Left Fanie Haarhoff Right Theo van Rensburg
About
Our History
The story of our collection begins with a deep and enduring passion for motorcycles, shared by both Theo and Fanie. Their love for Harley-Davidson was not a passing interest—it was a lifestyle. For Theo, the journey began in 1969 after watching the iconic film Easy Rider, written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern. The movie ignited a spark that would grow into a lifelong obsession.
Theo’s first motorcycle was a humble Atom 50cc, followed shortly by a Honda 50cc SSV in 1973. From there, his collection grew rapidly, with various bikes bought and sold over the years—including a Triumph Bonneville and a Honda 750 K2. In 1975, he reached an exciting milestone with the acquisition of a red 1000cc Honda Gold Wing—the first Honda belt drive in South Africa. The bike was bought from Honda on Hill, a dealership perched on top of a mine dump next to the Top Star drive-in. This model generated considerable buzz among motorcycle enthusiasts at the time.
About
As the years passed, Theo’s love for Harley-Davidson deepened. He began collecting various World War II Harley-Davidson models—some running, others in need of restoration. Initially, his growing collection was stored in the garage at his home, but by 2008, the space was no longer sufficient. This led to the creation of his first “man cave,” located in storerooms at what is now known as the Bram Fischer Shopping Centre. While no photographs of this first space exist today, it marked a significant step in the evolution of the collection.
Around 2010, the collection was relocated to Sherwood Place, occupying the basement parking area. This space was transformed with memorabilia—many pieces generously donated by Fanie from Johannesburg Harley-Davidson, often during dealership upgrades. Much of the work and design in this phase was carried out by Frans Koen, bringing an exciting new energy to the display.
When Sherwood Place underwent redevelopment, the collection moved once again—this time to the Piston Room in Strijdompark. This was a huge warehouse acquired by Netwater Properties (Pty) Ltd, a company founded by brothers Theo and Cliff, to which their younger brother was invited to join, with a third of the shares gifted to him. The collection was now to be housed over 2,000 square meters in space not required by Netwater Properties. Theo and Fanie started the arduous task of developing, with consent from the brothers, what is now known as The Piston Room.
Today, the collection stands as a tribute to history, craftsmanship, and a lifelong love of motorcycles. What began with a spark in 1969 has grown into something truly special—an evolving legacy powered by passion.
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