An exclusive collection of more than 50 British motorcycles – and motorcycle-related cars – direct from the National Motorcycle Museum will be offered by Bonhams Motorcycle Department at the highly-anticipated Winter Sale on the weekend of 11-12 December at Bicester Heritage.
The National Motorcycle Museum Reserve Collection showcases the most evocative names from the golden era of British motorcycling – and beyond – from Ariel and Velocette to Triumph and Vincent, via Norton and Royal Enfield.
Among the Nortons are two models inspired by the sporting partnership with John Player Special, a 1990 Norton F1, estimate £20,000 – 30,000 and a 1974 950cc JPN Replica, estimate £8,000 – 12,000.
Triumph is represented by an early example of its quintessential post-war ‘Bonneville’, a 1960 T120, estimate £10,000 – 15,000 and a trio of Valmoto Racing Motorcycles from the 2003 season, all estimated at £16,000 – 20,000.
More unusual offerings include the oldest surviving Hesketh Vampire from 1982, estimate £15,000 – 25,000, a luxury super tourer which was the brainchild of Lord Hesketh, founder of the eponymous and flamboyant 1970s Formula One racing team.
The Connoisseur Collection, led by a brace of Brough Superiors, (a 1937 Brough Superior 11-50HP and 1937 Brough Superior SS80, both with estimates of £50,000 – 60,000), offers numerous blue-chip examples from the estate of a late motorcycle connoisseur.
The Competition Collection of trials bikes is headlined by The Ex-Works; Ron Langston; 1958 ISDT Ariel HT5 (£10,000 – 15,000), a class-leading heavyweight trials iron and a gold medal winner at the ’58 ISDT.
The final collection consigned so far comes direct from Carole Nash, a stalwart of the motorcycle community and founder of the namesake and industry leading motorcycle insurer, which includes a 1914 BSA 4¼hp Model H Motorcycle Combination (£14,000 – 18,000), offered in barn-find condition.
1914 BSA 4¼hp Model H Motorcycle Combination
The Winter Sale will be a live and online auction, with an auctioneer at the rostrum, with bids accepted online, by telephone or by absentee bids.
The sale will be on view in the 50,000 sq ft former RAF Bomber Station hangar at Bicester Heritage, with pre-sale viewing on 3 and 5 December by appointment only.
The Winter Sale will be a live and online auction, with an auctioneer at the rostrum, with bids accepted online, by telephone or by absentee bids.
Report by bonhams.com
