This auction popped up on our French forum yesterday : https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/29...ame-no-zdm916s000496-engine-no-zdm916w000646/ I am a little perplexed… - Battery is flat so nobody knows if the engine runs. - Single owner 1994 916SP with 2.666km on the odo, estimated £5000-£8000. The ad also states there were only two years of production (94-95) for the 916 SP. Really? Haven’t they done their homework at Bonhams? I thought they were a reputable business… Anyways, it’s up for grabs.
What i see in the photographs the conditon matches the mileage which's a good starting point for any bidder.
That price estimate should attract the bidders which is what is needed at auctions. I wonder if there is a reserve that is higher than the estimate? Looks very clean and original in the pictures. However it doesn't mention the termis and chip that also came with the bike - but the cylinder head is correct so it would seem it is a legit SP, frame document 'error' or not...
The only real benefit of using an auction house is the crowd of potential buyers they can attract. As a buyer do not under any circumstances expect them to know anything about the auction lots and never believe anything written or said. I bought a Duc a couple of years ago with H&H. I arrived a bit late to avoid watching a hundred scooters sell and was horrified to find my lot was a feature bike on the stage next to the auctioneer. My plan of having a damn good look at it had to wait till I got a front row seat opposite it, took photos on my phone, then enlarged them to see what was visible in detail. No one knew if it ran or when it was last started. As I loaded it into the van and prepared to drive off I was summoned back to the museum to collect the “other bits” included in the lot. I was quite surprised to find a spare tank unit, two carbon fairings, spare race wheels, clutch, full sprocket set and a box of miscellaneous parts. None of that was mentioned in the listing. They were worth about what I paid in commission and VAT.
