Bonhams' sale at this month's Stafford show has already garnered a fair bit of publicity thanks to a couple of ex-Foggy Ducatis that will go under the hammer, but a detailed inspection of the auction catalogue (always a good way to dream away an hour or so) reveals there's more intriguing stuff to be bought there too.
Check out the near-mythical Drysdale Dryvtech 2x2x2, a one-off that gained endless magazine coverage in the early 1990s and has been sitting in the Donington museum for the last few years. Estimated at a very reasonable £4000-£6000, the unique creation of Aussie inventor Ian Drysdale – perhaps better known for his V8 superbike – uses a Maico 250cc two-stroke powering both the front and rear wheels via a hydraulic drive system. And as if that wasn't mad enough, he added two-wheel-steering, again hydraulically-activated, along with a hub-centre front suspension set-up. Apparently riding it takes "a bit of getting used to."
If that's too weird for your tastes, how about a beautiful Rothmans-coloured 1986 NS400R at £2800-£3500 (lot 443), or you could cash in on the BMW-inspired 2011 craze for six-cylinder engines with a 1984 Benelli Sei, estimated to take £5000-6000 (lot 463). Or if you want to turn heads and stomachs in equal measure what about a 1990 BMW K1, in the red and yellow, at £3500-£4500 – wonder why they haven't revived that paint scheme for the S1000RR?
At the top end of the market, race machines don't come much more special than Foggy's twice-TT-winning 1989 Honda RC30, expected to bring £50,000-£70,000. Or the ex-works (Xaus) and Renegade (Haga) Ducati 999 for £70k-£80k. Both of those are trumped by a 1957 Gilera 500 GP bike, expected to take as much as £85k, and a Brough Superior (how come there's always a Brough Superior at every auction – aren't they supposed to be rare?) at an estimated £120,000-£150,000.
If you're up for bluffing it there's a good looking Honda 250-4 GP bike replica, based on a 90s CBR250RR engine in a 1963 Honda CB77 frame, the style and sound should fool at least a few onlookers into believing you're riding a million-pound original and it's estimated at just £3000-£4000.
The sale's at the International Classic Motorcycle Show at Stafford on April 24. Check out Bonhams.com to see a full online catalogue. And let us know if you decide to buy the Drysdale!
