On June 20th, Bonhams is having their Summer Classic Sale in Oxford, England. Out of 466 lots, 45 of them are motorcycles. You know the usual drill – here’s my top 7!
1. 1964 Honda CZ100 – estimated to sell between $9,200 and $10,000. Honda’s first monkey bike was the Z100 – this CZ100 was its’ replacement. This is one of the later models, as it’s equipped with a red tank. It’s got such a distinctive look, but the CZ100 was never imported to the US for Americans to enjoy. This bike got the same engine and fuel tank from the Cub, as well as an engine that earned the nickname of the “Iron”. It produced 4.4 horsepower at 9,500 rpm. This example has been in the same family since new. It was restored in 2008 and has 2,250 since the work was done.
2. 1962 Ariel Arrow Super Sports – estimated to sell between $3,100 and $4,600. Rebuilt in 2010, this Super Sports has barely been used. It’s a pretty example of the Sport version of the Arrow, itself a lighter version of the Ariel Leader.
3. Did you know that in the late 90s, someone tried to bring back the BSA name with another Gold Star? The model was called the BSA Gold-SR, and it utilized the 400 or 500cc engine from a Yamaha SR. About 500 were built. For more on that model, check out this profile on Carole Nash. This bike is…not one of those. But it’s a similar concept! This is a 1955 BSA ‘Gold Star’ that’s powered by a 499cc Yamaha SR500 motor. The frame is a A7/A10 model and it has plenty of original Gold Star parts like the tank, front brake, exhaust, instruments, and more. To honor the British spirit, the SR500 engine was converted to run a right side gear shifter.
4. Founded by Joseph Ehrlich, EMC (Ehrlich Motor Co) founded in 1946 that focused on two-strokes. In ’47, the EMC roadster featured a 345cc split single engine, Dowty Oleomatic front fork and a four-speed Burman transmission. Mass production ended in 1952 but the company stayed intact until 1977. Here’s a 1949 EMC Roadster estimated to sell between $4,600 and $5,400.
5. 1938 Benelli 500 VLC – estimated to sell between $15,000 and $21,000. A 494cc engine powered this bike – VLC stands for Valvolve Laterale (Side Valve in Italian). The model was introduced in the late 30s and was available in civilian and military variants. This example is paired with a Velorex Sport Zambek sidecar.
6. 1953 AJS Model 20 – estimated to sell between $21,000 and $28,000. This bike won the ’53 ISDT! Piloted by Hugh Viney, this was the last British team to win the ISDT.
This bike was displayed at the Earl’s Court Motorcycle Show after it won, and it was then sold to the current seller’s father. It was restored in 1978 and is now claimed to be in beautiful condition.
7. Last but not least, the highlight has to be this incredible Russian military bike made by Matchless. A 1916/17 Matchless-Vickers 8B2/M, this is estimated to sell between $38,000 and $46,000. It’s one of 250 that were ordered by the Russian government, but the October Revolution prevented delivery. It spent decades in dry storage but it’s been restored and was on display at the Tank Museum in Bovington. It is apparently the only Matchless ordered by Russia that survived World War I. Very cool. And no, the machine gun doesn’t work anymore.
Well, those are the bikes I found to be particularly fascinating. But for a listing of all the motorcycle lots, click here!