Bumper Bonhams' sale breaks £3million

THE Bonhams Autumn Sale is a staple event in the classic bike calendar and this year’s results prove that the classic and vintage bike market is alive and well in the UK.

The star of the sale had to be the Brough Superior 981cc SS100 Sand Racer Project which, despite looking like an Airfix kit, sold for a staggering £264,500! Other (rough) Broughs on the day were changing hands for equally eye-watering sums, with a 1933 981cc SS100 Project selling for £161,000 and a 1924/1925 981cc Project achieving £126,500.

James Stensel, Head of Motorcycle Department UK, said: "Once again, the Bonhams motorcycle department has achieved exactly what it set out to – to sell the best machines on the market at the best prices. Our realistic estimates attracted bidders from across the globe, and bidding throughout was incredibly lively. Vintage projects performed particularly strongly, highlighting the continued interest for rewarding projects from the very best manufacturers. We are absolutely thrilled with the results of the sale, the success of which underlines the vast breadth of the department's knowledge. We look forward to our Spring Sale in April and continuing to consign the widest possible range of top machinery and automobilia.'

With so many vintage bikes taking centre stage, the number of more modern machines was low, with only a handful of post 1980’s bikes rolling across the block. My pick of the more modern bikes include:

·         Lot 455 | Ex Colin Edwards Suter MMX1 MotoGP bike | £46,000

Built to suit the CRT (Claiming Rules Team) regulations, brought in to increase grid sizes in 2012, the bike is powered by a modified BMW S1000RR engine. The chassis, frame, brakes and wheels are dripping with carbon fibre and high-tech parts.

·         Lot 492 | Unused and ‘as new’ 1989 Honda VFR750R – RC30 | £47,150

With only two miles showing this is surely one of the sweetest RC30s on the planet. From the front to the back to the bike is totally original, even the factory fitted tyres are still in perfect condition. With such originality and the nearly £50k price tag, I suppose the saddest thing about this sale is that the bike will more than likely never turn a wheel again.

·         495 | MV Agusta F4 Senna (749cc) | £10,350

One bike that sold for a more manageable price-tag was this stunning looking MV F4 Senna edition that included several performance and reliability upgrades. Included with the sale were a user’s manual signed by Grand Prix and TT legend Giacomo Agostini and Ayrton Senna’s nephew Bruno.