June\'s Historics at Brooklands auction

This saw floor bidding up to the £14-16,000 estimate, before an internet contest pushed the final figure to £23,000.

The head-to-head date clash with Bonhams at Banbury had, presumably, deterred potential buyers for the early bikes. A 1911 Enfield offered instant entry to the Pioneer Run, but a £9000 top bid left a way to go. At £11,000 a Model K from the same manufacturer was short of the mark, but a 1932 version at £14,000 was almost there. A 1926 248cc Raleigh Model 14 was offered with a couple of boxes of spare parts and sold for a very reasonable £4480 after the sale.

British twins from the classic era fared better. An ex-works production racing Bonneville was a relative bargain at £7000, the same money secured a neatly executed Thruxton Bonneville replica. However, a £17,000 bid was not enough to secure a Rocket Gold Star. A DBD34 Gold Star was unsold at £15,750, but another went for £10,000 post-sale.

A number of Rickman framed bikes were on offer. At £14,500, a superb 850cc Triumph Metisse failed to meet its reserve. The £4800 for a fine TR6-engined Metisse was only halfway. Among the other minor manufacturers, a Dunstall Commando looked good for £3700, but a Bonneville from the same concern failed to attract a single bid. A Wassell Antelope trials bike went to £3300, way above estimate.

The off-road bikes offered an interesting contrast. Clean examples of the Spanish bikes that revolutionised trials in the Seventies sold well, reaching their estimated prices. There was less enthusiasm for the AMC bikes on offer, likewise the unlikely Douglas competition model. However, a scrambles trim Gold Star sold later for £11,500.

One of the stars of the show, the year 2000-built Kay Gilera replica racer, with its white chain grease unsullied, could have been a good investment, but the final bid of £52,000 was little more than half of what was needed.

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