By Lulu

What was to be an interview about the People’s Choice winner at OB’s Russ & Bob’s Panhead, Shovelhead & Antique Bike Show turned out to be one of the most interesting days I have spent as owner of Thunder Roads Florida Magazine. I would have to say it was right up there with interviewing Grizzly Adams (Dan Haggerty) and Eddie Trotta. Steve Coe is a motorcycle icon and nothing says that more than having been the 3rd male on the cover of Easyrider Magazine 1980’s. This was back in the day where the women inside were naked and his girlfriend at the time was featured inside. Gotta love a free spirit like that! The first two men making the cover were Malcolm Forbes and Peter Fonda! This man is a collector of bikes, bike parts…rooms and rooms and rooms of bikes. But let me say this collection addiction borders on hoarding…and he was asked to be on an episode of that show but declined!

I would say the difference between a true hoarder and a collector is Steve takes this stuff and makes it better than new. All types of projects are in various stages of renewal. Cars, particularly “Coe”vettes are hidden all over the property of “Coe”ville. You enter the maze of buildings to a sensory overload! Yes, there are motorcycles some you could only describe as basket cases, but eventually you arrive in a room that is a collector’s dream. I asked how many bikes and the answer was “75 running”. His collection of things is so impressive that he was on American Pickers Season 3, Episode 6. Barbara, Steve’s “Coe”Pilot in life has a tolerance for Steve’s avid collecting that most women would not have. She seems to just laugh it off, although then shares that she keeps a condo at the beach! Barbara ran the Boot Hill Saloon back in the 70’s and 80’s and met Coe there, although she became his Coepilot six years ago. I mentioned the motorcycles and cars. Steve also has a collection of sewing machines, pianos, bicycles, toys, mannequins, a tractor, a fire truck, and an unbelievable collection of chandeliers. Oh, and friends!

I attended one of his pool league nights at his compound and 15 people showed up. They have been playing pool weekly there for 30 years. Steve was born in Columbus, Ohio. Lived in California from 1966-1970 and then settled in Florida in 1973. His first bike was a 1968 Sportster with 7 miles on it that he bought for $1000 at 20 years old, which of course he still owns. He has been a jack of many trades working as a truck driver, mechanic, machinist, building demolition expert and actor. He was on America’s Most Wanted played a biker involved in a murder in Florida, his family saw the show and thought he really was wanted! His past time, other than tinkering on things that go fast, is of course racing them! He raced his motorcycle 28 years straight in Daytona and although his best finish was 2nd place his claim to fame is, he finished every race! He is also the Pace bike at Billy Lane’s Sons of Speed and does 68 laps for that event.

Coe went to Germany with the Chevy Davidson, a 2 wheeled motorcycle with a 350hp Chevy motor that he built in 1970. This was before there was a Boss Hoss. His most prized possession is this hemi trike that he built 25 years ago and racing legend Don Garlits drove it around the Daytona Speedway 20 years ago and recently had his picture taken on it at the Don Garlits Museum in Ocala.

So back to what brought me to Coeville. The winning bike was a 1907 Racycle. Racycles were a motorized bicycle looking motorcycle. He totally restored the bike in November of 2019. Steve even does his own paint. Racycles were manufactured by Miami Cycle & Manufacturing Company in Middleton, Ohio beginning in 1905.

His prize trike won him a trip to the Essen Motorcycle Show in Germany. This is truly a unique man with a passion for creating show pieces out of things most people would junk! Look him up on Facebook. He lets people come browse but be prepared to spend a bit of time. Most interviews take me an hour…I was at Coeville all afternoon!