MFN member Wim Meijer

My name is Wim Meijer. I live in Groningen, am 64 years and father of 2 studying sons of around 20 years.

In 1979 I lived in Drachten, at that time my military service period started in Blerick (Venlo). There I was trained as a driver on a DAF YA 126 GWT, a military ambulance (I use the technical term because many more MFN members went through the military service).
A colleague had a very nice big motorcycle. He lived nearby and I joined him twice on the back seat with my moped helmet, riding throughout the Netherlands. Nice! Great, sitting directly in the wind, freedom. There the motorcycle seed is heavily fertilized. My brother and I had already made 2 rideable mopeds from 3 PUCH's MS50. With a large bathtub handlebar I drove around on it, with tailwind above 60 km/h.

About 35 years ago I obtained my motorcycle driving license and bought a YAMAHA XS 650. I drove it a lot through Europe, including Czechoslovakia, France and Italy. At that time we managed to drive back from Italy in 1 go, at motor camping d'n Tourstop in Horst they had to help us to step of the bike, the flexibility in our bodies was temporarily completely gone.

Yamaha XS650

In those 35 years I have ridden several motorcycles, mostly YAMAHA. The MT01 was by far my most beautiful looking bike. And especially the engine block, a 2-cylinder with 1670 cc and 150 Nm!

Yamaha MT01

Still, I had not forgotten those first motorcycle rides, that was on a MOTO GUZZI V7 SPECIAL. A few years ago I had more money and bought one, a fantastic bike to ride along dike roads in good weather.

Moto Guzzi V7 Special

For the longer rides I had a YAMAHA TRACER 900 GT, what a great engine!

Yamaha Tracer 900 GT

Now, because of discomfort to my body, I bought a lower motorcycle, a BMW R1200R.

BMW R1200R

Well, how do you come to join the MFN? One time, about 15 years ago, I searched the internet for motorcycle information. While searching I got lost on the site of the MFN and that appealed to me. Then I started collecting motorcycle stamps, and I still think that's a nice winter activity.

After some temporary jobs I worked in child rehabilitation for 12½ years, very nice. Working with physically handicapped youth. Nicely joining in their puberty, but also going to DoeMaar (a popular Dutch band) together, helping to set off fireworks and ring the bell and run away.
After that I worked for 30 years as shop manager in a large second hand shop (thrift store) with 50 people. Very motivating work, every day is different. Goods, personnel and customers always provide surprises. In addition to 8 regular employees, there are people of all kinds with a greater distance to the labor market. Interns, volunteers, people through the GGZ, VNN, Social Services, etcetera.
It's like getting Christmas presents every day, always a surprise what kind of goods come in. I also bought many incoming stamps during that time and am now sorting them.
I specifically buy stamps with the themes of transport: ships, vehicles and aircraft. I especially love stamps from the interbellum, with strong and tough men and women, preferably with smoking factories in the background. Here are a few examples:

Most stamps with only some means of transport on it are not appealing to me, what I really like is for example the transport of the Postal Service or Police over the years. I don't get warm from most sheets from the novelties service either, I often find them poor, drawn without love.
I do enjoy spending a whole day searching through 10 cent books at a stamp fair, and then coming home with 100 stamps. That kind of search and find appeals to me. You will not find that special expensive stamp in my collection.

I have stopped working since February. That is why I was looking for a different time spend, and for this I approached the MFN committee in the hope of assisting them and the rest of the Motor Philatelists in the Netherlands in this beautiful hobby.

Wim Meijer

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