Iconic Auctioneers is delighted to bring its largest ever motorcycle sale to the NEC Classic Motor Show next month on 12th November. With a record entry of 245 auction lots, valued at over £1.5 million, among them are two bikes owned by Henry Cole, one of the best-known TV personalities from the world of motorcycles.
Mark Bryan, Motorcycle Manager at Iconic Auctioneers comments: “I am delighted to bring two of the private bikes of the well-known motorcycle celebrity Henry Cole. Without a doubt his bikes will attract huge interest. He is a massive presence in the bike world with some 78 shows to his name.”
The two bikes from Henry Cole, the TV celebrity from the Motorcycle Show and Shed and Buried include a 1961 Dresda Triton 750cc, allegedly used by Dave Degens as an early race bike but no paperwork to prove this – guided at £8,000 – £10,000.
Speaking about the Triton Henry says: “The Dresda Triton was part of my upbringing and to own one has been a privilege. My God it does fly! It is the quintessential Café Racer designed for the ‘Ton-up- Boys’ and is the best of British Hooliganism! You can grow old disgracefully on this bike.”
The second Henry Cole bike is a 2012 Norton Commando 961 SE Café Racer 961cc. This ‘one off’ was built specially for the TV Presenter but comes to auction with zero miles and never started! It even has the factory writing on the headlight ‘Henry Cole’, so it will require recommissioning before use.
Henry says of this bike: “When I bought it, I thought I was buying part of a great British motorcycle future. But of course, the collapse of Norton meant a lot of people including me burnt their fingers. The reason I never used the bike, not even once, was that it was sufficient just to know I owned one the of the 200 that Norton made. You buy stuff like this to reflect your success back to yourself, there is no need to even ride it. Pride of ownership is enough.”
He owns some 40 bikes he says and only rides two and feels that this Norton should be used and enjoyed. “It’s a lovely thing to have. The bike was all about hope for the future of British bike manufacturing when I bought it – an iconic part of what was to be the Great British future.”
For more information on the above-mentioned motorcycles along with all the others entered in the Motorcycle sale at the NEC Classic Motor Show on 12th November, please see www.iconicauctioneers.com. If you have a motorcycle or collection that you are interested is selling, please contact their motorcycle specialists on +44 (0) 1926 691 141 or enquiries@iconicauctioneers.com.
