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Oct 10

Film Critic and Essayist Hans Schifferle Put Together a Tasteful Rare Motorcycle Stable

By General Posts

by Todd Halterman from https://www.autoevolution.com

Hans Schifferle, the film critic and essayist, died at the age of 63 in April of this year, and during the 1980’s he cut an imposing figure. Schifferle walked the streets clad in leather and often arrived on one of his motorcycles.

Hans Schifferle moved through the world in an unpretentious way and loved films and actors like Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Schifferle spent his days writing, talking smack in the foyer of the Munich Film Museum, or tipping a drink on the stairs of the workshop cinema.

Schifferle, born in 1957 in Munich, spent a good stretch of his career writing the Süddeutsche Zeitung and for fan and trade magazines like Steadycam. He also penned innumerable articles for books and catalogs and, like so many cinéphiles of his generation, he found inspiration from the writings of Frieda Grafe.

As a ticket-taker at the Munich Film Museum, Schifferle tore off the stubs before he attended screenings himself. And if you had the pleasure of drinking a dark beer with him and listening as he raved about films, you began to understand cinema as a school of life.

He was a child of privilege and lived in an apartment which also served as a salon of sorts. His means also allowed him to collect some of the most interesting and fantastic motorcycles in history. And his obsession with motorcycles allowed him to put together a superb collection.

One of those bikes was a Ducati 750SS, a version of the bike Paul Smart rode to his famous victory at Imola in 1972. That machine put the esthetically beautiful and speedy Ducati v-twin on the map. During that race, Smart defeated a long list of the hottest machines of the day, from the Triumph Tridents to the works 750 MV Agusta of Giacomo Agostini.

The 750SS received near universal praise from the motorcycling press. Cycle magazine said the “bike that stands at the farthest reaches of the sporting world – the definitive factory-built café racer.” Today, the 750SS is regarded as a true landmark model and is one of the most sought-after of all Ducatis.

Hans Schifferle bought this Ducati 750SS in June 2002 from the Turin-based collector, Genni Carelli. It is believed that Mario Sassi had restored the machine.

His collection also included a 1941 Indian 1,279cc Four though it’s said Schifferle never had the chance to ride it.

His MV Agusta 750 GT, yet another ultra-rare machine, was distinguished by its white and bronze color scheme and, just 50 were sold as a result of an astronomically high initial price tag. Schifferle’s bike of one of the most sought-after MV roadsters, and his original example remains one of the very few which remain unmodified.

The critic also owned an Egli-Vincent was distinguished by Egli’s trademark large tube spine type frame.

His 1955 Vincent 998CC Black Knight is a matching-numbers exemple, and is one of 200 enclosed series-D twin models built by Vincent. Schifferle’s model is thought to be one of the earliest Egli frames manufactured for the Slater Brothers. His friend and mechanic Helmut Lichtenberg completely rebuilt it, and it features a ‘fishtail’ silencer, a Campagnolo front disc brake; alloy wheels; and a Smiths 150mph speedometer.

And Schifferle owned yet another American classic, a 1956 Harley Davidson KH, which represents Harley Davidson’s last ‘flat-head model. The 55ci KH featured an upgraded engine and modified frame (for better handling) compared with the model K roadster on which it was based.

Schifferle and his wife, Gudrun, traveled extensively around Europe in search of components to restore and maintain his stable of machines. Along with his friend and former Grand Prix racer Lichtenberg, Schifferle enjoyed visiting the leading auto events at Imola, Mannheim, Stuttgart, Nuremberg, and various other events to locate rare parts for his restorations.

Sep 18

Daytona 200 with Triumph & Ducati plus King of the Baggers

By General Posts

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

At the 80th Daytona 200 Race – King of the Baggers Goes Oval Racing Next Year, Daytona 200 to Allow Triumph and Ducati.

When one hears the word Daytona, the first thing that comes to mind is the insane racing that goes on there, especially the Daytona 500 event dedicated to cars. But the same name can easily be associated with an equally grueling endurance race for motorcycles.

They call it Daytona 200, and it has been around in some form or another ever since 1937. Next year in March, when the upcoming event is scheduled, people attending will be celebrating the 80th edition of the race. On their end, organizers will do so with new rules and bagger racing as a side dish for the first time ever.

Bagger racing on sanctioned, iconic tracks has not been around for all that long. Or maybe it has, but it only got traction after back in 2020 Harley-Davidsons and Indians went at each other’s throats in a single high-adrenaline race, called King of the Baggers, at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Then, 2021 came with King of the Baggers as a three-race series (eventually won by Harley’s Kyle Wyman), and we also got the Bagger Racing League’s Drag Specialties Battle of the Baggers for the first time.

