MFN member Leendert Bruil

Hi,
I am Leendert Bruil and I am 65 years old. Born and still living in Renkum, and married to Puck for 35 years.
After I got my car driver's license, I bought a Honda 250XL off-the-road together with my younger brother to practice with a practice permit and to get my motorcycle license.

Then I bought a Suzuki GT750, a water-cooled 2-stroke with a 3in1 exhaust. I had to hand that exhaust in to the police soon after. What do you mean, too much noise?!
This bike was painted in the colours of Barry Sheen's 750cc racer, thus in "candy colours". My mother had knitted a sweater and cap in the same colours for me.

When I travelled on the bike to the motorcycle camping in France, I met members of the motorcycle touring club MTC-Holland. With them I went to a motorcycle meeting in Italy, a meeting with about 10,000 motorcycles from 15 different countries. This was the Madonna dei Centauri meeting, with a church blessing. From each country one motorcyclist, with a running engine, was allowed to ride into the church to be blessed. Impressive!

After that I bought a Suzuki GSX1100 and mounted sports handlebars and a fairing. I had this bike also painted in the Sheen candy colours.

After 2 years and 65,000 km I bought another GSX1100, with 6,500 km on the clock.
After I had run in a BMW K100 for the motorcycle shop Gijs van Dijk Motors in Ede, I bought such a motorcycle and fitted it with a fairing and sports seat. After a year, with many complaints, this motorcycle was stolen.

The BMW K100

Next I bought a Suzuki GSX1100EF, that was also stolen after just more than one year. Then I bought again a Suzuki GT750 (nicknamed Kettle or Water Buffalo) as temporary transport.

The Suzuki GSX100EF

Then came a Moto Guzzi California II, 2 years old, bought for fun. This was because I was best man at the wedding of a couple of friends and I had told the bride that she would get the MG if she said "no". When the official asked "what is your answer to that?" she looked at me and shook her head no, but said yes.
I have had this MG for 38 years now (the marriage in question did not last that long...).

After meeting Puck, I bought an MZ 250ETZ with sidecar for the winter periods.

The MZ combination, with on the background the ANWB Road Service BSA

Puck said: "you can't drive 2 motorcycles at the same time, so I'm going to get my motorcycle license".
While Puck was taking lessons, I went on a 5-week trip with the MG California II to visit friends in the GDR (wedding) and Poland (motorcycle meeting). After that I drove on to Moscow to meet people from the motorcycle association. This was to organize a group trip for the riders of MTC-Holland (founded in Moscow during the FIM rally in 1967) with their help.
This meeting was in 1988 and caused some difficulties, since the borders were closed for motorcycles. That's why I had told the travel agency that I would make this trip by car, an MG. This didn't cause any problems at the border: they simply crossed out the word "car" on the required papers and changed it to motorcycle.
I received the people from the motorcycle association from Moscow at my accommodation on the Moscow ring road. This ring road is no less than 120 km long.

The ring road of Moscow

They were very enthusiastic and wanted to cooperate on a group trip. Later it turned out that going to Moscow with a group of motorcyclists required a lot of arrangments, so in the end we decided not to do it.

After I took over the secretariat of MTC-Holland from Jan Termaaten (founder of the MFN - the Dutch Motorcycle Philatelists), I came into contact with the MFN and started collecting motorcycle stamps.
Puck helps me with arranging and storing the motorcycle stamps. She has had experience with her stamp and coin collection from a young age.
Because it became quite a lot, I started specializing in sidecar combinations.

In 1997 we bought a Moto Guzzi California II with sidecar from 1982, and sold the MZ sidecar. Puck then rode with the MG sidecar and I with the MG solo (with Freebird trailer).

The Moto Guzzi sidecar combination

That's how we went on holiday, with the little dog in a box on the tank and the 2 bigger dogs in the sidecar. With a big pyramid tent, with ample space for all. Of course we were a curiosity on the road and at the campsites.

Over the years we have joined quite some organised rides with disabled people, and this gives us a lot of satisfaction. We got to know Henny & Piet through the SintmaRun in Tolbert. Piet then rode a BSA sidecar combination from the "Wegenwacht", the Dutch ANWB Road Service, which was completely equiped, even with a bottle of beer... His outfit was also original and complete.
After years they sold the BSA combination and bought a Moto Guzzi Mille GT with EML sidecar. After a few years they could no longer ride it because of their old age, and asked if we wanted to take over the MG Mille GT combination (1989). Later they decided to donate the combination to us, so that we can ride disabled runs with 2 sidecars. Since we have 2 garages of 8x4 m, it is no problem to store them.
With these sidecars we have been able to make many people happy 5 to 6 times a year in recent years, both young and old. We also enjoy it a lot ourselves.

Puck on the Moto Guzzi Mille combination

Perhaps you now understand why we prefer stamps with motorcycle-sidecar combinations. In addition, I also have a collection of miniature sidecars.

Besides motorcycling, we also like to go on winter sports. We have been to the Weissensee in Austria a few times, where we could ice skate, ski and cross-country ski.
Instead of winter sports, we made a winter train trip through Switzerland a few years ago. It was great, with lots of snow and sun, but no more train rides for the time being!

Something else we do is a long week trip to Luxembourg on Ascension Day. With our caravan, an Eriba Puck (1976), which we took over from my parents.
Because it has a large awning, it is just possible to live in it. As the name "Puck" alerady indicates: it is the smallest caravan of the Eriba family. So small, that I have to extend the bed every night and lie diagonally on it, with my head on a low cupboard. But it is cozy and snug, together with our 2 dogs.

The Eriba Puck with Mini

Another hobby is wild boars. Not that I have them in the backyard, but I do have all sorts of statues, a fur and head, and a wild boar made by an artist from old motorcycle chains. This is not less than a meter big.

And of course I also collect stamps with wild boar images.

I also smoke cigars and we are members of the NSG (Dutch Sigar Society) "Coupe cigares" (1985). We try to taste a few cigars every Friday evening, while enjoying a snack and a drink. We used to do this in the pub. But since that is no longer allowed, we do it in our garden shed. To keep warm, we stoke an old wood stove (1923). I also have a lot of cigars and things that go with them. Such as cutters, boxes, cigar bands and also tobacco leaves.

I also have quite a collection of caps and helmets from military personnel, WW (Dutch Road Service), fire brigade, Post, NS (Dutch train service) and police, and even my mother-in-law's wedding hat and my father-in-law's uniform cap.

Well, I think that's enough about me and Puck.
See you at the next meeting of the MFN, our fantastic and fun club.

Greetings, Leendert & Puck

Top   -   Back to former page   -   Home