The 1936 Olympia Motorcycle Show, Vincent-HRD 998cc Series-A Rapide sold for a new World Record of £322,000
Daniel Craig’s personal limited edition 007 x Triumph motorcycles raised £60,000 for the RNLI for their 200th anniversary year of lifesaving.
Auctioneer Briony Harford energetically encourages Bonhams bidders in the auction room.
Stafford, UK – On 12-13 October, Bonhams|Cars’ market-leading Motorcycle Department returned to the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show with 395 lots of collectors’ motorcycles, memorabilia and spares for The Autumn Stafford Sale. The two-day sale realised a total of £3,236,000 with an industry-leading 92% sell-through rate. The sale attracted an international audience with 1,250 bidders from over 36 countries, many in attendance or bidding on the phone, online and via the Bonhams app. The sale further reinforced Bonhams|Cars as the auction house of choice for the sale of important collector motorcycles as well as single-owner collections.
1936 Olympia Motorcycle Show, Factory display machine, 1936 Vincent-HRD 998cc Series-A Rapide, sold for £322,000, a new record price for the model.
The top lot of the sale was a 1936 Vincent-HRD 998cc Series-A Rapide, thesecond example ever produced and oldest surviving complete example. This example was the actual machine that made the Rapide models debut at the 1936 Olympia Motorcycle Show. Painstakingly restored, this significant piece of British motorcycling history sold for a new world record price for the model of £322,000. It contributed to over £600,000 in sales of the Vincent marque, further solidifying Bonhams’ position as the market leader in the sale of Vincent motorcycles, spares, and memorabilia.
No Time To Die the #003/250 Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition and the #001/250 Tiger 900 Bond Edition, sold for a total of £60,000.
Another highlight of the sale was two limited-edition Triumph motorcycles inspired by the models used in the 25th James Bond film, No Time To Die. Gifted by Daniel Craig to raise funds for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the motorcycles raised a total of £60,000 for the organisation during its 200th anniversary year of lifesaving. The #003/250 Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition sold for £28,000, while the #001/250 Tiger 900 Bond Edition fetched £32,000.
James Stensel, UK Head of Bonhams|Cars Motorcycle Department, remarked: “We share a strong connection with Triumph, one of the country’s oldest motorcycle manufacturers, having sold many notable examples over the years. It has been a true honour for the Bonhams Motorcycle Team to collaborate with Triumph, Daniel Craig, and the RNLI, especially in the RNLI’s 200th year. We extend our gratitude to all those who bid enthusiastically and supported the RNLI and its volunteers, who work tirelessly to keep the waters around the UK and Ireland safe.”
1913 Wilkinson 830cc TMC Four sold for £104,650.
Formerly the property of the late Bud Ekins, 1913 Flying Merkel 995cc Twin Seventy-one 471 sold for £132,250.
Significant veteran motorcycles played a key role in the sale, with the 1913 Wilkinson 830cc TMC Four—one of the few remaining examples—selling for £104,650. The 1913 Flying Merkel 995cc Twin Seventy-one 471, once owned by the late Bud Ekins, fetched £132,250. Both of these motorcycles are eligible for the prestigious Pioneer Run, the world’s largest gathering of pre-1915 motorcycles, proudly sponsored by Bonhams Motorcycles.
Ben Walker, Motorcycle Department Director, further commented: “The market for collectors’ motorcycles once again proved to be resilient to the current economic and political uncertainties we face internationally. Talk of there being a downturn in the classic motorcycle market was quickly dispelled once the auction started, with strong competition for the machines on offer throughout the sale. A combination of high-quality consignments, well-researched history, a beautifully presented catalogue, and competitive estimates – coupled with being held in conjunction with a world-famous motorcycling event – meant we secured the best possible prices for our clients.”
We now look ahead to our January Online Sale (17-27 January) from Bonhams Motorcycles’ base in Milton Keynes, and the Spring Stafford Sale (26-27 April 2025), held alongside the International Classic Motorcycle Show. We are welcoming consignments to these sales, contact our Specialists today.