Next year in Daytona, most of the bikes that were raced this year, and hopefully, even more, will line up on the starting grid once more. It is there where the next season of King of the Baggers kicks off, marking the first time ever when such motorcycles have been raced “on the high banks of a Superspeedway with speeds expected to exceed 160 mph.”

So far, the organizers of the series, MotoAmerica, did not provide any info on how the race will shape up, so we have no idea how many tri-oval laps riders will have to do before being declared winners.

As said, this year’s three-race series winner is Kyle Wyman, who rode a Road Glide to victory, defeating last year’s single-race series winner, Indian Challenger rider Tyler O’Hara. It’s unclear at this point how the roster for the 2022 season will shape up, and the total number of races is kept under wraps as well.

The opening salvo of the King of the Baggers will, of course, not be part of the Daytona 200 main event, but there are things to discuss here as well, the most important of them all being the fact more motorcycles are now allowed in.

This is due to rule changes that “take into consideration several performance-related items that establish benchmarks for balancing a wide variety of middleweight performance machines.”

Based on the 2022 World Supersport Technical rules, the modifications should allow incredible two-wheelers like the Triumph 765, Ducati Panigale V2, and MV Agusta F3 to be fielded in the race, joining the existing Yamaha YZF-R6, Suzuki GSX-R600, and Kawasaki ZX-6R.

Daytona 200 will continue to be an open tire event, meaning each of the teams will be able to choose whatever tire manufacturer they like for the competition.

Back in March this year, the winner of the Daytona 200 was Brandon Paasch, who rode his Suzuki motorcycle to the win in 57 laps, completed in a little over two hours. The fastest lap of the race was actually the last one, and it went to Paasch in 1:49.752. That was enough to put him ahead runner-up Sean Dylan Kelly and his Kawasaki by just 0.30 seconds.

The 2021 Daytona 200 takes place on the weekend of March 10-12. The event is not part of the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship, meaning riders from around the world can take part.

At the time of writing, there is no info on the price for tickets or available packages.

PRESS RELEASE:

16 SEPTEMBER 2021
MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike and North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series, is thrilled to announce that it will partner with Daytona International Speedway to host one of the world’s most prestigious races – the DAYTONA 200 – during the weekend of March 10-12, 2022, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

The 2022 DAYTONA 200, set for the green flag on Saturday, March 12, will be the 80th running of the event that began on the Daytona Beach shoreline in 1937 before moving to the World Center of Racing in 1961.

The DAYTONA 200 will feature new rules based off the proposed 2022 World Supersport Technical rules, which take into consideration several performance related items that establish benchmarks for balancing a wide variety of middleweight performance machines. These new rules open the door to motorcycles such as the Triumph 765, Ducati Panigale V2, MV Agusta F3 and others to compete alongside the current Yamaha YZF-R6, Suzuki GSX-R600 and Kawasaki ZX-6R. The DAYTONA 200 will also continue to run as an “open tire” event, allowing multiple tire manufacturers to join the competition.

The DAYTONA 200 will not be included as part of the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship, leaving the opportunity open for the best riders from around the world to compete for the minimum $175,000 in purse and contingency that will be offered.

In addition to the DAYTONA 200, the MotoAmerica weekend at Daytona International Speedway will be the opening round of the 2022 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Championship, marking the first time Baggers will race on the high banks of a Superspeedway with speeds expected to exceed 160 mph, and also the first round of the Twins Cup Championship.

“The DAYTONA 200 is known worldwide to be one of the most exciting motorcycle races in the world,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey, who won the DAYTONA 200 in 1987. “We are proud to work with Daytona International Speedway, the AMA and FIM North America organizations to continue to enhance the prominence of the DAYTONA 200. With the new DAYTONA 200 rules in place, we are hopeful that this will open the door to more manufacturers and teams joining us in March. It’ll be a great way to start off the 2022 season. And, wow, Baggers on the high banks! What a spectacle that will be. Obviously, this is MotoAmerica’s first trip to Daytona, and it’s my first trip back to the Speedway since 2008. I’m looking forward to what is going to be a really cool weekend.”

“The tradition of the DAYTONA 200 is unprecedented, and we are thrilled to work with such a reputable group in MotoAmerica to continue the tradition,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “Racing two-wheel style has been a staple in Daytona for many years, first on the beach before moving to Bill France Sr.’s incredible creation of the 31-degree banking of Daytona International Speedway and Infield Road Course. There’s nothing like the excitement that the DAYTONA 200 provides, including close finishes that have become the norm.”

