all, it’s a 121-year-old motorcycle.
For this reason, its owner believes it was taken more as an opportunity for the thieves to grab whatever they could rather than a premeditated plan to steal this particular motorcycle.
Now, Fellowes and his wife, Sharon, are making a public appeal for the motorcycle’s return. They are offering a reward for the safe return of the Riley 1904.
“With any luck, they’ll return it for the reward instead of setting it on fire or dumping it somewhere. They’ll never get it started anyway,” Fellowes told MCN.
Photo: Robert Fellowes. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
