Benelli

Thought lost for many years, the engine of this Taglioni masterpiece was rediscovered in Latvia and the frame in Croatia. Now, as the only Ducati 125/4 ever to exist, it's set to become one of the most valuable motorcycles ever sold at auction.

Bonhams' Stafford Motorcycle auctions are held each spring and autumn at the Staffordshire County Showgrounds in the United Kingdom, and these auctions invariably throw up some fascinating motorcycles.

The motorcycle auction marketplace evolved rapidly at the year-defining Las Vegas auctions this year, both on a macro and micro level. Mecum's five day sale was the largest motorcycle auction ever held, while Bonhams set a new world record by fetching $979,000 for a 1951 Vincent Black Lightning.

Benelli has reinvented itself in recent years with a series of attractive low-capacity bikes built in China to keep them affordable. But the new designs are starting to look a little ... unoriginal. The 402 S, which which looks a lot like Ducati's XDiavel, is the latest example.

The growing minibike segment is all about hijinks, madcap capers and zany shenanigans, so on the Australian press launch of Benelli's TnT125 - the Italian answer to the Grom and Z125 - no kill switch was safe and no quarter was given. Good times!

There are two big motorcycle auctions that will be part of Monterey Car Week this year, one at Mecum, which acquired the world's largest motorcycle auction house, Mid-America, a few years back, and the other through Worldwide Auctioneers. We've put together the most interesting bikes available.

For those who don't spray on lycra shorts every morning, Benelli's new eBikes offer a compelling commuting option. We jumped on the Benelli Achle 29, a hub-drive electric mountain bike with some 250 watts of pedal-assist power.

Italian brand Benelli had a wee surprise up its sleeve at EICMA 2015: a European-designed, Chinese built monkeybike with its sights set squarely on Honda's giggle-machine Grom.

Chinese manufacturing muscle has enabled Benelli to launch a competitive learner bike at a very impressive price. A 300cc parallel twin with twin disc brakes and adjustable suspension, the Benelli BN302 should make a nice "exotic" alternative for new riders.

The British Collectible car and motorcycle auction season kicks off this week with H&H Classic Auctions' Imperial War Museum sale where several key lots are expected to provide a litmus test for the elite classic motorcycle market. We survey the offerings and link to all the catalogue descriptions.

The Paris/Retromobile round of collectible car and bike auctions gets underway this week with sales by Artcurial, Bonhams and RM. Though dozens of cars will sell for more than a million dollars, the world's most important barnfind, the Baillon Collection, will be the star of the show.

Benelli has rolled out the welcome mat to new riders with the release of its BN302 twin cylinder, 300cc nakedbike. It's affordable, good looking and unmistakably Italian.