Velocette Sportsman top seller at Shannons online auction

Held from 20 May to 3 June, the auction combined events originally scheduled for Melbourne and Sydney into one online sale. The online-only auction was a Shannons first, necessitated by social distancing and public gathering restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Including garagenalia, automobilia and heritage licence plates, over 100 lots were consigned, including seven motorcycles. These ranged from a tiny 1978 Honda CT70 mini trail to a big and bold 1960 Harley-Davidson FL DuoGlide. The other consignments were British classics, with BSA, Triumph, Norton and Velocette represented.

Ahead of the auction, Shannons had predicted the Harley would be the top seller (attaching a $20,00-24,000 guiding range), but at the end of bidding on 3 June, it was trumped by a 1969 Velocette Sportsman.

One of only 40 Sportsmans released in Australia, this example was a one-owner machine from new and was well-known in the Australian Velocette enthusiast community. Registered in NSW until 2012, the Sportsman was used sparingly, with only 2,983 miles at time of consignment. Well-maintained by its one owner, including a mechanical overhaul in 1994, the Sportsman came to auction with a guiding range of $18,000 - $22,000, but its condition and one-owner status saw it sell for an outstanding $39,500.

The Harley FL DuoGlide also exceeded its estimate, but fell just short of the Velocette, with a $38,500 final price after 50 bids were lodged.

While these two bikes both comfortably exceed their estimates, the other motorcycle lots sold closer to predictions.

A 1961 T120R Bonneville, fully restored and with only 285 miles covered since a full restoration was completed, sold for $19,500 against a $15,000 - $18,000 estimate, while a 1974 Norton Commando MkIIA, mechanically improved and ready for club runs, sold for $17,000 against a guiding price of $12,000 - $16,000.

Two pre-WWII BSAs – a C1935 Model W35-7 and a C1937 M20 – came to the auction with No Reserve and $14,000 - $16,000 ranges. The 1935 W35-7 had been fully restored by its previous owner, while the C1937 M20 was subject to a ground-up restoration by its current owner. Each bike included authentic features and some rare, period-correct parts. At the end of bidding, the M20 sold for $15,500 and the W35-7 for $17,000.

Finally, the 1978 Honda CT70 Mini Trial, described as being in good operating condition and offered with No Reserve, sold for $4,000 - bang in the middle of its $3,500 - $4,500 estimate.

The overall success of their first online-only timed auction – 98 lots sold and 3 passed in - has prompted Shannons to hold another, which is scheduled for 19-26 August. Details on consignments for this auction will be released shortly on: https://www.shannons.com.au/