BSA Bantam D1

Years ago "when I were a lad" BSA Bantams were common as muck. I remember buying one as a Greatstone-on-Sea teenager in 1964 for a fiver, repainting it grey and silver (pea soup green seemed so dull) and selling it for a tenner to a Dungeness power station worker who used it as a daily commuter from New Romney. Bought another couple or three since then for fun, or maybe as a throwback to a time when motorbikes were simple to work on. Being curious, I've just checked a couple of websites to see what prices they're going for, or rather what sellers are asking, and am gobsmacked to see one advertised for £3500. Crikey! Interesting to note that while the Bantam was launched in 1948 as a true British motorcycle its design was blatantly nicked from the German DKW RT125 which, I presume, fell into British hands after the war.

Dec 29 2020 - There's a renovated 1953 D1 (see below) currently on eBay. The bidding's up to £2550 with five days to go. Could go for a big price. (Went for £2750.)

19 Sept 2021 - 1970 GPO Bantam 175cc on eBay, asking price £4295. Crikey.

 

 

Yamaha RD500LC

Must have been around 1984. I'd recently lashed out millions (not exactly, but to a young pauper such as I, it felt like it) on a brand new Yamaha RD350YPVS which was my pride and joy. Kept it indoors, parked in the hallway. On one of its first runs I rode it to work in Covent Garden. Parked it in an alleyway, did a hard day's graft and looked forward to riding it home. But..., it'd been nicked. Felt bad, gutted, physically sick, almost suicidal. Luckily the bike was insured against theft. And luckily they paid up. Lesson learnt. In future park more sensibly in open view and invest in a top-notch lock (this was before bike nicking really took off in London).

As a replacement motorcycle I naturally thought same again. But, as luck would have it, there were press rumours that Yamaha were about to launch a V4 RD500LC which was being marketed as a road-legal version of their fabulous V4 racers as ridden by my hero Kenny Roberts. Soon as I twigged that the rumours were true I whizzed down to Portman Motorcycles in Guildford (where I'd bought the nicked RD350) and begged them to get me one of the RD500s whenever they arrived in the UK. Told them my sob story about having my bike nicked. Must have taken pity on me because they promised I'd be top of their list. True to their word, a few weeks later I rode my brand new RD500 from their Guildford showroom to my Southfields gaff, gently running in that magnificent engine while tingling with excitement at owning one of the world's most desirable bikes.

Interesting to note that examples of this machine are now being advertised for around £16k or more (I spotted a rebuilt Marlboro RD500 advertised for £23k but I guess it won't sell at that price). Interesting also to note that Suzuki followed Yamaha's lead and soon launched their race replica: the RG00. Although the Suzi was faster, I much preferred the Yam. Still do.

Sept 2021 - Two good 'uns for sale, both 1985: 19137 kms (11891 miles) in London dealership for £21989 and one in France for €18500 (about £17200) with 39500 kms (about 23000 miles).

 

MZ ISDT

Just spotted a rebuilt 250 MZ ISDT for sale on eBay. Seems a good 'un and the asking price of just under £5k may be a tad optimistic but, there again, it could be about right. Definitely a collector's item and probably a good investment as it looks in excellent condition. Seller description states that it runs well after its extensive rebuild and is UK road registered. Also it goes like a rocket! I had one of the later versions (orange and white) a few years back and I remember its lively response when given a handful. Great fun.

April '20. Another one (see below) has just turned up on eBay. It's apparently a minter with just 16kms on the speedo. Description states that it runs fine. Wish I could afford it. Price £7995

Nov '20. Another one (see below) has just landed on eBay. Looks a bit rough. £5500 seems a bit high.

Oct '21. This one (see below) went for £10900 after a last-minute bidding war on eBay. How much?!!!

Honda 400/4 F2

Ooh! Gorgeous! A mint, unused, 400/4 F2 (the later one with the passenger footrests mounted on extensions of the bike frame, rather than the swinging arm as on the F1 which results in the passenger's legs going up and down in unison with the rear suspension). This little beauty is up for sale at a couple of smackeroonies under £12k on eBay. Has to be one of my fave Hondas with its four cylinder engine and elegant four-into-one exhaust system. I vaguely remember an MCN article before the bike was launched which reported that the design team came to England to look at a number of different 'café racers' for styling tips. Not sure exactly what conclusions they drew but the little 400/4 has a sort of café-racer-style tank and an uncluttered look which contrasted with most other Japanese models. If I remember correctly, a third-hand F1 was my first bike after leaving college. Compared to my college runaround Honda 50 it was massive. However, bought an F2 around 30 years later and was immediately struck by how small it felt. And underpowered, compared with my previous Fireblade! Anyways..., looking back at all the bikes I've been fortunate to own, the 400/4 F2 has to be right up there as one of my all-time favourites.