“The AMA is pleased that the DAYTONA 200 will now be run and managed by our AMA/FIM North America partner MotoAmerica for 2022,” said AMA President and CEO, and FIM North America President, Rob Dingman. “This has been one of our goals since 2015 when we established our partnership with MotoAmerica and facilitated the return of professional road racing sanctioning rights to the AMA.”

Earlier this year, Brandon Paasch, at only 19 years old, used an old, veteran move common to Daytona, to capture the 2021 DAYTONA 200 in breathtaking fashion. After running second for most of the last portion of the race, Paasch, utilizing the draft, reeled in leader Sean Dylan Kelly and calculated a perfect slingshot move at the entrance of the tri-oval as the duo came to the checkered flag, winning by just .031 of a second, and taking home the traditional Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watch.

Nine World Champions, including seven 500cc/MotoGP World Champions – six Americans (Kenny Roberts, Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Kevin Schwantz and Nicky Hayden) and one Italian (Giacomo Agostini) – have won the Daytona 200.

The winningest riders in the Daytona 200 are former World and AMA Superbike Champion Scott Russell (1992, ’94, ’95, ’97 and ’98) and 1995 AMA Superbike Champion Miguel Duhamel (’91, ’96, ’99, 2003, 2005). The pair have each won five Daytona 200s.

More information on the 2022 DAYTONA 200 will be announced soon, including additional support classes, final rules, entry instructions, broadcast coverage and ticket opportunities.

The iconic Daytona International Speedway will be the site of a host of motorsports events in 2022, beginning with the Rolex 24 in January, the DAYTONA 500 and Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth in February, along with the 81st Annual Bike Week At DAYTONA in March, featuring the Monster Energy AMA Supercross and DAYTONA 200.

Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest speedway news. For information on all events, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.

Jul 03

The 8 Motorcycles Reproduced with Insane Realism in RiMS Racing

By General Posts

by Bogdan Popa from https://www.autoevolution.com

RiMS Racing is one of the most anticipated game releases of the year for moto racing fans, especially as Nacon and RaceWard Studio have promised to accurately reproduce the fastest bikes out there in this new title.

So in theory, RiMS Racing is supposed to feel stunningly real from one end to another, and based on a new video published by the two companies, it looks like this is very likely to happen.

Nacon has published gaming footage recorded on the Suzuka circuit in Japan, allowing us to see how the 2019 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR behaves on the track. And at the same time, the video also reveals other tidbits about the game, including the customization screen where you can change nearly every little detail about the motorcycle you’re about to hop on for the next race.

And last but not least, Nacon has also shared the list of eight motorcycles that will be available in the game: the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10 RR, Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory, BMW M 1000 RR, Ducati Panigale V4 R, Honda CBR1000RR ABS, MV Agusta F4 RC, Suzuki GSX-R1000R and the Yamaha YZF-R1.

As we said earlier, every single model comes with insane realism, and you can figure this out by simply checking out the video we embedded below. It’s pretty clear Nacon and RaceWard struggled to make the whole experience feel as real as possible, and you can almost feel the feedback the Kawasaki gives by simply looking at the video.

RiMS Racing will include over 70 events, and Nacon says it’ll roll out lots of multiplayer challenges after the game finally becomes available this summer.

And speaking of launch date, RiMS Racing is projected to see the daylight on August 19 on pretty much every gaming platform out there, including not only PC, but also consoles. The game will be available on both current and next-gen consoles, as well as on the Nintendo Switch.

May 16

Bonhams Motorcycles Offers Ultra-Rare AJS Porcupine

By General Posts

from https://www.bonhams.com

The Summer Sale
The International Classic MotorCycle Show (Three-Day Auction)
2 – 4 Jul 2021
Stafford, Staffordshire County Showground

1940S RACING MOTORCYCLE LEADS SUMMER STAFFORD SALE

An ultra-rare example of arguably the ‘Holy Grail’ of classic racing motorcycles – a 1940s AJS 497cc E90 ‘Porcupine’ Grand Prix racing motorcycle, previously owned by post-war AJS works rider Ted Frend, is being offered for the first time at auction in the Bonhams Summer Stafford Sale on 2 July. It has an estimate of £250,000 – 300,000.

