Shannons Leads Bike Auction Pack in 2014

MELBOURNE – Dec 23, 2013: Shannons will become Australia’s largest classic motorcycle auction house in 2014, with a total of 33 bikes crossing the block at sales in Melbourne and Sydney in mid February and early March respectively.

The February 17 Melbourne Late Summer Classic Auction will see up to 12 classic bikes up for auction, led by a highly desirable and collectable1974 MV Augusta 750S America café racer.

Meanwhile at Sydney’s Autumn Classic Auction on March 3, a total of 23 motorcycles – 22 of them from three important collections, including 14 with no reserve – will be going under the hammer.

The MV Agusta 750S America being auctioned in Melbourne is one of the most desirable Post War road-going fours ever made. American talk show host and classic vehicle enthusiast Jay Leno has a similar one and describes it as one of the favourites of his famous car and bike collection.

The restored, correct example being auctioned by Shannons is expected to bring $65,000-$75,000 because of its condition and international collectability.

Other very desirable motorcycles in the February 17 Melbourne auction include a stunning 1939 BMW R12 with matching wedge-shaped sidecar ($18,000-$22,000), a fully-restored and desirable 1972 Triumph T120V Bonneville 650cc solo and a rare circa 1950 Scott Flying Squirrel 600cc solo (both $8,000-$12,000).

Sydney’s Autumn Classic Auction a fortnight later will see a wide range of important American, British and Italian motorcycles go under the hammer.

Shannons has been working its way through two major Sydney motorcycle collections throughout 2013 – one of important Harley Davidsons and the other of predominantly British bikes – with further examples from each being rolled out in the March 3 auction.

To these have been added a further six bikes from a third Sydney collection of all-Italian motorcycles, predominantly small capacity singles and twins from the early 1950s to mid-1960s. Further bikes from this collection will be offered at future Shannons Classic Auctions in Sydney.

The bikes from the Italian collection include Ducati, Gilera, Moto Morini, Lambretta, Laverda and MV Agusta models ¬ – all restored to varying degrees and in running order. Five are being offered with no reserve.

Amongst the Harley Davidsons in the auction, the standout is a 1947 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead, which although fully restored, hasn’t been used since and will need recommissioning. Shannons expect this very desirable Harley to command International attention in the $44,000-$50,000 range.

Another important Harley from the same collection is a 1956 KHK (the predecessor of the classic Sportster range), which appears original but will also need recomissioning. Elvis Presley owned a similar KHK model and Shannons expect the example being auctioned to bring $15,000-$20,000.

From the predominantly British collection in the March 3 sale come three important Nortons – a circa 1947 500cc Manx ‘Garden Gate’ racer, fresh from a ground-up restoration ($40,000-$50,000), a circa 1951 500cc Manx ‘Featherbed’ that has also been the subject of a full restoration and is being offered with no reserve ($35,000-$45,000) and a circa 1969 Commando 750cc ‘Modified Café Racer’, that also has no reserve and is expected to bring $13,000-$16,000.