A 1973 MV Agusta race bike believed to have been ridden by the great Giacomo Agostini is set to be the star of Bonhams’ September auction, which is set to be part of the first MCN Ally Pally show and Supersprint, held at London’s Alexandra Palace on September 23.
All of the 74 bikes going under the hammer come from one collector, the Italian Roberto Anelli, and includes a total of eight MV Agustas. These include a 1971 750S, which carries an estimate of between £70,000 and £100,000, a 1977 750S America with 42 miles on the clock with the same estimate, and a more modern F4 Serie Oro from 2000, which is expected to attain £18,000 to £24,000.
Those numbers are dwarfed by the £250,000 to £350,000 estimated for the 500cc three-cylinder race bike, from the era when ‘Ago’ was untouchable. The most successful Grand Prix racer of all time, the Italian rode the MVs to seven successive world titles between 1966 and 1972.
As well as the MVs, a total of 12 Triumphs are included in the sale, including a 1953 T100C with factory speed kit and a 1961 T120C Bonneville Scrambler. Both should achieve in the region of £20,000, while a 1961 Beart Manx Norton is tipped to make in excess of £50,000.
The MCN Show at the Alexandra Palace is a new event and will feature the world’s only indoor motorcycle sprint, which will see a number of bike racing’s biggest stars go head to head on a track running through the middle of the venue. Top names on the bill include TT legend John McGuinness, world superbike king Carl Fogarty and trials superstar Dougie Lampkin.
The show itself takes place over the weekend of 22-23 September, with the bikes going under the hammer on Sunday 23rd. Other attractions include a live ‘fire up’ paddock, where classic bikes will be started up for the aural delight of visitors, as well as the usual array of retailers and manufacturer stands displaying most of the latest new motorcycles on sale today.
