REPORT – 2019 Motorclassica Classic Collection
Words: Mike Ryan
Photos: Mike Ryan and Mediacom Services
Motorclassica, the Australian International Concours d’Elegance and Classic Motor Show, celebrated its 10th Anniversary in 2019, with this year’s special show at the historic Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne presenting an equally special display of motorcycling history.
Three into Ten
Held over three days – 11 to 13 October - this year’s Motorclassica featured fewer motorcycles overall than past years, but what was on the display – upstairs on the Royal Exhibition Building’s gallery level and outside as part of the ‘Cub Sandwich’ display – made up in quality what it lacked in quantity.
At the western end of the gallery level, there were a dozen classics on show, covering everything from a Norton Atlas Scrambler to a Suzuki T125 Stinger, with more bikes towards the eastern end.
While there was no specific feature marque or theme to this year’s motorcycle display, there was a fine collection of classic Lambretta scooters, in both restored and preserved form, placed alongside current offerings from the recently reborn Lambretta Australia.
JUST BIKES advertiser Classic Style Australia was the only other motorcycle business exhibiting this year, and like past years, Jon Munn presented a fine selection from Classic Style’s current stock, as well as concours entrants from his personal collection.
Big Ticket Items
In an event packed with significant and expensive vehicles, it’s easy to get blasé about the importance and value of some of the machinery on display. While tens of millions of dollars worth of cars filled the main display space downstairs, there was at least a couple of million dollars’ worth of bikes upstairs. Most of that coin, however, was held by just two bikes – a 1922 Brough Superior Mk1 90 Bore and a 1951 Vincent Black Lightning.
As has been widely reported, including in JUST BIKES, the Vincent is the unit Jack Ehret used to set an Australian land speed record for motorcycles of 141.5mph (227.7km/h) in 1953. In Ehret family possession for almost 50 years, the Black Lightning remained in Australia until 2014, when it was sold to a French enthusiast, who commissioned renowned Vincent specialist Patrick Godet to mechanically restore the bike with new engine internals, new brake shoes, new cables, rebuilt wheels and new tyres, but its external patina was left untouched.
In 2018, the Black Lightning - one of only 33 built and one of only 19 thought to still exist - was consigned for Bonhams’ annual Las Vegas motorcycle auction. Expected to be one of the auction’s top sellers, the final price of US$929,000 (AU$1.1 million) set a new record for a motorcycle sold at auction, eclipsing the US$825,000 paid for a 1915 Cyclone board track racer in 2015. Fortunately for Aussies, the winning bidder for the Vincent was an Aussie, who brought the rare Vincent “home” and has presented and ridden it at many events since, including this year’s All British Rally.
The history of the Brough Superior is less clear, but it has been here in Australia for at least the past two decades after being purchased in pieces from a deceased estate auction.
What makes this particular bike rare is its overhead valve JAP v-twin engine, where most Brough Superiors were fitted with sidevalve v-twins. However, due to Brough’s sketchy record keeping, exactly how many 90 Bore OHV units were built is unknown. The example on display at Motorclassica is one of only two known in complete, restored condition: the other is in Jay Leno’s extensive collection.
Late last year, the restoration of this bike had stalled, which was when Jon Munn became involved. Sourcing new parts and remanufacturing unobtainable ones, Munn spent more than six months bringing the restoration of the Brough Superior to fruition.
Completed in time to appear at Motorclassica, the value of the restored Brough Superior would be hard to determine, but with even basketcase examples selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction, a mid-six-figure sum for this bike would be certain.
Jon’s Classics
As well as the Brough Superior, other bikes entered by Jon in this year’s Concours d’Elegance included a 1959 Norton Nomad 600, 1963 Norton Atlas Scrambler 750 and a 1960 Indian Fury 500.
While the Atlas was stunning and the Nomad was rare (believed to be the only example of this short-lived model in Australia), the Fury was arguably the more interesting unit – and JUST BIKES’ favourite bike on show.
Launched in 1959 with a limited run of 50 units aimed at the North American market, the Indian Fury was a rebadged version of the Royal Enfield 500cc single of the same name. To compete with the BSA Gold Star and Velocette Venom, the Fury featured larger valves, a high compression piston, high lift cams and a 1 ½-inch Amal GP carburettor. The result was 40hp (30kW); a significant 13hp (9kW) more than the Bullet it was based on.
It’s believed less than 200 Furies were built before production ended in 1963, making restored survivors like Jon’s extremely rare worldwide.
Concours Winners
With the reduced concours entrants this year, the previous Pre- and Post-War concours categories for motorcycles were condensed down to one, but as in previous years, there was also a Preservation class for unrestored motorcycles.
Against the aforementioned Brough Superior and classic scramblers from Jon Munn, there was also a ’69 BSA Rocket 3 in this year’s concours, as well as a ’28 Harley-Davidson J model, ’74 BMW R90S and a 1960 Royal Enfield Meteor Minor Sports.
Other concours entrants that caught the eye included a pair of early Hondas in the form of a 1958 C71 Dream and a 1959 Super Cub C100. Both were matching numbers machines, with period factory accessories on the C71 Dream including a windshield, leg shields and rear luggage rack, while the Super Cub carried a cute saddlebag.
In the Preservation category, the Ehret Vincent Black Lightning was up against an MV Agusta CSS Disco Volante, ’27 Sunbeam TT Model 90, ’58 Lambretta Li 150 and a ’59 Ariel Square Four, to name a few.
When the concours winners were announced on the final day of Motorclassica, it was hardly surprising that the Brough Superior won Best Motorcycle, as there was nothing to fault on this English classic. For Jon, this year’s concours victory continues a winning streak at Motorclassica that started back in 2013. Interestingly, this is the first pre-war bike he’s won with: all Jon’s previous wins came with post-war British classics from the likes of Velocette, Vincent, BSA and Triumph.
In the Preservation class, the concours trophy went to the Ariel Square Four of Phillip Caldwell. One of the last Square Fours built, Caldwell’s example was sold new in the USA and is believed to have had only two owners before it came to Australia in 2008. With only 20,100 miles showing, the Square Four featured original paint, pinstriping and even original rubber on parts like the fuel lines and distributor boot.
It should be noted that few of these bikes are trailer queens, with several of the Motorcycle and Preservation concours entrants taking part in the ‘Tour Classica’ drive through Melbourne’s CBD that precedes the main three display days. Those entrants included a 1958 BSA B31, the aforementioned Royal Enfield Meteor Minor Sports and the Preservation class-winning Ariel.
Roll on 2020
With the tenth anniversary Motorclassica completed, attention has already turned to 2020.
Next year’s Motorclassica is locked in for 9 – 11 October, 2020, at the Royal Exhibition Building, with themes, special guests and other attractions to be announced closer to the event.
For Motorclassica updates and further information, go to https://motorclassica.com.au/
NOTE: Check out JUST CARS issue #288, or go online to https://www.justcars.com.au/ to see coverage of the automobile section of this year’s Motorclassica.
