Five bargain bikes from the H&H Classics July auction
The H&H Classics auction concluded this month, and while there were some big-money bikes up for sale, there were some absolute bargains too.
H&H Classic auctions always manage to source an eclectic mix of motorcycles and scooters. And while there are always some highly prized bikes to pick from, the July sale proved that there are some bargains to be had, too.
Here’s our pick of the bikes sold that buck the trend for bank-breaking classics.
5. 1967 BSA Bantam D14 - sold for £920 (including premium)
The BSA Bantam is a bike with a confusing heritage, a British bike, built in the post-war era that borrowed heavily on technology and engineering was ‘borrowed’ from the German DKW RT 125.
Once it made its way to the UK, though, it was an instant hit, giving cash-strapped post-war workers a cheap and cheerful method of getting about. And it’s still cheap and cheerful in 2025, it seems, and while this isn’t a mint example by any stretch of the imagination, it is one of the cheapest ways into classic bike ownership.
4. 1949 Excelsior Autobyk - sold for £402 (including premium)
Not a very well known bike but certainly an interesting one, and at under £500, well worth a punt to the right person! While it has to be noted that the bike is listed as being “off the road for many years”, as it is a two-stroke, it should be fairly simple to get it back in running order.
So long as you can get the parts, that is…
3. 1957 Royal Enfield 250 - sold for £575 (including premium)
A slightly less left-field option now, and while this, again, isn’t a pristine example, it’s crying out for a little TLC or maybe a cafe racer conversion to bring it back to life!
Back in the day, 250cc bikes could be considered learner-legal machines, opening the door to new and learner riders. That open access to the new rider market made them a popular choice, and while not as well known as the 350 Bullet models, they were a typical rugged little bike that could handle some abuse - handy for learner riders getting their first taste of cross-ply tyres!
2. 1963 BSA C15 - sold for £1,035 (including premium)
It’s worth noting that, as it was the first ‘big-bike’ I ever rode, I have a soft spot for the BSA C15. The bike I got to try was my dad’s trial-adapted model, shod with 30-year-old speedway tyres and cut-off aluminium mudguards.
This bike, though, is a bit more original and with a nice ‘oily rag’ patina to it. The bike was bought by the vendor around 30 years ago, in what the listing describes as ‘restored condition’. Those thirty years seem to have been kind to the little Brit-built single, and with most of the original parts seemingly all present and correct, it looks like a tidy and cheap way into classic bike ownership.
1. 1989 Yamaha FZR1000 Exup - unsold - estimate £2,000 - £2,500
The final lot is something a little more modern, and weirdly, it went unsold! The FXR1000 Exup is a genuine poster bike of the 80s and 90s. I know, I had a picture of one on my bedroom wall!
Looking a bit like an OW01 with a pillion seat, the big Exup was a beast of a bike, with that beautiful swooping Deltabox frame and twin headlights marking it out as one of the best-looking bikes of the era.
In a head-to-head track test with modern middleweights like the GSX-8R and Yamaha R9, the FZR would likely get left behind. But when you have finished riding and glance back at your steed, the sight of that Exup, complete with period Yoshi can, will more than make up for it.
H&H has another classic scooter and motorbike auction coming up in October, we’ll be keeping an eye on that auction catalogue on the lookout for more bargains.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
