A Harley-Davidson signed by Pope Francis has sold at the Bonham’s Autumn Stafford sale in the UK for a bargain at less than half what it was hoped to fetch.
The bike was sold for the bargain price of £42,000 (almost $A80,000) which is a tidy sum that will benefit Catholic Overseas Missions.
However, it’s not as much as was expected with auctioneers tipping the 2016 Custom Cycle “White Unique” would fetch up to $A180,000.
White Unique was created at the suggestion of Dr Thomas Draxler, founder of the Jesus Bikers group in Austria, as a fundraising vehicle, to be donated to the Pontifical Mission Societies (Missio), the official support for Catholic overseas missions.
White Unique
Bavarian-based Harley Davidson dealer, Würzburg Village, supplied the Softail and collaborated with the Jesus Bikers on its customisation.
As the name suggests, the machine is finished in pearlescent white, with Chicano (Mexican American) style detailing, numerous gold-plated components, a Dorne wreath ornament, a sunken cross and Pope Francis’ signature on the tank.
The Harley Davidson was unveiled to the public in Würzburg on 29 June 2019 before being accompanied by the Jesus Bikers to the Vatican, via Assisi, where the ‘Pope Bike’ was handed over to the Vatican at a ceremony with His Holiness in St Peter’s Square on 7 July.
Holy bikes
Holy Softail
The holy Harley is the latest in a short succession of holy motorcycles and cars donated to the Papacy and sold on for charity.
A Harley-Davidson signed by Pope Francis is the holy highlight of the Bonham’s Autumn Stafford sale in the UK on 19-20 October 2019.
The 2016 Custom Cycle “White Unique” is estimated to fetch up to $A180,000 when it is offered for sale on 20 October, 2019, with all proceeds to be donated to charity.
White Unique was created at the suggestion of Dr Thomas Draxler, founder of the Jesus Bikers group in Austria, as a fundraising vehicle, to be donated to the Pontifical Mission Societies (Missio), the official support for Catholic overseas missions.
White Unique
Bavarian-based Harley Davidson dealer, Würzburg Village, supplied the Softail and collaborated with the Jesus Bikers on its customisation.
As the name suggests, the machine is finished in pearlescent white, with Chicano (Mexican American) style detailing, numerous gold-plated components, a Dorne wreath ornament, a sunken cross and Pope Francis’ signature on the tank.
The Harley Davidson was unveiled to the public in Würzburg on 29 June 2019 before being accompanied by the Jesus Bikers to the Vatican, via Assisi, where the ‘Pope Bike’ was handed over to the Vatican at a ceremony with His Holiness in St Peter’s Square on 7 July.
Holy bikes
Holy Softail
The holy Harley is the latest in a short succession of holy motorcycles and cars donated to the Papacy and sold on for charity.
Motorcycles belonging to the late Bruce Brown, director of perhaps the greatest motorcycle film of all time, On Any Sunday, will go on sale next month.
Bruce died of natural causes, aged 80, died in December 2017, but his legend lives on in his Academy Award nominated 1971 film.
Brown’s Triumph was his first real motorcycle after he traded in his Honda step-through scooter to help with the purchase.
Brown’s 1976 Triumph T20 Mountain Cub
It opened the door to a friendship with Hollywood actor Steve McQueen, which led to the making of On Any Sunday. It’s in original, unrestored condition, with matching numbers and low mileage.
Brown’s Husky was given to him by Edison Dye, the then exclusive US importer of Husqvarna.
In a now famous gesture of brilliant product placement, Dye donated several 250 Cross models for the film.
In a letter dated 21 April 1970 from Dye to Brown, it says that this bike is “for your use of your filming of your new motorcycle movie”.
Film favourite
The director filmed many documentaries, but his iconic bike film kickstarted millions of riders in the ‘70s, including this scribe.
It is still a favourite for its coverage of contemporary flat track racing, desert racing and the playful final dune scenes with McQueen.
Bruce (right) with cast and crew including Steve McQueen (second left) on Huskies
The final scene was filmed at sunset at the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
“I figured there would be no way to get approval to film on the Marine base,” Bruce said.