The E90’s reputation was made as the first motorcycle to win the 500cc World Championship in the series’ debut year of 1949, carrying Frend’s fellow works rider Les Graham to his (and AJS’s) first and only world title. Dubbed the Porcupine by the era’s motorcycle press due to its distinctive spiked ‘head’ finning, the E90 remains the sole twin-cylinder machine to have won world motorcycling’s flagship series.

Just a handful of E90s were built by the British firm, purely for its works team. Ted Frend who had tasted earlier success earning a gold star at Brooklands having lapped its outer circuit at over 100mph on his Vincent-HRD Rapide, was signed up by AJS in 1947, thanks to a 4th place finish in that year’s Isle of Man TT. He was the first rider to win on the Porcupine at the 1947 Hutchinson 100 race.

Development on the E90 continued over the next couple of years, while the motorcycle picked up 18 world speed records and a number of podium finishes before reaching its 1949 zenith. Graham won two of the six championship races, the Swiss and Ulster Grand Prix, securing the rider’s trophy, while teammate Bill Doran rode to victory in Belgium to ensure AJS’ manufacturer’s title.

Despite its successes, the E90 was plagued by various problems concerning carburetion and its magneto – a magneto shaft failure caused Graham to retire from the 1949 Isle of Man Senior TT, which he was leading, two minutes from the finish. In 1952, its successor, the E95, was introduced, with a revised engine and new frame. Although the spikes disappeared the Porcupine name stuck. The E95 had a dream debut, with a one-two finish in the season-opening Swiss Grand Prix.

Between 1949 and 1954, the Porcupine, in E90 and E95 guise, finished 24 races, securing five wins, seven 2nd places and one World Championship. Ted commented that ‘for its day, the Porcupine had lots of potential, but its development did not keep pace with the opposition.’ In total, only four complete E90 and four E95 motorcycles were produced, along with an unknown number of spare engines.

Ted Frend, who left the AJS team in 1950, also finished his racing career in 1954 to concentrate on his sheet metal business. He maintained that the Porcupine’s glory year was 1949, not just for its World Championship win, but also for holding its own against the more powerful rival Gileras and early MV motorcycles. He said: “At Spa, I managed third place, splitting the Gileras. Masetti, Pagani [Gilera riders] and I were the first to average over 100mph for a full Grand Prix.”

The motorcycle offered was found as a collection of parts in the estate of Ted Frend when he died in 2006. It was his friend and neighbour Ken Senior who acquired the Porcupine and other motorcycle-related possessions from the executors, including Ted’s TT trophies, also offered in the Summer Stafford Sale. Senior oversaw the Porcupine’s rebuild, with missing parts custom made.

Ben Walker, International Department Director, Bonhams Collectors’ Motorcycles, said: “We have only seen two other examples offered for sale publicly, both of which Bonhams sold for world record prices at the time. With the few known examples being in the world-famous Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum or in the possession of private collectors, this is an extremely exciting, once in a generation opportunity to buy a much coveted and sought-after machine.”

The Porcupine leads the Ken Senior Collection of 90 plus motorcycles to be offered on Friday 2 July, at the three-day Summer Stafford Sale. This just a quarter of the near 400-strong collection of ‘everyman’ classics that Ken Senior amassed in his lifetime.

The Bonhams Summer Stafford Sale makes a welcome return to the International Classic MotorCycle Show, and will offer in excess of 650 lots, comprising important collectors’ motorcycles, important early bicycles, spares and memorabilia over three days from 2 to 4 July.

Sale Days
Friday 2 July The Ken Senior Collection and other important one owner collections
Saturday 3 July Bicycles, Spares and Memorabilia
Sunday 4 July Collectors’ Motorcycles

Viewing Times
09:00 – 1700 Friday through Sunday

Other highlights include:

1940 Brough Superior 1,096cc 11-50HP, estimate £60,000 – 75,000
The very last Brough Superior 11-50HP to have left the Nottingham factory, offered from long term ownership (having been repatriated with its original owner from new), the 1940 Brough Superior 1,096cc 11-50HP is to be sold Without Reserve.

The Ron Cody Collection
Well-known in MV Agusta club circles, the late Ron Cody, a former sports car racer and engineer, turned to his passion for building up and restoring his collection of Italian machines as a retirement hobby. This collection offers 48 motorcycles, including many examples of MV Agustas, as well as other Italian marques.

A Significant Norton Collection
More than 10 pre-War marvels are offered from the stable of a lifelong Norton dedicated collector. The collection also includes more than 150 lots of mostly Norton pre-war spares: from engines and gearboxes to pie-crust tanks.

