Another very high resolution shot from the fine folks at Bonhams Auction house. It’s hard to believe the economy is in the tank when you see sales like this. I suppose the “real” money never stops looking for great value. Remarkable bike!

Bonhams’ sale on Sunday, 16th October 2011 at the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show at Stafford was a resounding success with a sale total of £1.7million and 84% sold by value.

The top lot of the day was the 1929 Brough Superior SS100 known as ‘Moby Dick’. Hailed in its day as ‘the fastest privately owned machine in the world suitable for road use’, this magnificent motorcycle attracted multiple bidders. Tested by Motor Cycling magazine in 1931, ‘Moby Dick’ achieved a top speed of 106mph, a staggering achievement at a time when very few road vehicles of any sort were capable of reaching three-figure speeds. Further tuning of the modified 1,142cc v-twin engine later raised that figure to 115mph in top (third) gear, with 109mph achievable in second. Sold but later repurchased by the vendor’s family, Moby Dick was restored in 1998 and since then has continued to delight and amaze enthusiasts wherever it appears.

Three other Brough Superiors made it into the top ten. The 1924 980cc SS80 represented a rare opportunity to purchase one of the earliest surviving and most original examples of the model, and after spirited bidding realised £100,500 (estimate £75,000-95,000).

The 1930 Black Alpine 680 restoration project sold for £40,550 (estimate of £25,000-35,000), and the 1933 ‘11-50’ that took the ‘best original in show’ award at the BSOC Rally in 2004 fetched £34,500 (estimate £32,000-38,000).

Other significant results include a 1906 Minerva 4½hp V-Twin (£26,450), a 1911 Douglas 2¾hp Model D (£18,400), 1953 Matchless 498cc G45 (£36,700), 1955 BSA 500cc Gold Star ‘barn find’ restoration project (£8,280), a 1969 Kawasaki 500cc Mach III/H1 (£12,650), a 1972 Triumph X75 Hurricane (£24,150), and a 1979 Ducati 864cc Mike Hailwood Replica (£12,075).

Ben Walker, Head of Motorcycles at Bonhams, comments, “Restoration projects were in strong demand with some outstanding results achieved in this category. But any machine with good history and a high level of originality (regardless of condition) was keenly contested by discerning collectors and enthusiasts.”

Another excellent High resolution of a soon to be auctioned Brough Superior.

Thank you to Katherine Boyle as always for the great photo and background information on such a timeless machine.
katherine.boyle@bonhams.com

FANTASTIC LINE UP OF CARS AND MOTORCYCLES AT BONHAMS HARROGATE AUCTION

Bonhams are returning to the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate on 16th November 2011 with another exceptional line up at their auction of Collectors’ Motor Cars, Motorcycles. Highlights include a 1928 Brough Superior SS100 motorcycle which is estimated to sell for £165,000-185,000.

This interesting early SS100 was re-commissioned for road use in the 1990s having previously been used for sprinting and other speed events by racing motorcyclist and Brough Superior Club President, Dick Knight. It would appear that Dick purchased the Brough in the 1970s and it proved to be a capable and exciting machine in speed events.

Other exceptional motorcycles that are expected to attract interest include a 1955 Vincent Series-D Black Shadow (£34,000-38,000), a 1950 Norton 500cc International (£17,000-20,000) and a 1939 Ariel Square Four (£12,000-16,000) as well as a collection of exciting ‘barn finds’ including a 1956 BSA CB32 Gold Star (£300-500) and c.1956 Triumph 5T (£200-400).

Ben Walker, Head of Motorcycles at Bonhams, comments, “Harrogate always provides an excellent environment in which to offer a collectable motorcycle. The results and percentage sold are consistently high and it always attracts an international audience.”

The top lots in the Motor Car section of the sale include a remarkable 1953 Bentley R-Type Special Roadster (£35,000-45,000), which was created by renowned engineer and long standing RREC member the late Alan Archer.

Another highlight is a 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Coupé (£20,000-25,000). Significantly, the 280SE 3.5 was to be the final Mercedes-Benz model to feature this long-established and much admired body style, and today these last-of-the-line classics are highly sought after by discerning Mercedes-Benz collectors.

A 1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II Saloon (£22,000-25,000) is also expected to prove popular with bidders.

John Polson, Specialist in Bonhams Motoring Dept, comments, “Bonhams are delighted to be returning to Harrogate, one of our best attended and most dynamic auctions, which offers the ideal opportunity to auction collectors motor cars in a user friendly and internationally renowned venue.”

Also to be offered at the Harrogate sale will be assorted lots of Automobilia including a rare and early double sided Chevrolet Sales & Service enamel forecourt sign, a collection of Touring and Racing bicycles, various glass petrol pump globes, garage equipment, mascots, motoring books and other motoring related memorabilia.

http://www.bonhams.com/motorcycles

For further press information please contact Katherine Boyle on 0207 468 8363 or Katherine.boyle@bonhams.com / press@bonhams.com

If I had a few hundred thousand dollars (or more) to spare this would be on my short list.

… and here’s another one.