Bonhams Stafford Motorcycle Sale Tops $2.1 MillionBonhams annual sale of collectors’ motorcycles at Stafford on Sunday, Oct. 20, made a total of £1,337,475 ($2.169,384), with 80 percent of the 436 lots sold – and created a brand new world record.
Top performer among the competition machines on offer, the c.1966 Norton 350cc Manx prepared by legendary tuner Francis Beart and raced by Joe Dunphy and Keith Heckles found a new home for £61,980 ($100,531), more than doubling the top estimate and setting a new world record for a Manx sold at auction.Hot on its heels came the modern Molnar Norton Manx, prepared and entered by Fred Walmsley for the late World Champion Barry Sheene, which sold for £55,200 ($89,534).But it was a technological marvel from an earlier era that produced the sale’s best result when the 250cc Moto Morini Grand Prix racer from the 1960s fetched £83,260 ($135,047).The Michael Buttinger collection of Japanese motorcycles provided one of the star lots of Bonhams’ autumn Stafford sale when the limited edition c.1992 Honda NR750 superbike – an oval piston, 32-valve, V4-engined technological tour de force, the like of which has not been seen since – sold for £57,500 ($93,265).Ben Walker (Head of Bonhams Motorcycle Department) says: “In strictly performance terms the Honda NR750 wasn’t any faster than many of its more mundane contemporaries. What really blew everybody away was the bike’s sex appeal when it came to style: never before had a production motorcycle looked more like a two-wheeled Ferrari.”Two of Britain’s premier marques – Brough Superior and Vincent – again put in their customary strong showing, the 1950 Vincent 998cc Black Shadow Series C selling for £57,500 ($93,265) while the 1940 Brough Superior 990cc SS80 – the last to leave the factory with a Works Record Card – made £54,050 ($87,669). “Barn find” examples from both marques again demonstrated the healthy demand for such projects, the 1938 Vincent-HRD 500cc Meteor, owned by the same enthusiast for 60 years, selling for £25,300 ($41,036) while the seriously distressed and incomplete 1939 Brough Superior SS80 made an above-estimate £19,550 ($31,710).
Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory + Steve ’Stavros’ Parrish
byMotos and Friends by Ultimate Motorcycle
Hello everyone and welcome once again to Ultimate Motorcycling’s weekly podcast—Motos and Friends. My name is Arthur Coldwells.
Our first segment features the new Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory. Senior Editor Nic de Sena brings us his report on the flagship version of Aprilia’s upright middleweight machine. He gives us insight into whether it’s worth spending the extra money on the Factory version, and also of course, whether this sporting Aprilia is really the motorcycle for you.
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The next guest segment of Motos and Friends is brought to you by the faster and most technologically advanced, 2023 Suzuki Hayabusa—one of the most iconic sportbikes ever. Check it out in person at your local Suzuki dealer now, or visit suzukicycles.com to learn more.
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In this segment, Associate Editor Teejay Adams chats with (arguably) one of the most interesting Suzuki race riders of all time. the iconic RG500 alongside teammate double World Champion Barry Sheene. The two were almost as famous for their exploits off-track, as for their success on it. Those were the days! Steve also raced the Isle of Man TT for about ten years where he won 13 Silver Replicas, and got a podium finish. His insight into that particular brand of mayhem are fascinating.
But there’s waaay more to Steve Parrish than his motorcycle racing. He is also the most successful Semi-Truck racer ever, and, little known piece of useless trivia—he’s my birthday twin: 24th February. He is a natural entertainer and you can’t miss his recounting of the world’s most entertaining—and arguably terrifying—double-decker bus ride ever. If any of you were actually on that hell-ride then we’d love to hear from you!