The sale will be a traditional live auction, welcoming bidders back into the saleroom in addition to enhanced online bidding features rolled out throughout 2020, a record year for attracting £7.6 million in motorcycle sales alone.

The sale will also be streamed and available on the Bonhams App, which provides registered bidders the opportunity to bid in real time online via Bonhams.com while watching the auctioneer and videos of motorcycles on offer. Absentee and telephone bids are also encouraged.

Visit www.bonhams.com/summersale to preview the lots on offer. The full lot listing will be published in early June.

To register to bid, contact: bids@bonhams.com and to discuss selling or buying collectors’ motorcycles at auction, contact: ukmotorcycles@bonhams.com.

May 08

Chinese Copycat Motrac Unicorn 800 thinks it’s an MV Agusta Superveloce

By General Posts

by Pradeep Shah from https://www.financialexpress.com

China does it again! The home country of Covid-19 is now in the news headlines for one more shameful reason and that is copycat bikes. Here is one more example!

Chinese are very well known for copying designs of some highly respected products and coming out with cheap clones. Auto manufacturers in China have been doing this for years now and very recently, we have come across one more example. This time around, the very gorgeous-looking MV Agusta Superveloce 800 falls prey to this copycat treatment in China. The clone bike is better known as the Motrac Unicorn 800. The Hong Kong-based brand also had the guts to showcase this bike publically at this year’s Chongqing Auto Show in China. Starting with the front section, the bike gets the same circular headlamp as the Superveloce and the front fairing looks quite similar too, however, it fails to make a mark because well, a copy is always a copy.

As you proceed towards the rear, things start to turn ugly as the bike gets a quite regular box-section swingarm compared to the single-sided unit that further adds to the enchanting visuals of the MV Agusta Superveloce. The dual exhausts on the right look no less than an eyesore as well and the rounded rear tail lamp mimics the rear end of the Agusta, however, this again fails to look half as pleasing and doesn’t gel well with the overall design. Speaking of the cycle parts, the bike gets 17-inch wheels at both ends paired with a 140-section front and chunky 200-section rear tyres. The Motrac Unicorn 800 gets its stopping duties done with the help of twin 320mm discs upfront along with a single 300mm disc unit at the rear, coupled to a standard dual-channel ABS.

Powering the Motrac Unicorn 800, as the name suggests, is an 800cc twin-cylinder engine that is good for developing 60 hp of power along with 70 Nm of torque. In comparison, the original Italian beauty draws power from a 798cc, three-cylinder motor that churns out 146 hp of power while the peak torque output is rated at 88 Nm. That said, the performance of the MV is something that its Chinese clone can only dream of.

Mar 05

Bonhams Motorcycles Kick Start 2021 with Return to Stafford

By General Posts

by Ben Walker from https://www.bonhams.com/press_release/31686/

The Summer Sale
The International Classic MotorCycle Show (The Postponed Spring Sale)
3 – 4 Jul 2021
Stafford, Staffordshire County Showground
The Gentleman’s Collection

A selection of wonderfully restored Vincent-HRD’s consigned to the Spring Sale

Following a successful year of sales at its Bicester Heritage base – with a 93 per cent sale rate – Bonhams Motorcycles is returning to Stafford for the first auction of 2021. The Summer Stafford Sale will take place on 3 and 4 July, in line with the rescheduled International Classic MotorCycle Show.

Consignments are now invited to the auction to join early confirmed lots including two important collections, one of Italian sports bikes and the other a selection of classic Vincent-HRDs, the world’s fastest motorcycles of their time.

THE RON CODY COLLECTION

A selection of motorcycles offered from the Ron Cody Collection

Well-known in MV Agusta club circles, the late Ron Cody, a former sports car racer and engineer, turned to his passion for building up and restoring his collection of Italian machines as a retirement hobby. This collection offers 48 motorcycles, with many examples of MV Agustas as well as other Italian marques. Highlights include:

1964 MV AGUSTA 150CC RAPIDO SPORT, £3,000 – 4,000
Like their larger siblings, the small MVs were very expensive, costing as much as a British 500, which explains why so few of these exquisitely engineered little motorcycles were sold in the UK. This 150 Rapido Sport displays a total of only 125 kilometres on the odometer since restoration.

1953 MV AGUSTA 125CC TEL ‘SPORT COMPETIZIONE’, £4,000 – 6,000
With superb engineering compared with any British contemporary, the MV Agusta’s 125cc TEL ‘stroker’ of 1949 was powered by a neat unitary construction single-cylinder engine which, somewhat unusually for a post-war design, featured detachable transfer ports. The 125 MV offered here is presented in Competizione specification, intended for Italy’s popular long-distance races such as the Milan-Taranto and the Moto Giro d’Italia.