“Steve McQueen said he’d see what he could find out. The next day he called and was told to contact some General and the next thing you know we are shooting the beach sequences. It was pretty amazing the doors he was able to open.”
Director gets funding
McQueen gave the director more than $300,00o to film the documentary after receiving a “cold call pitch” from the filmmaker.
Brown is also well known as the director of 1966 surfing documentary Endless Summer.
After On Any Sunday, Bruce went into semi-retirement, restoring and racing cars, playing the stock market, and deep-sea fishing.
In 1992, he returned with a lacklustre Endless Summer II.
Brown was born in 1937 in San Francisco and at the age of 10 his family moved to Long Beach where he developed an interest in surfing.
Bruce caught the riding bug in the early 1960s after visiting Japan.
“I remember going to Ascot Park and watching the dirt track races,” Brown says on his website.
“I met a few of the racers and was struck by how approachable and how nice most of these guys were. It wasn’t at all like the image a lot of people had about motorcycle riders in those days. I just thought it would be neat to do a movie about motorcycle racing and the people involved.”
Bruce’s son, Dana, has carried on the documentary tradition, with his 2003 surfing documentary Step Into Liquid, his 2005 Baja 1000 documentary Dust to Glory and his 2014 On Any Sunday sequel.
A collection of motorcycles gathered over 40 years by motorcycle manufacturer and Grand Prix boss Giancarlo Morbidelli is being offered for sale at auction.
The annual Bonhams Autumn Stafford Sale on 18-20 October 2019 will be the largest single private collection of motorcycles to be offered by Bonhams to date.The Morbidelli Collection from Pesaro, Italy, has more than 300 motorcycles.
“He spent day and night in the museum,” says his son Guianni. “He had no other life.”
Giancarlo Morbidelli and a Morbidelli V8
Giancarlo’s collection includes international brands such as Harley-Davidson, Honda and Benelli ranging from immaculate restorations to prototypes and barn finds.
They represent the passion of the farmer’s son and former woodworking machinist who, while building up a successful engineering firm as his day job, spent his spare time on tuning, racing and later building his own motorcycles.
Highlights
Two examples from the Morbidelli Grand Prix racing motorcycle collection, largely designed and built by Giancarlo, were fabricated by a small, dedicated team in a corner of the Morbidelli woodworking factory.
These proved to be ‘giant killers’ seeing off international corporations to claim the 125cc Grand Prix World Championship in three consecutive years: 1975, ‘76 and ‘77, as well as winning the 250cc world title in 1977.
“He was a genius with bikes,” says Gianni.
“He did everything by himself, working in a very small room.
“Forty years ago, he laid the foundation of this incredible museum, spending a lot of effort, time, energy and money.
“One part of the museum is dedicated to the period between the end of the 1960s to the 1980s when he built racing motorcycles. It’s our family heritage, a part of our life, but we thought it would be correct to include in the sale two Morbidelli motorcycles that my father built.”
The 1974 Morbidelli 125cc Grand Prix motorcycle is estimated to fetch up to £120,000 ($A214,500).
1974 Morbidelli 125
It was raced by the great Angel Nieto to second place in that year’s Spanish and German Grand Prix.
A 250cc machine designed for 15-time Grand Prix world champion Giacomo Agostini, who rode for the team during its golden period in 1976, and came second at Misano is estimated to fetch up £100,000 ($A179,000).
Agostini’s 1976 Moridelli 250
However, the Morbidelli family will retain ownership of the majority of the Morbidelli Grand Prix motorcycles, including the world championship winning 125cc and 250cc examples, raced respectively by Paoli Pileri, Pierpaolo Bianchi and Lego Mario.
Benelli features
1942 Benelli 250 GP supercharged
Not surprisingly, the Morbidelli Museum collection in the sale features a strong showing of Benelli motorcycles which were also a great passion of Giancarlo, coming from Pesaro, where this great historic brand was also founded.
One of the most interesting examples of the marque on offer is the 1942 250cc supercharged 4-cylinder example that could fetch more than £600,000 ($A1m).
This racing machine never actually raced. It was built just in time for motorcycle racing to be stopped due to the war, while supercharging was banned by the FIM in post-war years.
Giancarlo had a personal relationship and friendship with the Benelli family and so was able to procure the original parts which he rebuilt into a fully-functioning motorcycle.
