328 miles from new
c.1980 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing
Registration no. LAG 766Y
Frame no. GL2-4117197
Engine no. GL1E-4117283

In a world grown accustomed to an excess of decadence on all fronts, it is hard to imagine the mixture of awe and disbelief that greeted the Honda Gold Wing on its arrival in 1974. 'Motorcycle or sci-fi fantasy?' was Bike magazine's reaction. 'Quite simply the most advanced motorcycle ever made,' was Honda's preferred description, and given the mind-boggling specification: 1,000cc flat-four engine, water cooling, belt-driven overhead camshafts, shaft drive, triple disc brakes, etc, it was certainly complex if not, strictly speaking, that advanced. One of the fastest production motorcycles of its day, the Gold Wing was described in Honda's Stateside ads as 'the epitome of what touring is all about', and proved eminently capable of taking sales from both BMW and Harley-Davidson. As owners began to fit more and more accessories - including trailers the size of small caravans - engine capacity was increased first to 1,100cc and then to 1,200cc to cope with the increasing demands for more power. Over the years the 'Wing has continued to grow in engine capacity, overall size and complexity, which only serves to underline the increasingly collectible original's purity of form.

This 'time warp' Gold Wing was purchased new by its now deceased first owner from Bennett's (Barnsley) Ltd in November 1980 and first registered 'ORH 11'. Its owner was an ex-racer with a passion for fast motorcycles and cars, and his wife enjoyed riding also. When she became restricted to travelling by car because of ill health he was reluctant to part with the Honda, which remained in the garage, un-ridden, passing to his niece after his death. Sold by the family, it had covered only 328 miles from new when the current vendor purchased the machine at Bonhams' Stafford sale in April 2012 (Lot 257).

Last MoT'd in 1998/99, it will require re-commissioning and the customary safety checks before returning to the road. The machine is offered with purchase receipt (1980), expired MoT and tax discs, Honda Service Booklet, Haynes manual and Swansea old/current V5/V5C registration documents. Prospective purchasers should be aware that should an exported motorcycle come with a V5 or V5C they will have to apply to the DVLA to have the original registration number reallocated. This vehicle, having completed less than 6,000kms, may be deemed to fall in the NMT category under NOVA if the vehicle is registered in the UK. Please visit www.hmrc.gov.uk/nova/ for further information.