C.1958 GILERA 175CC ROSSA EXTRA RACING MOTORCYCLE, £2,400 – 2,800
Throughout the early 1950s, Gilera’s racers made the headlines, taking six individual World Championships and five manufacturers’ titles. Its road bikes paid the bills, with the 175cc being a top seller, although its high price abroad made it a relatively rare sight outside Italy.

Introduced for 1957, the Rossa Extra was essentially a deluxe version of the 175 Sport. Apparently cosmetically restored and very nicely presented, this Rossa Extra racer features a Scitsu tachometer, Dell’Orto UBF24BS carburettor, Ceriani forks, and ventilated brakes.

1958 PARILLA 175CC SPORT, £4,000 – 7.000
One of the first Italian motorcycle manufacturers that went into production after the Second World War, Parilla introduced the ‘high cam’ (camme rialzata) model, for which it is best remembered, at the 1952 Milan Show. This 175cc single-cylinder motorcycle featured a chain-driven camshaft mounted on the side of the cylinder head, the valves being operated via short pushrods. Stunningly beautiful, Parilla’s production racer was also exceedingly quick.

AN IMPORTANT VINCENT-HRD COLLECTION
A stalwart of the golden age of British motorcycles, the Vincent marque is synonymous with design innovation, engineering excellence but mostly record-breaking high performance.

1951 Vincent-HRD 998cc Black Shadow, estimate £60,000 – 75,000

Leading this important collection of Vincent-HRDs is a matching numbers 1951 Series C 998cc Black Shadow, an example of the marque’s most famous model and the first genuine two-miles-per-minute production bike, with a reputed top speed of around 125 mph.

Off the road for 40 years, the motorcycle was completely restored by the vendor over a four-year period, with the result being judged ‘Best in Show’ at Stafford in 2010. Having since been displayed at the Lakeland Motor Museum, the Shadow is offered with a continuation RF60 buff logbook dating from April 1963 and the original registration number ‘LOV 579’. Estimate: £60,000 – 75,000.

Lining up with the Shadow is a loving recreation of its racing sibling, a Vincent HRD 998cc Black Lightning Evocation Special. Only 31 Black Lightnings were produced between 1948 and 1952 and their value reflects their rarity – Bonhams set a world record for the model in 2018 when the ex-Tony McAlpine, Jack Ehret, Australian Land Speed Record Breaking example sold for $929,000 (£656,630).

The vendor decided to create this Evocation for parades and track days. Buying a quantity of engine parts and main frame components in 2003, he embarked on a three-year project, restoring the rolling chassis himself, while entrusting the engine rebuild, to Black Shadow-plus specification, to well-known Vincent exponent Mick Ruocco.

Completed in 2006, it was commissioned by John Renwick, who made adjustments to the carburetion and started and ran the bike on his dynamometer. The Lightning was voted Best Classic Racer at the TT 2006 Lap of Honour and judged Best Classic Racer at the 2006 Stafford Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show.

It has since completed many closed-road parades at the TT and Classic TT and was used the machine regularly until 2014, when it was put on display at the Lakeland Motor Museum. Estimate: £30,000 – 40,000.

1937 Vincent HRD 498cc Comet Series A, estimate: £35,000 – 45,000
The rare Series A was the first model to use the Philip Vincent-designed engine, with high-camshaft layout. This example also underwent a complete restoration, from rebuilding the engine and gearbox to refurbishing the petrol tank.

The restored Comet was awarded Best Post-Vintage machine at the 2009 Stafford Spring Classic Motorcycle Show. Covering a mere 100 ‘shake down’ miles since restoration the bike has, for the past decade, been displayed at the Lakeland Motor Museum.

Ben Walker, International Department Director for Bonhams Collectors’ Motorcycles, said: “We are looking forward to coming home to Stafford and hosting the UK’s longest established dedicated motorcycling auction in a live format again, subject to the local restrictions relating to Covid-19.”

“Entries are coming in thick and fast and with two important collections already in place, we are sure there will be much interest. As we’ll be heading into summer, the auction will provide the perfect opportunity to buy a classic motorcycle and enjoy post-lockdown freedom of the road.”