Other Benellis to be offered include:
1950 Benelli 250cc Grand Prix racing motorcycle – the world championship motorcycle ridden to victory by Dario Ambrosini. Estimate £120,000 – 180,000.
1934 Benelli 175cc Bialbero – believed raced by Dorino Serafini, one of only three in the world. Estimate £40,000 – 60,000.
1964 Benelli 250 Grand Prix racing motorcycle, ridden and signed by two-time world champion Tarquino Provini. Estimate £80,000 – 120,000.
Ducati jewel
1964 Ducati 125cc
Another jewel of the Morbidelli Collection is the 1964 Ducati 125cc 4-cylinder Grand Prix racing motorcycle, (estimate £400,000 – 600,000), another GP racing machine which never raced. Created by Fabio Taglioni, Ducati’s chief engineer, this motorcycle disappeared for some years before its engine was found in Russia while its chassis reappeared in Yugoslavia, now Croatia. With the two essential components reunited, Giancarlo rebuilt the mythical motorcycle.
Alongside the pristine restorations, there are several unfinished projects in the sale, offering the opportunity to restore these machines as Giancarlo was hoping to.
The collection also comprises motorcycling memorabilia including Giancarlo’s own reference library, original drawings, trophies, signage and other artefacts, giving a complete picture of the museum and the motorcycling world.
The Brough Superior outfit used in the hit British comedy TV shows George and Mildred and Dad’s Army has sold at a record auction along with a bike owned by stunt rider Bud Ekins who did the famous fence jump in The Great Escape.
Proving its star power, the 1933 Brough Superior 1096cc 11-50hp and Cruiser Sidecar sold for £71,300 ($130,675) in the Bonhams annual Spring Stafford Sale at the International Classic MotorCycle Show in Stafford over the weekend.
Record auction
Bud’s Triumph Trophy
Yet it was not the biggest seller at the record auction where three motorcycles set new world record auction prices.
The 1962 Triumph 649cc TR6SS ridden by Ekins sold to an American bidder for a world record auction price of £97,750 (almost $A180,000) – over three times its top estimate.
A rare 1925 Coventry Eagle 981cc Flying-8 set a new auction record for the marque with £218,500 (about $A400,000).
A third world record was set for a 1935 Vincent-HRD 498cc Series-A Comet which sold for £97,750 (almost $A180,000).
Dad’s Army
The Brough outfit was used in 1972 in season five, episode 12 of Dad’s Army titled “Round and Round went the Great Big Wheel”.
Other bikes used in the series from 1970-77 include a Matchless G3L in the same episode as above and a BSA M21 in season seven.
George & Mildred
When the 1933 Brough Superior outfit was finished fighting off Mr Hitler’s invading forces, the bike was then featured heavily in George & Mildred (1976-79).
Its biggest starring role was in the opening credits.
Before the Brough wound up on the “idiot box”, it started life as a works entry for the formidable ISDT (International Six Days Trial) in 1934, winning a coveted gold medal.
It is one of only 308 built and has been owned by a family for more than 50 years.
Bud Ekins Trophy
Ekins rode the Triumph 649cc TR6SS Trophy to a gold medal in the 1962 International Six Day Trials (ISDT) in Europe.
The Trophy was sold along with the actual trophy he won for his individual class win.
Bud’s trophy
The off-road racer, bike restorer and stunt rider was a close friend and riding partner of actor Steve McQueen as well as a good friend of actors Clint Eastwood and Paul Newman.
Bud and Steve
He famously doubled for Steve in the jump stunt in The Great Escape on a Triumph TR6 instead of a German BMW.
The movie was being shot in Germany in 1962 and Bud thought it would be a good idea to combine his film work with participation in that year’s ISDT, held at Garmisch Partenkirchen.
Triumph agreed to supply a suitable factory-prepared machine, which was flown to Germany and registered there.
After the event, in which Bud not only gained a Gold Medal but also won the Unlimited Capacity Class, the Triumph was flown back to his home in California where it was registered as ‘CAL 142080’.
Trophy history
Triumph adopted the Trophy model name on their off-road 500cc TR5 and 650cc TR6 twins following success in the ISDT in the late 1940s.