 

Ariel HT5 and HT3

The 500cc Ariel HT5 is one of the most iconic trials bikes out there. It's extremely popular with pre-'65 trials riders, thanks mainly to the huge success enjoyed by Sammy Miller back in the '60s and '70s with his legendary, lightweight and much modified HT5, famously known as 'GOV 132'. In its original form the HT5 is a bit too heavy and cumbersome so it's been 'tricked up' by a few specialists to make it more suited to modern trials. Jim Susans produced a few versions back in the '90s and they're now collectors' items (he built one for me and I always regret selling). Ex-road racer Mick Grant built one and competed with much success, as has Frenchman Joel Corroy. Another name that comes to mind is John Bartram who built a number of HT5 frames which were much more lightweight than the original. Because of the HT5's popularity and increasing rarity, prices are rocketing. Back in the '90s you could probably get hold of a good 'un for under £5k. But that's all changed. For example, there's one currently being advertised on eBay for £15500. Mind you, I can't imagine anyone paying that price and then riding it, say, in the gruelling terrain of the Scottish pre-'65 trial. So, if it sells, it'll probably end up mothballed in some millionaire's centrally-heated garage. Makes me think I should have asked more for my superb HT3 (the 350cc version) that I recently sold for about a third of that figure. (March 2019 update: HT5 advertised for £16500!)

£15500 eBay Oct 2013 + £17995 eBay July 2019

my old HT3 UOV **2 (Sam's was GOV 132)

March 2020.
The above photo is of an Ariel described as an HT3 being advertised on eBay for £7250. I reckon it's the HT3 that I owned some time ago (see earlier photos) which I sold for around £5k. The ally mudguards have been swapped for a couple of plastic items, the engine panel featuring the HT letters has been swapped for a plain item and, being unregistered, there's only a very slim chance of proving it's a genuine HT3, albeit a 'tricked-up' one with a Bartram frame, some Steve Gagg goodies and various other upgrades.

P.S. I sold the bike in 2013 and the present owner purchased in 2016 for apparently £7250 - the same price it's currently advertised for. What happened during those intervening three years? More than likely that was when an expensive modern 'bitsa' gained a 1950's identity and instant provenance. Maybe a 500 masquerading as a 350. With its newly acquired DVLA recognition it would have immediately qualified for the Scottish Two Day Trial and increased considerably in value. 

P.P.S.
May 2020. Bike now re-advertised on eBay for £6500.
June 2020. Now advertised by Stav Bikes of Chorley (a dealership) for £9995.
July 2020. As above.


On the subject of trials Ariels, here's a rather handsome specimen with an interesting reg. no., but is it really an Ariel, and is it really a pre-65, and is it really an HT? Hmm...

HT5 advertised in France, 2 Dec 2020 (see photo below), €10,500 (about £10,000)

 

Honda RTL360

One of my fave bikes has to be the works Honda RTL360 of Eddy Lejeune. I remember seeing him on it (or maybe it was a 250?) a couple of times when he rode in the Scottish Six Days Trial. A geat bike and a great rider. Did a bit of an internet search and discovered, somewhat surprisingly, that a works ex-Lejeune 360 is now owned by a very lucky French chap. I say 'surprisingly' because I understood that it was Honda company policy to 'crush' works bikes when they were no longer being used. Having said that, back in the '90s, I heard of another works RTL (a 250) that had escaped the crusher and was available for around £10k. Much prefer the fire-engine red 360 though. Perhaps the most desirable trials bike of all time.

 

Zero miles Yamaha GTS1000

Just spotted an unused, brand spanking new, burgundy coloured, Yam GTS being advertised for a penny under £10,000. Apparently it was registered in 2003 and immediately stored. It's probably the only unused GTS on the planet. A good investment for someone - unfortunately not me.