Being able to give some special bikes a close-up inspection was one of the benefits of last week’s Bonhams and Mecum auctions. Engineering and fabrication marvels are in every row.
Arcs of chrome on the 1950 Vincent Black Shadow.
Using clip-ons left the factory handlebar mount available to mount a gauge on this 1972 Norton Commando race replica.
High-tech fuel gauge on the 1972 Ducati 750S racebike.
Careful, this 1974 Laverda SFC pre-dates brake/shifter standardization.
Bespoke suede appointments on a 1977 Bimota SB2.
Lightweight rear mudguard on the 1978 Ducati NCR race replica.
The oil filter is mounted right to the oil cooler on this replica of a ’70s Ducati NCR 750SS.
A little space in the 1984 Ducati 750 TT1 seat console for the battery.
On a 1985 Yamaha RD500LC, the airbox is built right to the inside of the fairing and each feeds two side-draft carburetors.
For all its carbon fiber, cast aluminum was used on the 1992 Honda NR750 grills, and a tank-top reminder in case you forgot.
Fretwork and exhaust details on a 2008 Ducati D16RR Desmosedici.
As anyone who’s bought a motorcycle at auction will tell you, it’s important to know what you’re buying and get some eyeballs on it. At Bonhams there is a preview the day before, and Mecum lines the week’s offerings up in a hall next to the auction. The variety of interesting bikes makes it one of the highlights, whether you’re a bidder on not…
-donn
oooo the SB2….maybe someday when I win the lottery
It was a really beautiful bike!
I was bidding on that bike, really gorgeous and man was it even more special in person but it was one of the “black widow” bikes as we called her, there was no stopping that woman HAHA… She ran up so many of the bikes that true bike people didn’t have a chance. I’ll keep my lips sealed as I’m very happy for the Sellers as I want everyone to get whatever they can out of their jewels but what happened was very discouraging as it gives people false assumptions on prices. Same woman last year…Not so much this one as I expected it do to really well, just happens it was one of the very same as I took note to who bought what and why. Had one of the most amazing times of my life but still spinning on the results as it was a bit nutty!!! Time to return to earth people 🙂 Love the pics guys…I could stare at them over and over 🙂
I saw the prices at the 2 auctions and WOW some of the stuff was crazy high. Good time to be selling Honda minis or pretty much anything that’s not a pink Yamaha 750 or a Magni Guzzi (those were tempting)! Would have been tough to buy anything at those prices.
These bikes at auction will drive the prices thru the roof. Look at the mecum last year where rc30 went for over $90k. Crazy!
Does anyone know who or what museum the “black widow” represented? Seems like she was given a list of bikes to buy no matter what the price, and given orders to bid up and up until they’re bought.
Love that Bimota, thanks for the extra pics.
Jeff, a zero mile RC30 went this year for $110k…
It takes at least two bidders to bring these prices to where they got. Ya, the black widow outbid everyone, but there was at least one other person in the building that was willing to pay one bid less than the final sales price. As a seller, that is what we are hoping will happen. As a buyer, that sucks!
The crazy thing Billy…that was the auction price. All in was 121,000! Not to sound like a know it all but that’s a common misconception…it does not take two! It’s the Auctioneers job to get the most they can for a bike or item, she was bidding faster then any one could possibly counter and wouldn’t not let the price settle. If the auctioneers in the audience raise their hand with an open palm, there’s no $ behind it. I realize this is a trade secret but important that people know that you could in reality, bid against yourself which is nuts! Last, 99% sure she was not buying for a Museum but I could be wrong. I worked in Asia for 15 years of my career, the government in Asia is very strict about how you can pull money out of their country…..there are other ways! That’s all I have to say about that (quoting Forest Gump 🙂
The SB2 is even better to work on. So easy to pull apart. I restored one and at the end I realised that I had left out an o-ring for the digital gear indicator sender which is situated on the left hand side near the gear box sprocket which is inside the swing arm. Deciding to do it properly meant pulling it all apart. Slow as I am, it was done and back together in around an hour. A quick mechanic could do it in 20 mins. The one I restored is on sale at made in Italy motorcycles. Full Yoshi engine. Cheers
Ian
Excellent information motoman. What you said sounds totally logical. Great input.