Paul Weller Lambretta Scooter Among Bikes for Auction in Solihull
H&H Classics is back with another auction, following £2¼ million worth of sales in Duxford earlier this month. This time attention turns to vehicles of a two-wheeled variety at the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull. More than 150 lots, many of which are iconic, are due to go under the hammer on 12th July and particular attention is being paid to a Lambretta scooter once owned by Paul Weller.
The former frontman of The Jam bought the 1968 Lambretta SX200 in 1991, and it even appeared as part of the album cover for Weller’s second solo album ‘Wild Wood’, as well as the music video of ‘Friday Street’. It is not only considered to be the best that Italian firm Innocenti built, but possibly the best scooter ever made. Faster and with better handling, it built a huge cult following amongst British scooter racers and mods in the 1960s. Of course, Quadrophenia, the 1979 film, documented this 1960s culture better than all others.
It is understood to be the only scooter that Paul Weller bought with his own money as a famous musician, seeing it at The Scooter Shop in Woking, after missing out on a different one which had already been sold. Weller once claimed he’d never sell the white scooter, but in the end, donated it to the Teenage Cancer Trust to be auctioned in 2002. Following a further sale, it has spent the last 20 years as part of the collection of a huge Paul Weller fan.
First registered on 9th July 1968, the ‘Weller Lambretta’ is expected to sell for between £19,000 and £21,000 and has been subject to an extensive refresh, coming with an £8,778 receipt for mechanical fettling and bodywork. The keys are likely to be those used by Weller and the scooter will be sold with a range of memorabilia that underlines its provenance, including photographs of Weller and a V5 logbook showing legend’s name and date of purchase. For the same price as a second hand Polo, you could be picking up a piece of history.
Other highlights to look out for at the auction include a Vespa once owned by Italian gangster Valerio Viccei, a prototype BSA which is claimed to be the first ‘cruiser’ motorcycle and a Harley Davidson owned by TV presenter and bike builder, Guy ‘Skid’ Willison. If that isn’t enough, there are a wealth of bikes and scooters from Triumph, Honda, Norton, Kawasaki, Yamaha and AJS all waiting to be bid on, many of which are estimated to sell for reasonable prices.
Fans can attend in person, online or bid by telephone, and more information on the 150 lots can be found by visiting, www.handh.co.uk
Words: Mike Booth
Pictures: H&H Classics Ltd