World 500 GP winner to go under the hammer
As ridden by the legendary Franco UnciniI've been to plenty of livestock auctions in my time, so if you want to know how much steers are going for in country Australia just give me a call.
But this is an auction I'd really love to attend, as more of a pilgrimage than anything else. It's being conducted by British-based auction house COYS in Monaco on May 18, where 16 racing bikes will be going under the hammer, including Italian Franco Uncini's 1982 world 500GP-winning disc-valved Suzuki XR40.
The bike is expected to fetch around €350,000 ($A692,000), and the man himself will be in attendance as the XR40 finds a new owner - probably Jay Leno…
After his compatriot Marco Lucchinelli left Suzuki for Honda at the end of 1981, Uncini became a factory rider under the Gallina Suzuki umbrella in 1982, and won five races en route to the championship. Before Valentino Rossi joined the GP scene, Uncini was the last Italian to win the 500cc crown.
Other bikes on offer include both the 1990 and 1991 world championship-winning Honda 125s of Loris Capirossi, the 1992 Aprilia 250 of Jean-Michel Bayle, and a 1973 Morbidelli 125 ridden by 13-time world champion Angel Nieto.
COYS estimates Capirossi's 1990 Honda will hit around €220,000 ($A435,000).
For the complete list of bikes on offer, as well as a few other bits and pieces, click here.
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