Further early highlights of the sale include:

c.1950 Peugeot 125cc TD55, estimate £5,000 – 7,000 (pictured back row)

c.1947 Norton ‘Manx’ Sprint Special, estimate £10,000 – 15,000 (left middle)

Norton Sprint Special, estimate £6,000 – 8,000 (right middle)

1925 Sunbeam 347cc Model 2, estimate £5,000 – 7,000 (front left)

1916 Levis 2.5hp, estimate £4,000 – 6,000 (front right)

Further entries are invited to join the motorcycles already consigned.

Visit www.bonhams.com/motorcycles to submit a complimentary auction appraisal request or contact the Bicester Motorcycle Office +44 (0) 20 8963 2817 ukmotorcycles@bonhams.com to discuss the sale of your important motorcycle(s).

Dec 22

New Auction World Records Set at Successful Bonhams Motorcycles Winter Sale

By General Posts
The Winter Sale
including The National Motorcycle Museum Reserve Collection – Bicester Heritage

11 – 12 Dec 2020

Bicester, Bicester Heritage
Offered from the National Motorcycle Museum Collection,1936 Brough Superior 982cc SS100
Registration no. VD 6582 Frame no. M1/1661 Engine no. BS/X 1001

£3 MILLION TOTAL REALISED WITH 92 PER CENT SELL-THROUGH RATE

1936 Brough Superior 982C SS100 from the National Motorcycle Museum Reserve Collection, SOLD for £276,000

Two world auction records for a Sunbeam and Norton F1 motorcycle were set over the weekend at the successful Bonhams Motorcycles Winter Sale at Bicester Heritage, which realised more than £3 million and had an impressive sell-through rate of 92 per cent.

A 1928 Sunbeam 493cc TT Model 90 Racing Motorcycle, which had raced at Pendine Sands, powered through its top estimate of £24,000 selling for £41,400, while a 21,188-mile 1990 Norton F1, the roadster inspired by the sporting partnership with John Player Special, made £40,250, both setting new world auction records.

However, the name dominating the sale was Brough Superior, with no fewer than five examples featuring in the sale’s top ten, led by a highly original 1936 Brough Superior 982cc SS100, bearing the earliest engine number in a production model, which sold for £276,000.

All three machines were offered direct from the National Motorcycle Museum’s Reserve Collection, an exclusive selection of 52 British motorcycles – and motorcycle-related cars – presented on the first day of the two-day sale.

A brace of 1937 Brough Superiors offered from The Connoisseur Collection – comprising blue-chip examples from the estate of a late motorcycle enthusiast – also featured in the sale’s top ten, a 982cc SS80 and a 1,096cc 11-50hp which both exceeded their top pre-sale estimates selling for £73,600 and £71,300 respectively.

The Connoisseur Collection also offered an example of one of the most desirable pre-war American motorcycles, a 1924 Henderson De Luxe Four, which made £48,300, again rising above its pre-sale estimate, despite requiring re-commissioning.

Another 1937 Brough Superior 1,096cc 11-50hp, a project motorcycle offered for restoration rounded out the sale on a high note, trouncing its pre-sale estimate, selling for £57,500.

Modern Marvels

More modern metal also fared well at the Bicester auction, with three MV Agusta motorcycles achieving a combined total of more than £186,000, including a 1973 500cc Grand Prix Replica Racing Motorcycle which made £82,800, comfortably within its estimate, and a 1978 832cc Monza which pipped its top estimate, selling for £48,300.

Another 1970s superbike that found favour in the Bonhams saleroom was a 1976 Honda CB750 K6, with a believed 3.6 ‘push’ kilometres reading, which cruised past its pre-sale top estimate of £4,000 to achieve £9,800.

There was also success for the motorcycle memorabilia sale which offered two special collections from the families of two late motorcycling greats: Barry Sheene MBE and Percy Tait.

Highlights from the Sheene Collection included a leather team holdall, featuring the motifs 7, Sheene and Suzuki, which sold for £3,187, ten times its pre-sale estimate, while a stainless-steel Gabriel chronograph wristwatch awarded at the 1976 ‘France de Chimay’ race made £7,650, again more than ten times its estimate, while a set of Percy Tait’s race-worn one-piece leathers raced away for £5,737.

Ben Walker, International Department Director for Bonhams Collectors’ Motorcycles,”We are more than pleased with the sale which has been the subject of much interest from collectors around the world and competitive bidding.

We were also honoured to have been entrusted with the premium collection from the National Motorcycle Museum, one of the most prestigious names in the motorcycling world, and well as the collections from the families of two of motorcycling’s national treasures, Barry Sheene and Percy Tait.”

The Winter Sale was a fitting end to another successful year for the Bonhams motorcycle department, with the two UK sales realising a combined total of more than £6.7 million in 2020.

