Motorcycles

Honda CB750 becomes most expensive Japanese motorcycle ever sold at auction

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This prototype Honda CB750 has become the most expensive Japanese motorcycle ever sold at auction
H&H Classics
This prototype Honda CB750 has become the most expensive Japanese motorcycle ever sold at auction
H&H Classics
The highest-priced Japanese bike on our list of the top 250 most expensive motorcycles sold at auction, this 1969 Honda CB750 Prototype sold for US$148,100 on eBay in February, 2014. It's also the highest priced bike sold at an internet-only auction. The $180,000 sale of the 1962 Honda CR72 Production Racer in January, 2009 was concluded after the auction
Once the most expensive Japanese bikes ever sold, this Honda 1962-63 CR72 250cc production race bike fetched $180,000 at Mid_America's 2009 Las Vegas auction. Rumours suggest this example went home to Japan after the sale.
The tiny Monkey Bike just surpassed this 1992 Honda RC45 NR750 that fetched $92,952 (GBP£57,500) at a Bonhams Staffordshire auction in October, 2013
Bonhams
Astonishingly, Lennon's Monkey Bike now becomes one of the most expensive Japanese motorcycles ever sold, behind only the two CB750 prototypes, the Honda CR72 250cc production racer and a 1975 Bimota HB1 (pictured above) that was sold by Bonhams for £57,500 (US$96,614) in April, 2014
Bonhams
This pre-production (one of four built and two extant) Honda CB750 built for promotional purposes in 1968 fetched £161,000 (US$263,725) to become the most expensive Japanese motorcycle ever sold at auction
H&H Classics
The 1969 Honda Monkey Bike that fetched $94,187 was used by John Lennon between 1969 and 1971 on his Tittenhurst Park estate in Surrey. John Lennon is pictured circa 1969 with his six year-old son Julian on the back of the bike. Julian inspired several famous Beatles songs, including "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (1967) and "Hey Jude" (1968) and "Good Night"
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H&H Classics auction at the British National Motorcycle Museum on March 4 (2018) witnessed one of the most expensive motorcycles ever sold at auction and two of the most expensive Japanese motorcycles ever sold at auction.

A pre-production (one of four built and two extant) Honda CB750 built for promotional purposes in 1968 fetched £161,000 (US$263,725) to become the most expensive Japanese motorcycle ever sold at auction, while a 1969 HondaZ50A "Monkeybike" used by music legend John Lennon sold for £57,500 (US$94,187) to become one of the 10 most expensive Japanese motorcycles ever sold at auction.

The 1969 Honda Monkey Bike that fetched $94,187 was used by John Lennon between 1969 and 1971 on his Tittenhurst Park estate in Surrey. John Lennon is pictured circa 1969 with his six year-old son Julian on the back of the bike. Julian inspired several famous Beatles songs, including "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (1967) and "Hey Jude" (1968) and "Good Night"

The pre-production Honda CB750 was estimated by H&H Classics to sell for £35,000 to £40,000 (US$57,000 to $65,000) prior to the sale but a prolonged bidding contest saw the price soar to £161,000 (US$263,725), well beyond the previous world record for a Japanese motorcycle of $180,000, paid for a 1962 Honda CR72 Production Racerat a MidAmerica (now Mecum) auction in Las Vegas in January, 2009.

The highest-priced Japanese bike on our list of the top 250 most expensive motorcycles sold at auction, this 1969 Honda CB750 Prototype sold for US$148,100 on eBay in February, 2014. It's also the highest priced bike sold at an internet-only auction. The $180,000 sale of the 1962 Honda CR72 Production Racer in January, 2009 was concluded after the auction

The previous record price for a Honda CB750 was set by another Honda CB750 Prototype (pictured above) at $148,100 on eBay in February, 2014.

This pre-production (one of four built and two extant) Honda CB750 built for promotional purposes in 1968 fetched £161,000 (US$263,725) to become the most expensive Japanese motorcycle ever sold at auction
H&H Classics

The bike (frame number and engine # CB750-2110) sold by H&H (detail images above) was sent to Honda Great Britain in 1969, and was used in the UK launch of the then new CB750 model. The bike was first shown publicly in Europe at the Brighton Motorcycle show on April 5, 1969, also appearing on the cover of the May, 1969 issue of Motorcycle Mechanics. The auction house claims that this bike does not share a single part with the production model and has been in the same private collection for the past 35 years. It was undergoing a restoration when the owner passed away.

Once the most expensive Japanese bikes ever sold, this Honda 1962-63 CR72 250cc production race bike fetched $180,000 at Mid_America's 2009 Las Vegas auction. Rumours suggest this example went home to Japan after the sale.

The ex-Lennon Honda Monkey/Trail Bike XUC 91H was acquired by John Harington from Henry Graham, of Hook Hampshire, who at the time was owner of a business in Farnborough Hampshire - Motor Cycle City in around 1971. Henry Graham had bought the motorbike from John Lennon, who was living at Tittenhurst Park in Sunningdale, near Ascot Berkshire, at the time.

John Harington, the current seller, had kept the bike for the past 47 years, since buying it from Mr Graham, and had displayed it at various events and shows throughout that time.

Astonishingly, Lennon's Monkey Bike now becomes one of the most expensive Japanese motorcycles ever sold, behind only the two CB750 prototypes, the Honda CR72 250cc production racer and a 1975 Bimota HB1 (pictured above) that was sold by Bonhams for £57,500 (US$96,614) in April, 2014
Bonhams

Astonishingly, Lennon's Monkey bike now becomes one of the most expensive Japanese motorcycles ever sold, behind only the two CB750 prototypes, the Honda CR72 250cc production racer and a 1975 Bimota HB1 (pictured above) that was sold by Bonhams for £57,500 (US$96,614) in April, 2014.

The tiny Monkey Bike just surpassed this 1992 Honda RC45 NR750 that fetched $92,952 (GBP£57,500) at a Bonhams Staffordshire auction in October, 2013
Bonhams

The tiny monkey bike just surpassed this 1992 Honda RC45 NR750 that fetched £57,500 (US$92,952) at a Bonhams Staffordshire auction in October, 2013.

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