For 1962, the final year of the traditional ‘pre-unit’ Triumph twins, the Trophy was designated ‘TR6SS’ which is one of the rarest of all post-WW2 Triumphs, being produced for the ’62 season only.
It was powered bya 34-46hp an air-cooled OHV parallel twin with a single Amal carburettor, a 4-speed transmission, twin rear shock absorbers and telescopic forks, weighing 166kg dry.
You stupid boy, get on your bike and check out this Brough Superior outfit used in the hit comedy TV shows Dad’s Army and George and Mildred.
The 1933 Brough Superior 1096cc 11-50hp and Cruiser Sidecar is heading to the Bonhams annual Spring Stafford Sale at the International Classic MotorCycle Show in Stafford on 27-28 April 2019.
The TV star outfit is expected to fetch up to £80,000 (about $A150,000).
Dad’s Army
It was used in 1972 in season five, episode 12 of Dad’s Army titled “Round and Round went the Great Big Wheel”.
Other bikes used in the series from 1970-77 include a Matchless G3L in the same episode as above and a BSA M21 in season seven.
George & Mildred
When the 1933 Brough Superior outfit was finished fighting off Mr Hitler’s invading forces, the bike was then featured heavily in George & Mildred (1976-79).
Its biggest starring role was in the opening credits.
We won’t tell you the punchline to the opening scene.
Suffice to say Mildred is once again less than impressed by George!
Before the Brough wound up on the “idiot box”, it started life as a works entry for the formidable ISDT (International Six Days Trial) in 1934, winning a coveted gold medal.
It is one of only 308 built and has been owned by a family for more than 50 years.
Superior Brough
However, it will not expected to be the superior bike at the auction.
That honour is expected to go to a 1926 Brough Superior 986cc SS100 Alpine Grand Sports estimated to fetch up to £180,000 ($A338,000).
It includes several modifications to improve reliability and practicality, including an anti-theft switch and an electrical generator concealed behind the gearbox.
Every Brough Superior was essentially a bespoke motorcycle, built to the customer’s individual requirements and famously earning the British company the nickname ‘The Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles’.
A succession of famous customers rode Broughs, including T. E. Lawrence – better known as Lawrence of Arabia.
Steve McQueen continues to set motorcycle records 38 years after his death with his Triumph Speed Twin fetching the highest price ever paid for that model at auction.
The 1938 Triumph 5T Speed Twin 500 was estimated to fetch up to $US65,000 (about $A91,000), but sold at the Bonham’s annual Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction for $175,500 ($A245,000), almost three times as much.
When the hammer fell and the King of Cool’s ride set a new world auction record, the audience erupted in cheers and applause.
Triumph and McQueen
The Hollywood star had a long association with Triumph having ridden a TR6 in The Great Escape and the 1964 International Six Day Trial, representing the USA.
His Speed Twin was restored by friend and fellow ISDT team member Bud Ekins in the mid to late 1970s.
It’s not the most expensive motorcycle sold at auction. That honour also once belonged to a Steve McQueen bike.
However, that record was beaten on Australia Day 2018 when a 1951 Vincent Black Lightning on which Jack Ehret set an Australian speed record was bought at the Bonham’s annual Las Vegas motorcycle auction for a record $US929,000 ($A1,155,000, €748,500) by an unknown collector who is returning the bike to Australia.
Jack Ehret’s Vincent Black Lightning
Bonham’s highlights
Another highlight of this year’s Bonham’s Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction was a 1993 Ducati Supermono, one of just 67 made.
It was tipped to fetch up to $125,000 (about $A177,000), but was bought fora bargain $115,000 ($A160,000).
Another highlight that turned out to sell for a bargain price was a 1916 Harley-Davidson Model F that sat untouched for many decades and still includes a period front tyre.
It was parked indoors many years ago in indoor storage and was recently discovered by American TV car restorer Wayne Carini, host of the Chasing Classic Cars TV series which featured the Harley in one episode.
The Harley was expected to fetch bids up to $100,000 (about $A140,000), but went for just $34,500 ($A48,000).
Meanwhile, a 1974 Munch Mammoth TTS, known as the world’s first superbike, made $112,000 ($A156,000).
