Kelvin, from Echuca, has known Rochester Motorcycle owner Brian Murphy since they were children.
“I bought my first motorbike off his dad as an 18-year-old in the late 1970s,” he said.
“I remember it was a Kawasaki 400 road bike.
"I was an apprentice fitter and turner and had to scrimp and scrape to afford it.“
Kelvin bought his bright yellow Ducati 15 years ago from the original owner, John Bodnner, who lived in Canberra.
“I bought four bikes from his collection after he had died,” Kelvin said.
“Before he moved to Canberra we were neighbours when I lived behind the Echuca racecourse.
“I knew the family well and I said to his son if he ever wanted to sell them I was interested.
“He had 20 Italian-made bikes of this quality and this sort of stuff doesn’t come up for sale very often.”
Among the four motorcycles he bought was a 1975 SS 900, number 35 of only 246 that were made in the world.
The ‘’big brother’’ of his 750cc Ducati was recently valued at $375,000, Kelvin explaining there was one of those owned by an Echuca enthusiast.
He has nine of his own bikes, having recently reduced his “fleet’’.
Kelvin was diagnosed with lung cancer eight years ago and his “special occasion’’ rides aboard his valuable and historic motorcycles have become a highlight — the Rochester motorcycle event well and truly qualifying as one of those.
