One of the best Triumph Bonneville motorcycles ever offered for sale in Australia is going under the hammer at Shannons Sydney Autumn Classic auction on Monday (May 5).
The beautiful British burgundy and silver 1969 twin-cylinder 650cc T120 is the result of a meticulous restoration that took several years and many thousands of dollars by a Sydney enthusiast to complete.
The history of the Meriden Bonnevilles began in 1958 with the launch of the T120 model at the Earls Court Show, featuring a twin carburettor 650cc engine and a single downtube frame.
Named after the famed Bonneville Salt Flats, where Johnny Allen set records in the famous 'Texas Cigar' streamliner back in the 1950s, the 'Bonnie' established itself as the fastest production motorcycle of the era and went on to become an all-time classic.
It was always the most powerful, fastest and most desirable bike in Triumph's catalogue during the 1960s and numerous variants were offered for sale.
The 1969 T120 featured twin Amal 930 carburettors, a 9:1 compression ratio, while the Doug Hele designed frame was regarded as one of the best handling of all Bonnies.
The Bonneville being sold is a tribute to one man's dedication to rebuild his Bonnie to the highest possible standard, with the vast majority of the parts were sourced from British Spares in Upper Hutt, New Zealand.
Every receipt for every part was retained and forms a thick and comprehensive dossier that goes with the bike.
Because of its special status as one of the greatest British sport bikes and its exceptional restored condition, Shannons believe the Bonnie easily justifies its guiding range of $12,000-$18,000.
Monday's auction will be held from 7.00pm at Unit B, 12 Frederick St, St.Leonards. All 26 vehicle and 17 memorabilia lots will be available for inspection over the weekend from 9.00am-5.00pm.
For further media information and images, contact:
Michael Browning (03) 9879 9111 / 0418 324 328
For further auction information, contact:
Ian or Damien on (02) 9438 9315 or Christophe on 0413 567 308.
To view all auction lots and results click here
