Odd bikes to feature at Shannons Motorex Auction

Amongst the consignments listed for Shannons 'Custom & Collectable Auction' at Sydney's Olympic Park on July 22 are a pair of rare machines in the form of a 1922 Allon and a 1966 Velosolex/Motobecane, both of which are being offered at No Reserve.

Derived from the Alldays & Onions marque, the first Allon appeared in 1916, with the range including singles as well as larger JAP-engined v-twins. The lot on offer was reportedly restored in the 1970s, but is currently not in running condition. A feature on this bike is the circa-1912 'King of the Road' brass headlamp. In the vendor's possession for the past 40 years, the Allon is being offered with original registration papers, but is being sold unregistered. Shannons have set a guiding range for this motorcycle at $3,000 - $6,000.

Looking like a contemporary of the Allon but significantly more recent is the Velosolex 'Motobecane' autocycle. The French Solex company can trace its origins back to before World War I, but didn't start to produce and market powered bicycles until after World War II. A feature common to all Velosolex bikes was the positioning of the engine above the front wheel. The engine in this 1966 example is a 49cc single cylinder 2-stroke, which drives the front wheel via a ceramic friction roller. While not uncommon worldwide, Velosolex autocycles are rare in this country, so this good condition example should attract some interest, especially given its No Reserve listing and pre-auction guiding range of only $1,500 - $2,500.

Vespa fans are catered for at Shannons MotorEx auction with two examples listed, both of which are being offered at No Reserve. The first is a C1962 125cc model. Not much information has been offered, other than a notification of an older restoration. Guiding range has been set at $2,500 - $4,000. The second Vespa isn't really a Vespa - it's actually a Douglas-built copy. From 1948, Douglas built selected Vespa models under licence, with a significant amount of local content, until 1965. From then, Douglas served as the official importer of Vespas to the UK up to the early 1980s. The lot on offer, which is also being offered at No Reserve, is listed as a C1957 model that was restored some time ago. With a guiding range of $2,500 - $4,000, the dual saddle, 125cc single still presents in good condition, and is arguably the better of the two Vespas on offer.

The final motorcycle lot on offer is something a little more substantial in the form of a 1962 Harley-Davidson FLH DuoGlide 'panhead'. Purchased by the vendor four years ago, the panhead was subject to a thorough restoration, including a rebuild of the 80ci v-twin engine and 4-speed transmission, new custom candy apple red paint, rechromed trim, new brakes and electrics, plus fresh tyres. Shannons have set a guiding range of $24,000 - $28,000 for this stunning restoration of the popular FLH panhead.

Now in its 12th year, Meguiar's MotorEx will be staged over the July 21-22 weekend at Sydney's Olympic Park. The largest and most prestigious motoring enthusiast event of its kind in Australia, Meguiar's MotorEx features hundreds of custom, performance and collectable vehicles from all over the country. All vehicles in the Shannons auction will be on display throughout the weekend, with the auction starting at 3pm on the Sunday.

For all auction enquiries, visit www.shannons.com.au.