Contact usThe Motorcycle and Miniatures Museum in Chinon
70 exceptional motorcycles and 1600 miniature motorcycles presented by CHIMOMU in Indre-et-Loire
Our CHIMOMU Motorcycle and Miniatures Museum is ideally located in the heart of Chinon and offers a wide range of carefully selected motorcycles.
As a unique exhibition in Europe, we provide an unforgettable experience for motorcycle enthusiasts as well as their families and friends.
Our exclusive collection includes vehicles from over forty different brands and twelve manufacturing countries, spanning from the late 1960s to the late 2000s, which corresponds to the era of the "Japanese miracle."
Many of these brands have disappeared, and all these models have marked an era. CHIMOMU offers a unique opportunity for some to reminisce about their youth and for others to discover the machines that enchanted their parents or grandparents.
Thanks to our prime location and meticulous selection, we are proud to present an exhibition that will delight both young and old, motorcycle fans and novices, enthusiasts and the indifferent.
To book, call 06 32 63 62 11
Presentation of our Museum
Located 700 meters from the Royal Fortress of Chinon, CHIMOMU opened its doors on July 10, 2023. The external walls of the Museum proudly display the distinctive colors of four iconic Japanese brands: blue for Yamaha, yellow for Suzuki, green for Kawasaki, and red for Honda. Inside this former industrial hangar of 300 m², the color code extends across the walls, revealing a unique collection of more than seventy motorcycles that trace the "Youngtimer" era from the 1960s to the 2000s, an era marked by the "Japanese wave."
Among these exceptionally unique pieces, discover the Yamaha AT1, the same model that Brigitte Bardot got, the replica of Peter Fonda's Harley-Davidson chopper, aka "Captain America" from the iconic film "Easy Rider," and Coluche’s Kawasaki 750 Turbo, the last motorcycle purchased and cherished by the comedian.
Visitors to CHIMOMU walk through a very original setting designed like home spaces, through a library, a bedroom, a cabinet of curiosities, a dining room, a gym, … and several sofas and armchairs allow for relaxation amidst these beautiful machines. Attached to the hangar, a 100 m² garage presents an exceptional collection of 1600 miniature motorcycles also dedicated to the "Youngtimer" period.
The motorcycles of our Museum
At CHIMOMU, they are not protected by cords or barriers, allowing enthusiasts to look at them up close.Except for a few exceptions, these production motorcycles are of French import origin and are presented in their original condition, without renovation, as they have been very lightly used.
With very few kilometers, some have only traveled 200 or 900 kilometers.
Some pieces are unique prototypes, and many were produced in only dozens or hundreds of units.
Before joining CHIMOMU, these motorcycles mostly had one owner, if not two.
Behind each of these motorcycles, there is also a human story concerning their previous owners.
These vehicles are exceptionally well-preserved and offer a unique opportunity to discover rare and precious models in their original condition.
Miniatures from our Museum
The 1,600 miniatures in our Museum tell the story of the great toy revolution of the same Youngtimer period, with the advent of plastic from the 1960s onwards, following the era of toys made of lead, sheet metal and then metal alloys.
This exclusive collection features 60 toy brands manufactured in a dozen countries. Most of these toy brands have now disappeared.
There are 11 different scales, from 1/64th for the world's smallest production model (i.e. 1 cm reproduced for 64 cm of life-size) to 1/6th for the largest miniatures.
The oldest miniature dates from 1965, the most recent from 2023.
This 100% Youngtimer motorcycle collection was created by passionate collector Stéphane RAVASSARD over 33 years of research, from 1990 to 2023.
These faithful reproductions of motorcycles, with their often impressive realism and level of detail, generally benefit from a metal/plastic assembly, with a "zamak" frame and the other elements in plastic.
Among these 1,600 miniatures were some forty models packaged in "clusters", which you had to build yourself.
What the press says about our Museum
We live in a time where electric seems to be slowly but surely replacing combustion engines.
Automobiles are significantly ahead in this area compared to motorcycles, but the latter will likely not escape this trend.
Coincidentally, the inventor of the first electric motorcycle in 1881 studied all his high school years in Chinon, right across from CHIMOMU ! What will remain of the "crazy motorcycle years," the fabulous saga of Japanese motorcycles, and the different adaptive strategies of other global brands ? The answer can be found at CHIMOMU. In twenty years, the young visitors to the Museum of Chinon will certainly be wide-eyed when discovering these majestic engines that featured up to 6 cylinders and were arranged in so many different ways.
The motorcycle brands displayed in our Museum
During your visit to CHIMOMU, you will discover 70 motorcycles from renowned brands originating from 12 countries.
Germany : BMW, DKW, HERCULES-SACHS, KRAMER, MAÏCO, MZ
Austria : KTM
Canada : CANAM
Spain : BULTACO, MERLIN, MONTESA, MONTESA-HONDA, OSSA, SANGLAS
United States : HARLEY DAVIDSON
France : ALPHA, BPS, GODIER-GENOUD, JCM, MOTOBECANE, SACHS-NAUDER, SCORPA, SHERCO, VOXAN
Great Britain : TRIUMPH
India : ROYAL ENFIELD
Italy : APRILIA, KRAM-IT, LAVERDA, MOTO GUZZI, PIAGGIO, SWM
Japan : HONDA, KAWASAKI, SUZUKI, YAMAHA
Sweden : HUSQVARNA, MONARK
Czechia : CZ, JAWA
Our guarantees
70 exceptional motorcycles from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s
Fascinating anecdotes about each motorcycle presented
The only multi-brand Youngtimer motorcycle museum in Europe
A collection of Youngtimer miniature motorcycles among the most complete in the world
40 marques mondiales exposées dont une vingtaine disparues
Opening Hours of our Museum
From April 1 to October 31 :
We are open every day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Guided tours are at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
From November 1 to March 31:
Visits are by reservation, by calling 06 32 63 62 11.
Reviews
Jean-Jacques Dupré
A must-see for the sheer pleasure of the eyes, rediscovering forgotten brands and models, reviving buried memories, and uncovering great stories about Japanese motorcycles and others
Helene lalanne
Superb private museum, very well staged. Its owner, Nicolas, received us extremely well. A passionate person, a real living encyclopedia. Thank you for this moment.
