Two Benelli 250 Grand Prix Motorcycles Break Records At Auction
Two Benelli 250 Grand Prix Motorcycles Break Records at Auction. The Bonhams Bicester Heritage Summer Sale saw two world records at the sale.
As part of the Morbidelli Motorcycle Museum collection, this represented a unique opportunity. The sale of the collection could never be repeated. Some of the bikes were and remain unique.
The sale total made £3.67 million in total over the three days.
The record for a Benelli was broken by the 1950 250cc Grand Prix motorcycle (pictured below). Ridden by Dario Ambrosini to win the 1950 Grand Prix championship. Selling for £138,000 made it the most expensive Benelli to date.
Only minutes later the 1964 250cc Grand Prix motorcycle ridden by Tarquino Provini (pictured above). Winner of the Spanish Grand Prix, it sold for £149,500. This was the most expensive lot of the weekend sale and broke the record again.
To break the record once is enough, but twice is quite something.
Ben Walker, International Department Director for Bonhams Collectors’ Motorcycles, said: “We were very proud to have been entrusted with the sale of this stunning collection, carefully put together over 40 years by Giancarlo Morbidelli, which was a fitting tribute to this master of the motorcycling world.”
He added: “Here was a unique opportunity for international motorcycle collectors and enthusiasts to bid for some truly special lots and we were pleased that the collection received strong interest from across the globe. We’re also delighted that several lots will continue to be displayed publicly at various internationally acclaimed museums around the world.”
You can read the auction preview article here.
Other motorcycles did well too. A 1963 Honda 250cc CR72 sold for for £89,700 on the second day of the sale. The ex-Texaco Heron Team Formula 750 Suzuki 1975 750CC XR11 made £51,750.
Older machines did well, a 1916 Harley-Davidson, 1,000 Model J & Package Truck Sidecar fetched £56,500. A 1909 Minerva 31/2hp with Wicker Side car, regularly participating in the London to Brighton Pioneer Run, sold for £29,900. A rare 1928 Montgomery 680cc ‘Twin Five’ sold for £37,950.
James Stensel, Head of Bonhams UK Motorcycles, said: “The new live and online format has performed incredibly well and exceeded all expectations, with more than 1200 bidders registering for the sale.
“The appetite for important motorcycles and for one owner collections continues to grow and the results achieved over our three-day Summer Sale clearly demonstrate a resilient and buoyant market.”
Thanks to Bonhams for the images.