The Motorcycle department is already looking ahead to next year and is currently consigning collectors’ motorcycles and collections to The Spring Sale on 24 and 25 April, when Bonhams returns to the Stafford Showground for The International Classic MotorCycle Show.

Jan 13

London Motorcycle Show on the horizon

By General Posts

by Fraser Addecott from https://www.mirror.co.uk/

Check out all the latest machinery, plus a whole lot more, at the capital’s big bike fest

The post-Christmas winter months are probably not most bikers’ favourite time of the year – seeming cold, wet and miserable.

One bright spot on the horizon, however, is the ever-popular London Motorcycle Show.

This annual extravaganza continues to go from strength to strength and the 2020 edition looks like being no exception.

Alongside the latest machines from the world’s leading manufacturers, visitors will be able to see explosive live-action racing, rare classic machines, biking celebrities and a UK-exclusive celebration of iconic racer Barry Sheene.

All the new models from AJS, BMW, CCM, CF Moto, Ducati, Ecooter, Honda, Husqvarna, Indian, Kawasaki, KTM, Mutt Motorcycles, MV Agusta, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph, Yamaha and Zero will be on show.

Nine of Sheene’s legendary race machines (including his two title-winning bikes) are being flown in from Australia specially for the show.

And teammate Steve Parrish and Suzuki chief technician during Sheene’s winning years will be onstage sharing insight and anecdotes.

Race fans will be kept enthralled with a completely revamped Michelin Thunderdrome live-action event once again taking over the centre of the show.

The free races will see the world’s fastest road racer Peter Hickman going head-to-head with fellow Isle of Man TT competitors John McGuinness, Michael Rutter and James Hillier.

Visitors can purchase a VIP paddock pass, which allows them access to the racing stars and an unbeatable view of the action.

Alongside that, the Classic TT will officially be launched at the show, while, in between races, John McGuinness will be found propping up the bar at his own pub.

The 23-time Isle of Man TT winner will be pulling pints and sharing tales from his incredible career with punters throughout the weekend.

Statistics show 41% of riders are wearing helmets that are more than five years old and beyond the manufacturer’s service life.

Anyone who brings their old helmet to the show will receive a free gift and the opportunity to purchase a replacement at a bargain price.

Those wanting to take part should sign up beforehand at helmetamnesty.com.

Motorcyclists looking to escape on an adventure this year will find plenty of inspiration in the Adventure Zone and Bonhams will be bringing rare and exotic machines from the legendary Italian manufacturer Giancarlo Morbidelli collection.

The show is on February 14-16, at ExCel, East London.

For information and reduced-price early-bird tickets, visit mcnmotorcycleshow.com.

Nov 12

Ducati Streetfighter V4 Declared Most Beautiful Bike At EICMA 2019

By General Posts

by Janaki Jitchotvisut from https://www.rideapart.com

Ducati does it again!

Which of the many bikes unveiled at EICMA 2019 has haunted your dreams?? If you said “Ducati Streetfighter V4, obviously,” you’re not alone. Venerable Italian motorcycle publication Motociclismo conducted its fifteenth annual poll, both of EICMA attendees and its readers at home. Guess which bike won?

According to both EICMA attendees and readers who sadly couldn’t attend the show in person, the Ducati Streetfighter V4 was voted the most beautiful motorcycle of EICMA 2019. Motociclismo took to the MotoLive stage at EICMA to present the awards. Ducati design director Andrea Ferraresi and Streetfighter V4 designer Jeremy Faraud were both on hand to accept the official award.

When all the numbers were tallied, the winner stood out by a mile. Not only did the Ducati Streetfighter V4 top the charts; it commanded a solid 36.7 percent of the vote. Second place went to the Aprilia RS 660 which received less than half the votes of the Streetfighter V4— just 14.9 percent.

Third place was the MV Agusta Superveloce 800, with 11.23 percent of the vote. Fourth was the Honda CBR1000RR-R SP, with 9.43 percent, and fifth was the Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel, with just 4.76 percent of the vote. That makes Honda the only non-Italian manufacturer to crack the top five.

Interestingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, Motociclismo also reported that there was a difference in rankings for some bikes between voters who saw them in person, and voters who participated from home.

The top four bikes among both groups of voters were the same, but from number five down, results are markedly different between those who saw these models only on screens, vs. those who saw them live. For example, a lot more people who saw the BMW F 900 R in person seemed to appreciate it than those who simply saw it at home.

You can check out the full results of the poll—including the EICMA/home voter breakdown—over at Motociclismo.