This April, Bonhams will be selling a 1920s Montgomery ‘superbike’, as well as a number of other classic machines at the Classic Motorcycle Show in Stafford. Bonhams will sell a beautiful 1924 Montgomery 8/38hp v-twin on 23 April 2006. Following the sale of a 1928 McEvoy-JAP, which was successfully sold at the Stafford classic show for a staggering £67,600, last October’s from the Houseley Collection.
One of the most famous, British 'superbikes' of the 1920s, the Montgomery, was previously kept in North Kent by an elderly man. The present owner, who is the proprietor of world famous Vincent Conway Motors, has had this rare example in his possession for the last 29 years and has been professionally restoring machines for over the last 40 years. The services of Conway motors have been very much in demand and because of that, the restoration of this machine wasn’t completed until January this year.
Like the other competitors from his day, such as Brough and McEvoy, William J Montgomery also greatly relied on proprietary engine components. Montgomery manufactured his own frame and forks in-house; he also supplied his own sprung forks and frames to the likes of George Brough in the early years.
In the case of this classic v-twin, the components that have been used include Enfield hubs, Sturmey-Archer gearbox and clutch, and a 997cc Anzani engine. The 57-degree, 8-valve unit was manufactured by British Anzani, the UK offshoot of the original French company established at Courbevoie, Paris in 1907 to manufacture aero engines. While Anzani's overhead-camshaft v-twin was used by Claude Temple to set several motorcycle world speed records, a Morgan fitted with one of these Anzani engines set two world records in 1922, the fastest was over 120mph.
This particular 1920s Montgomery was on show at the Bonhams' stand at the Bristol Classic Motorcycle Show on 11th and 12th February of this year, and captivated some of the largest crowds and attention of so many photographers, both amateur and professional. Bonhams will be showing this amazing bike which is estimate to fetch £55,000-£65,000, on two further occasions prior to the Stafford Sale: at The International Historic Motorsport Show, Stoneleigh Park on 24th, 25th and 26th February and at the finish of the Pioneer Run, Brighton on the 19th March.
Further entries for the sale are being invited by Bonhams specialists. For more information about this you can contact Ben Walker on +44 (0)8700 273616.
