JAPANESE MOTORCYCLING; THE EARLY DAYS

The first motorcycle to appear in Japan; a Hildebrand and Wolfmüller, in 1896 (Iwatate)To understand the slow and chaotic beginning of the Japanese motorcycle industry, it helps to understand a little of the country's background, and history of its relations with the West.  Japan was never isolated or ignorant of world affairs, having conducted sea trade for centuries with neighbors in China and Korea, and was well aware in the 1500s that an aggressive colonial expansion by European countries had begun in the New World.  When Spanish and Portugese traders arrived on Japanese shores in the late 1500s, the introduction of Catholicism in southern Japan was seen as the spearhead of a possible colonizing effort by Europeans.  In response,...

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VEGAS 2013: BUYERS ARE BACK

Top of the World, Ma!  The highlight of the Vegas scene, the BMW Kompressor Rennsport, sold for $480,000 after auction.No records were set, nothing was added to my 'Top 20' list of top auction sales, and only one machine broke the $200k barrier... but this year's Las Vegas auctions at Bonhams and MidAmerica proved the resounding good health of the old motorcycle market, with the return of the most important sector of buyers; ordinary motorcyclists.A sleeper in the mix; this 1903 Alldays and Onions at Bonhams was original, unrestored, in excellent condition, and 110 years old, sold for $28,750, which seems a bargain compared to an American machine of the same vintage and condition...With little to lure the 'car guys' into the tent (no Broughs,...

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VEGAS, BABY

Top draw for the 2013 Las Vegas auction scene will be this 1939/51 BMW RS255 Supercharged Rennsport, built by Walter Zeller at the BMW factory, from authentic spares, being sold by BonhamsWhile I'm no particular fan of the city itself, the annual Las Vegas vintage motorcycle auction weekend is a must-attend for anyone looking to buy bikes or automobilia, but more importantly is the single largest gathering of hardcore vintage bike enthusiasts from around the globe.  The long weekend for 2013 has calmed down dramatically since last year, as the angry upstart RM Auctions, who vowed to 'put MidAmerica out of business', was itself roundly whipped after boasting they would dominate the market of its two rivals, MidAmerica and Bonhams. This...

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