Barn-find motorcycles sell for nearly £70k!

A hoard of classic motorcycles, Isle of Man TT road signs, and other historic items have sold via an online auction for just under £70,000.

The collection of classic metal went under the hammer earlier this month and included 22 motorcycles that were pulled from a barn prior to rolling across the auction block.

The top lot was a rare 1921 Royal Enfield V-twin that sold to an online bidder for £13,270, with the oldest bike in the sale being a 1911 Bradbury complete with wicker sidecar that made a staggering £9,840.

Other lots in the auction included a collection Isle of Man TT road signs which sold to a museum on the Isle of Man for £18,750. There was even a Manx Norton frame that was ripe for restoration which eventually sold for £10,500.

Another star of the sale was a Rob North Trident replica (top of page), powered by 750cc triples and synonymous with the TT, that sold for £16,000.

Richard Bromell, the auctioneer at Charterhouse who orchestrated the sale, said it was a successful sale, despite being held in unusual circumstances.

“Having worked in auctioneering for 35 years it was a first to conduct an auction behind closed doors with just staff overseeing social distancing for company,” he said.

While the current lockdown conditions meant unusual working conditions for the staff in the saleroom, it did at least mean the firm had a captive audience, helping to boost bidders.

“Bidding for many of the lots was fast and furious with buyers not only from the UK but also the Isle of Man, America, and Australia.”

The auction attracted huge pre-sale interest with 500 buyers registering to bid at the auction.