The Grom Motorcycle Museum, Vransko, Slovenia part I

The Grom Motorcycle Museum is a private collection housed in an old industrial building in the centre of the town of Vransko in central Slovenia. It claims to be the largest motorcycle museum in Slovenia, a claim undoubtedly well founded as it is a large collection by any standards.

The Grom collection has a strong emphasis on unrestored machinery and the unusual. The geographic location meant that back in the day the motorcycles of Slovenia were truly international. Italian brands are strongly represented but there is a decent spread of French, German, American and British machinery too along with a patriotic smattering of Tomos products. 

Many of the exhibits are working and used on the road and a good number are held in a preserved state. There is a wonderful 1906 Puch in a glass case that is completely unmolested and original down to period tyres which have worn down to the string casing. The collection is expanding and projects are trundling out of the workshop on a regular basis. On the go whilst I visited was a French Majestic hub centre steered machine from the late twenties.

Though Vransko is a sleepy town it's got a lot of charm, is set in stunning countryside and  definitely warrants a night or two stay. The Museum itself has a bed and breakfast attached, no-one was in when we arrived so we ended up next door in a friendly small pizzeria restaurant and bar which had comfortable and reasonably priced rooms.  

The Museum is well worth going out of your way to visit, Ljubljana airport isn't far away and a long weekend in Slovenia isn't out of the question for Europeans. Below a selection of the Museum's exhibits, more to come over the next few days...

Narrow frontage belies the size of the Museum.

Puch 500VL from the mid thirties. An in-line
parallel twin two stroke.

There's a lot of love for Puch around these parts. This is a 1923
Puch LM of 122cc.

Shame on me for not noting the marque of this
beautiful path racer bicycle. Wooden rims and
shaft drive mark it out. The head badge looks like
'Regence' of Lille, though I can find no reference
to this brand anywhere.

1928 Ultima C1 500cc side valve v-twin from Lyon, France.

Lovely Indian Prince from 1926. Check the handlebar collection
closely and there is an unusual set of leaf spring bars.

Double overhead cam vintage BD Praga from the Czech Republic.

For me this 1931 Triumph sloper is a stand out bike of the
collection on account of its originality. Check out the unusual
instrument binacle on the handlebars. This was also an option
on BSA bikes of the same era.

The Triumph sloper still carries the mark of the original supplier
in Milano on the front numberplate.

1922 Austro Motorette cyclemotor. 81cc. It
attached to the bicycle's front forks.