Huge collection of abandoned motorcycles discovered

Hidden away in Lockport, New York is a building that houses a huge collection of abandoned motorcycles. It's as if every enthusiast's dream has come true, to come across a collection of vintage bikes that have been sitting still for a long time.

Engines, gas tanks and many other parts were found scattered around the rooms like bodies scattered on a battlefield. Some of the motorcycles left behind may be worth small fortunes, but they just sit by themselves, gathering dust and rust.

Discovered by YouTuber Chris Luckhardt, the man explored this treasure without taking or disturbing anything. It's almost as if he's an archaeologist carefully documenting a situation born out of motorcycle culture, something none of us would ever experience firsthand.

Being careful when exploring the collection was necessary. As you will see in the video, the building that is an old warehouse is literally in ruins. Holes opened in the ground, scattering motorcycles and parts. Sections of the walls also collapsed. It's not just a tomb for motorcycles, but it can easily become the final resting place for humans if they're not careful.

The natural thing to ask yourself, every time you run into a situation like this, is how were so many motorcycles lumped together in one spot? And why would anyone simply let these iron steeds fester after making considerable effort to bring them together under one roof?

Sometimes the answer is a case of the hoarding mentality, a very real psychological condition that compels people to collect things and just keep them, whether it's old newspapers and glass bottles or old motorcycles. However, this is a completely different story.

Luckhardt describes the situation in more detail in the video, which I recommend you watch because it's fascinating, but basically this is a situation of the unintended consequences of heavy government regulation. This warehouse was purchased by a man who ran a successful motorcycle repair company. He kept motorcycles and parts that didn't work since he didn't have space in his workshop. Eventually, he sold the collection to another man who intended to keep the successful business going.

What the local government saw was an opportunity. The new entrepreneur felt that the taxes being levied on him were unfair, so he simply refused to pay and abandoned the building. Realizing they were getting tense, city officials took control, condemning the rotting building. The bureaucrats didn't give a damn about the motorcycles inside, so it stayed that way.

That's not where the story ends. The owner successfully sued the city and had time to remove what he could from the building. Now, if you've ever had to load a motorcycle that hasn't moved in a long time in a trailer, or worse yet, in a bed, you know it can be a daunting task. Sure, some of these motorcycles probably don't weigh much, but others feel pretty heavy. Also, there are hundreds of them. The logistics of transporting all this would be difficult.

The video was taken during that window of opportunity for the owner to get his stuff out of the building, so we don't know how much he was able to carry. Luckhardt mentions that the owner arranged to sell some of the items, so people were showing up to legally remove them.