Motorcycle museum in Austria ravaged by fire; over 230 rare motorcycles thought to be lost

Simran Rastogi Published: January 19, 2021, 10:50 AM IST

Said to be the world's highest motorcycle museum (situated at an altitude of 2,175m), and housing one of Europe's most valuable and extensive motorcycle collections, the Top Mountain Crosspoint museum on the Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road in Austria has been ravaged by fire overnight. Despite the best efforts of firefighters, the fate of the 230-odd motorcycles and cars that were housed in the museum looks grim, but fortunately no lives were lost during the incident. It appears the fire broke out at pre-dawn, while the cause of the fire hasn't yet been ascertained.

The museum, started in 2016 to house the motorcycle collection of two brothers, Alban and Attila Scheiber, was even inaugurated by racing legend Giacomo Agostini, and has since grown to include over 230 motorcycles and a handful of valuable cars from classic Porsche 911s to Aston Martin DB5s. The collection, showcased across a 3,000 sq metre area, includes motorcycles from over 100 manufacturers, and spans rarities such as a 1905 Laurin & Klement 105, 1939 Brough Superior, 1926 Indian Scout, 1932 BMW R4 and many more.

Also, housing a restaurant and ski resort, the Top Mountain Crosspoint was a popular spot for motorcyclists as well as local car clubs, being situated on the Timmelsjoch mountain pass that crosses the border into Italy and offers a stunning view of the Ötztal Alps. Here's hoping that all is not lost once the dust clears.