Bonhams Spring Stafford sale on 20-21 April at the International Classic MotorCycle Show reached a total value of £3m. There were 365 lots of collectors’ motorcycles, memorabilia, spares, and dismantled motorcycle projects.
The two-day sale included five major single-owner collections and nearly 60% of lots offered Without Reserve. It attracted an international audience with bidders from over 38 countries, many in attendance or bidding on the Bonhams app, the phone, and by commission bid.
Overall, the sale achieved a total of £3m with an industry-leading 95% sold by lot.
The sale kicked off won 20 April with important motorcycle spares and memorabilia, achieving an amazing 100% of lots finding new homes.
One of the many highlights of the spares and memorabilia section was a 1986 Suzuki RG500 Project – a dismantled example of the iconic two-stroke ‘screamer’ – cruising past its estimate to achieve £11,520.
The motorcycle sale for the first day achieved a 98% sell-through rate with over £600,000 raised and several single-owner collections achieving 100% results. This includes the late Ron Pladdy’s Collection of important racing motorcycles which featured a c.1963 Honda 50cc CR110 racing motorcycle nearly doubling its estimate at £46,000.
The second day of motorcycle sales saw more success with more than £2.19 million achieved and 98% sold by value.
Highlighting the day was a 1949 Vincent 998cc Black Lightning Series-C, one of only 34 made, selling for £150,000. A pre-war offering from the same manufacturer, a 1938 Vincent-HRD 998cc Rapide Series-A, sold for £228,850, as well as the 2003 Whitelock 4200cc Tinker Toy Frame, holder of the Guinness World Record for land vehicle with most cylinders, selling for £92,000.
Also of note was The Clive Woods MBE Collection, which was 100% sold and achieved over £280,000 overall, one of the many collections to feature in the sale, sourced via Bonhams Motorcycle’s network of specialists and regional offices, offering an unparalleled market reach.
Additional highlights of the sale included:
- A 1924 Brough Superior 980cc SS80 sold for £97,750.
- A 1935 Brough Superior 1,096cc 11-50 with Brough petrol-tube sidecar chassis and Watsonian Avon sports ‘chair’ sold for £78,200.
- An ex-Team Servisco; Fabbio Biliotti, 1987 Honda RS500 Grand Prix Racing Motorcycle sold for £73,600.
- A 1974 MV Agusta 750S sold for £74,750.