Some people are into vintage British bikes. Some people are into classic superbikes. Some people who like coloring outside the lines are into sidecars. Some people are interested in any classic bike, but their budget restricts them to ogling auction sites instead of actually bidding. No matter what category you fall into, there’s an auction coming up at Mecum that should interest you.
Gym/fitness club owner Al Phillips is selling off 25 bikes from his collection. The oldest bike is a 1937 Moto Guzzi GTS500 with a sidecar, and the newest one is a 1990 Honda GB500.
Want A Classic Brit Bike?
Some of the motorcycles are historic (there’s a 1950 Vincent Comet Series C) and some are just plain fun (how about a 1982 Honda MB5?). There are plenty of proper Brit bikes (BSA Gold Star, Norton Atlas, Matchless G15, Ariel Red Hunter 500, Panther 120, AJS Model 16), but also Italian bikes (Ducati Mike Hailwood Replica, a sidecar-equipped Moto Guzzi V1000), Japanese bikes (1979 Honda CBX, 1982 Suzuki Katana,) and even a made-in-America Harley-Davidson XR1000. Clearly, Phillips was a man with broad tastes.
Gallery: Mecum Auction
Mecum’s description of the lot says “Phillips’ varied selection of two- and three-wheeled machines will demonstrate that, to him, it didn’t matter what country built it; if Phillips liked a motorcycle, he bought it.” Phillips himself was a British ex-pat who moved from the U.K. to the U.S. in the 1960s (that explains the old English bikes). He held an AMA expert racing license for years (that explains the vintage superbikes), and raced all over the U.S. and Canada. When he left that behind, he continued to collect interesting machines, purchasing many of these bikes originally through Mecum.
You can see the full selection of bikes here. The Mecum Indy 200 auction will take place on July 12, 2020.
Source: Mecum