Bonhams motorcycle auction in Las Vegas, held on January 11th, has been highlighted by a championship-winning 1954 BMW Rennsport RS54 Sidecar, which reached $167,800. This stunning with engine #549007 and chassis #254007 dominated its class for almost twenty years, and is renowned as the motorcycle which won the World Sidecar Championships immediately in 1954, and carried winning 19 World titles in a nearly unbroken stretch of success, all the way to 1974. Until that point, English Norton racer Eric Oliver had dominated the sport, with four side car championships to his name. Meanwhile, BMW had been continually developing its sidecar racers.
1954 BMW Rennsport RS54 Sidecar
“Competition BMWs, particularly those from before and just after WWII, are increasingly gaining interest from discerning collectors. They were highly advanced, extremely well-made and successful, and this combination of attributes makes them tremendously desirable,” Bonhams’ Nick Smith commented.
Another big seller at the event at Bally’s Hotel & Casino was a 1952 Vincent 998cc Black Shadow, the legendary bike that was the world’s fastest production motorcycle in 1948. The example at Bonhams was exported to the States in 1952, and shows just 11,708 miles since its refurbishment was completed in 2012, one reason why it achieved a price of $134,800, including buyer’s premium.
1952 Vincent 998cc Black Shadow
