Silverstone strike gold
The first ever auction to be held in conjunction with the Devitt
MCN Festival of Motorcycling proved to be a resounding success, with Silverstone Auctions offering 170 classic and collectable machines at the East of England Arena on May 14. Both the showground and the saleroom were packed – and when the dust settled, over 120 bikes had been sold, which represented a 70% sell rate and a total sale of £665,000.
And if that wasn’t enough, Silverstone also claimed a UK auction record with one of their lots. A 1990 Honda VFR750R RC30, never used and with just two ‘push’ kilometres on the odometer, sold for £65,250. Originally supplied to Italy and never registered, the bike was offered in outstanding condition, having been part of the David Silver Honda Museum collection up until five years ago. Will it finally go on the road now, I wonder...?
There were other standout prices at the top end of the sale, too. A wonderful 1972 Triumph X75 Hurricane made £29,250, while another HRC homologation racer – this time a 1983 CB1100RD – sold for an intriguing £26,437.50. And as well as those, a 1969 Honda CB750 K0 demonstrated the continued demand for first-year examples of the model, making £21,375.
Further down the price scale, there were also some impressive performances. The Turner By-van delivery bike which we previewed in the May issue sold for £11,250, while a 1974 Yamaha FS1-E reflected the enduring fascination for the Fizzie by selling for £8325. An interesting – and nicely finished – Trident-engined Triton, built by ‘Mr Triton’ himself, Dave Degens, made £16,875.
Classic fans with shallower pockets weren’t left out, either and there some genuine bargains to be had. I liked the look of a fully-restored 1956 Triumph T110, for example. Still needing running in, the immaculate machine went home with a new owner for a reasonable £4500. And, if you were looking to break into classic motocross, a circa 1973 Yamaha MX250 (admittedly needing a little TLC and a few parts) looked a bargain at £675.
“This was a very good result for a first sale at a new venue,” said Mark Bryan, head of motorcycle sales at Silverstone Auctions. Indeed it was. And, following a similarly impressive first sale at the MCN London Motorcycle Show in February, the
Mcn/silverstone relationship looks set for a rosy future.