Bonhams|Cars Motorcycles
Stafford, UK – A rare piece of racing history, a c.1938/1939 BMW RS M255 Kompressor Grand Prix Racing Motorcycle will be sold by Bonhams|Cars Motorcycles at the forthcoming Autumn Stafford Sale on October 12-13. As an ex-works Grand Prix machine, it is one of only seven surviving examples from fewer than 10 ever built and this model was famously ridden by Georg Meier in his historic 1939 Isle of Man Senior TT victory, representing the height of pre-war motorcycle technology. It requires restoration but remains a coveted collector’s item, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for one lucky enthusiast to own a crown jewel of pre-war motorsport engineering.
Bonhams|Cars Motorcycles
The 1928 Brough Superior SS100 Alpine Grand Sport, estimated at £140,000 – 180,000, is renowned as the world’s first ‘superbike’, a machine that redefined performance and luxury. This iconic machine has a full and detailed history, coming fresh to market after being in long-term ownership for over 40 years.
Bonhams|Cars Motorcycles
A historic 1913 Flying Merkel 995cc Twin Seventy-one 471 – once owned by Bud Ekins, a motorcycle legend and close friend of Steve McQueen – is another highlight of the sale. Known for pioneering features like advanced suspension and ball-bearing motors, the bike was purchased by aviation enthusiast Vic Norman direct from Bud Ekins in 1998 and has participated in numerous Pioneer Runs. A rare survivor from the early American motorcycle era, this Flying Merkel is steeped in history and remains in wonderful original condition.
Additional highlights of the sale include a 1974 Ducati 750SS, estimated at £140,000 – 170,000, one of only 24 delivered to the UK and meticulously restored with known provenance. Also of note is a 1936 Vincent-HRD 998cc Series-A Rapide, the second example ever produced and oldest surviving example. This Vincent-HRD is the actual machine that made the Rapide models debut at the 1936 Olympia Motorcycle Show. Painstakingly restored, it remains a significant piece of British motorcycling history.
The sale will also present a collection of at least 52 motorcycles from single family ownership that have been carefully barn stored and are now being offered for the first time in many years. The collection, which will be sold on Saturday 12th October, is one of over 13 single owner collections on offer over the course of the weekend. In total, there will be more than 300 motorcycles spanning all eras – and all budgets – from the pre-1915 pioneer and pre-1931 Vintage periods to modern Italian exotica and cutting-edge Japanese machines.
The two-day sale, with motorcycles being sold on both days, is one of this year’s largest motorcycle auctions and has its traditional slot at The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show, Stafford. The sale schedule is as follows:
Saturday 12th October
- 11:00 88 lots of memorabilia and spares, including a number of Mike Hailwood trophies.
- 14:00 – 76 collectors’ motorcycles
Sunday 13th October
- 11:00 – 227 motorcycles
For further information or to register to bid, please contact the Bonhams Motorcycles team:
Email: ukmotorcycles@bonhams.com
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8963 2817
Or visit bonhams.com/motorcycles
Sale: The Autumn Stafford Sale
Location: Stafford, UK
Date: October 12-13
ABOUT BONHAMS|CARS MOTORCYCLES
Bonhams|Cars Motorcycles is the auction house of choice for the sale of important collectors’ motorcycles and single-owner collections. Renowned for achieving world record prices across the board, the Motorcycles division at Bonhams|Cars consistently delivers the highest sell-through rates in the industry at an average of 94% sold by lot and value.
Live and online motorcycle auctions are presented by Bonhams|Cars, the dedicated platform characterized by levels of trust, reliability, and transparency born of over three decades of experience as the premier automotive auction house. As part of the Bonhams global network of auction houses, Bonhams Motorcycles benefits from an unrivaled global reach and a name that’s been synonymous with expertise and quality for hundreds of years. www.bonhams.com/department/MOT-CYC/motorcycles/
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