Records broken at Bonhams motorcycle auction

Two world auction records were set at the recent Bonhams Motorcycles Winter Sale at Bicester Heritage, with the event reaching a tally of more than £3 million ($5.3 million).

World record auction prices for a Sunbeam and a Norton F1 were set at the auction, which had an impressive sell-through rate of 91 per cent.

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The 1928 Sumbeam 493cc TT Model 90, which was raced at Pendine Sands, notched up £41,400 ($73,298), well over its top estimate of £24,000 ($42,492).

The 1990 Norton F1 roadster, the machine inspired by the sporting partnership with John Player Special, also sold for a record price, notching a total of £40,250 ($71,262).

Both the Sunbeam and the Norton F1 were offered direct from the National Motorcycle Museum’s Reserve Collection, an exclusive collection of 52 British motorcycles and motorcycle-related cars.

World records aside, it was Brough Superior that dominated the auction, with five examples in the top ten sales. Leading the way was a 1936 Brough Superior 982cc SS100, which sold for an eye-watering £276,000 ($488,658). It was also from the National Motorcycle Museum.

A trio of 1937 Brough Superiors also featured in the top ten, achieving totals of £73,600 ($130,308), £71,300 ($126,236), and £57,500 ($101,803) respectively. There was also a 1924 Henderson De Luxe Four, which made £48,300 ($85,515), despite requiring re-commissioning.

Other top sellers included a 1973 MV Agusta 500cc Grand Prix Replica, which made £82,800 ($146,597), and a 1951 Vincent Black Shadow Series C, which notched up £60,950 ($107,911).

The auction capped off a successful year for the Bonham’s motorcycle department, with the two UK sales totalling more than £6.7 million ($11.8 million) in 2020.