A century on two wheels: Classic motorbikes from every decade since 1920s go up for auction
A century on two wheels: Classic motorbikes from every decade since 1920s go up for auction for up to £45,000 each
- The sale will take place at Charterhouse Auctioneers, in Sherborne, Dorset, on Wednesday, June 30
- A faithfully reconstructed 1920s Brookland’s racer, is expected to fetch up to £22,000
- A 1947 Vincent Rapide, which was once England’s fastest motorbike, is expected to sell for up to £35,000
- The most expensive bike in the collection, a 2018 Manx Norvin, could sell for as much as £45,000
It’s an event celebrating the rich heritage of motoring on two wheels which will excite fans both young and old.
A new auction will see 100 motorbikes go up for sale, including a faithfully reconstructed 1920s Brookland’s racer, which is expected to fetch up to £22,000.
Skipping forward, a 1947 Vincent Rapide is also on offer. It was England’s fastest motorbike when it first went on sale and has since been fitted with a Watsonian sidecar. It is expected to sell for up to £35,000.
Marking the 1950’s and 1960’s, there is a great choice of classic British bikes with Triumphs and BSA including a 1962 BSA Rocket Gold Star for £18,000-22,000.
For the noughties, there is a 2003 Ducati 999 Monoposto Special Order which, unusually for a Ducati, is painted yellow rather than red. The super bike has covered only 3,000 miles and is tipped to sell for up to £9,000.
The newest bikes in the auction – a 2019 Royal Enfield Interceptor and a Manx Norvin from a year earlier – bizarrely look like they’re among the oldest in the collection.
The former is tipped to sell for up to £5,000, whilst the latter could sell for as much as £45,000.
Viewing for the auction is being held at the Haynes International Motor Museum, in Sparkford, Somerset, on Tuesday, June 29.
The sale will take place a day later at Charterhouse Auctioneers, in Sherborne, Dorset.
George Beale, of Charterhouse, said: ‘The market for classic and vintage motorcycles continues to remain strong.’
‘They also have great appeal from collectors in Europe and other countries as unlike cars there is no steering wheel on the wrong side!’
1920s
It’s an event celebrating the rich heritage of motoring on two wheels which will excite fans both young and old. A new auction will see 100 motorbikes go up for sale. Pictured: A bike built by engineer Carl Wadkin-Snaith in the style of a 1920s Brookland’s racer. It is expected to fetch up to £22,000 when it is sold by Charterhouse Auctioneers, in Sherborne, Dorset, on June 30
The magnificent 500cc machine took four years to build. The lower estimate sale price is £18,000. The famous Brooklands circuit, in Weybridge, Surrey, hosted its last race in August 1939. It now forms part of the popular Brooklands Musuem
Mr Wadkin-Snaith’s creation boasts a beautiful leather seat. He previously said of the bike: ‘I couldn’t afford a real Brooklands racer so I designed and built my own, representative of the bikes that raced at Brooklands in the late 1920s’
1930s
From the 1930’s there is a 1936 Velocette KTS. Owned by a collector in Devon and beautifully restored it is estimated to sell for between £9,000-10,000
1940s
A 1947 Vincent Rapide is also on offer. With an original top speed of 110mph, was England’s fastest motorbike when it first went on sale. This example has since been fitted with a Watsonian sidecar. It is expected to sell for up to £35,000
The Rapide was first on sale from 1936 until 1939 and production then resumed in 1946, before ending permanently in 1955
1950s
This bike, a 1959 Velocette Venom Clubman, is expected to sell for between £8,000 and £10,000. It was originally re-built in the early 1990s by its previous owner before being bought once more two years ago and restored once again
This 1953 BSA DBD 34 Gold Star has only 2,065 miles on the clock. It was bought by its present owner in 2004 and has been restored to an excellent standard. The bike is expected to sell for between £9,000 and £11,000
The Gold Star is still regarded as a design icon of its era, thanks to the fact that it was was almost continuously developed over its lifetime by BSA’s engineers and riders. It was produced from 1938 to 1963
1960s
This 1967 Triumph Trackmaster was made in the US for flat track racing. It is expected to sell for between £8,000 and £10,000. Thanks to its distinguished past, it still bears a prominent number ‘7’ on both the front and side
This BSA Rocket Gold Star, dating from 1962, has just 3,292 recorded miles on the clock. It is an original machine which has undergone some restoration. This desirable classic is expected to sell for between £18,000 and £22,000
1970s
This 1974 Kawasaki Z1A has just 30 recorded miles. It has been totally restored by its current owner and is expected to sell for between £15,000 and £16,000.
This highly collectable 1974 Ducati 750 Sport, finished in bright yellow, is expected to sell for between £28,000 and £32,000
The beautiful bike is in extremely good condition and has just 25,588 recorded miles on the clock. Any buyer is likely to benefit financially in future if they sell it on, because the model is continuing to increase in value
1980s
This 1989 Honda NSR 250 MC18 has not been ridden for 14 years. However, it has been stored in a heated workshop and has rebuilt brake callipers, along with new pistons and brake discs. It is expected to sell for between £4,000 and £5,000
This bike, a 1980 BMW R100RS, is described by Charterhouse as a ‘real collector’s item’. It has just 11,052 miles on the clock. Although it has not been restored, it remains in very good condition
It was bought by its present owner in July 2019. The owner before that bought the bike in 1980. It is expected to sell for between £11,000 and £13,000
1990s
This 1994 Honda VFR 750 has 49,652 miles on the clock and is in very good condition. It was bought by its present owner in December 2019 and has been little-used since then. It is tipped to sell for between £1,200 and £1,500
This Ducati 748 SP, which dates from 1997, has only 13,845 miles on the clock. Its owner, who has recently passed away, bought the bike in 2001. It is tipped to sell for between £3,500 and £4,500
2000s
From the noughties there is a 2003 Ducati 999 Monoposto Special Order. Unusually for a Ducati, it is painted in yellow rather than red, this super-bike has covered only 3,000 miles and is estimated to sell for between £7,000 and £9,000
2010s
This 2018 Manx Norvin, built using a genuine 1961 Norton Manx frame, is expected to sell for between £43,000 and £45,000
The bike was featured on the front page of ‘Classic Bike’ magazine in January 2019 and has won numerous trophies including the ‘Engineering Excellence Award’ at the Stafford Show in 2019
The newest bike in the auction – a 2019 Royal Enfield Interceptor – bizarrely looks like it is among the oldest in the collection. It is tipped to sell for between £4,000 and £5,000. It is in new condition and has only done six miles
