Motorcycle history was made by H&H Classics at the National Motorcycle Museum in England on March 4, 2018, when the company sold two iconic bikes for new world record prices.
H&H’s lineup of 170 bikes included a number of gems that had the place heaving despite a week of atrocious weather that had kept people at home. The biking fraternity turned up in strength to bid for John Lennon’s 1969 Honda Z50A “Monkeybike,” which made $79,640, and a fascinating survivor, a pre-production Honda CB750, which reached $222,995 against a pre-sale estimate of $48,000 to $55,000.
The second historically important bike, the Honda CB750 is a very special motorcycle which collectors worldwide were clambering for. It was estimated at $48,000-$55,000 prior to the sale but in an extended bidding fight finally sold for a total of $222,995 — a new world record for this model and for a Honda road bike.
A “late” pre-production model it is one of only four built, only two are known to still exist, the other is in the U.S. and was famously sold on eBay in 2014 for a price of $148,000.
The bike for sale with H&H is a rare machine, mostly hand made in Japan around 1968. This bike came over to the UK in 1969, was registered by Honda UK and was used by them in the UK launch of the then new CB750 model. It is frame number CB750-2110.
Perhaps not surprisingly it has been in the same private collection for the past 35 years and was undergoing a restoration when the owner sadly passed away.
Head of Motorcycle Sales at H&H Classics, Mark Bryan, said of this bike: “This is one of the most historically important bikes we’ve had the pleasure to offer for sale. Referred to on its launch as the most sophisticated production bike ever. The standard bike at launch was capable of 120 mph and was equipped with non-fade front hydraulic brakes. The bike has gone onto become a true icon rated as one of the top landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology&rdquo.;
The two missing bikes suffered sad fates. A green version of this bike went to France and was never seen again and a red one was crushed about five years ago in the U.S.
This gold bike was first shown in Europe at the Brighton Motorcycle show between April 5-12, 1969. It also appeared on the cover of Motorcycle Mechanics, May 1969.
The idea for a four-cylinder 750 wasn’t even discussed until June 1968. Honda built a 750-4 test mule with a drum front brake, then the prototypes, all in just six months! This bike’s every single part is different from a production model.
