Rare 1980 Quasar covered motorcycle goes on auction
A unique piece of British motorcycling history is hitting the auction block soon.
A very rare and very quirky part of British motorcycling history is set to be auctioned off next month.
The brainchild of British motorcyclists Malcolm Newell and Ken Leaman, the feet-forward, semi-enclosed Quasar two-wheeler was undeniably unique and almost certainly an inspiration for the BMW C1 scooter that came and went roughly two decades later.
(Although, BMW is teasing a return to the concept, and another German company is set to release its own take)
Initially, powered by an 850cc inline four cylinder engine repurposed from the Reliant Robin (a unique beast in and of itself), the Quasar was first dreamed up by Newell and Leaman after a chance encounter while the former was in Scotland on holiday. Later editions didn’t always go with a Reliant engine, instead featuring an array of donor engines from various ‘70s and ‘80s motorbikes - basically whatever Newell and Leaman could find.
The two sank a tremendous amount of time and effort into the machine, but perhaps lacked the business prowess necessary to get new ideas off the ground. Financially, the venture was always on the backfoot. In the end, only 21 Quasar motorcycles were ever made.
Actually, make that 22. This one was completed after Newell’s death and features not a Reliant Robin engine but a more stalwart inline four powerplant from a Suzuki GS850 - a motorcycle that was known not for thrills but utter reliability.
This Quasar will be up for auction on 9 October at the Charterhouse Classic and Vintage Motorbike Auction. As testament to its engine’s bulletproof reputation, “the bike runs well and was ridden” to the salesroom where it is presently located, according to Charterhouse.
“Distinctive and memorable is certainly one way to describe it,” says George Beale, head of motorcycles at Charterhouse.
Charterhouse says it is expecting bids in the £6,000-£7,000 range, which strikes me as surprisingly affordable for something this rare and unique.
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Chris Cope is a fourth-generation journalist, originally from Texas. He has lived in the UK for roughly two decades and has been writing about motorcycles for most of that time. He has written for dozens of publications and websites in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia.
