Keegan's Motorcycle Auctioned for £35,075
A Harley-Davidson motorcycle owned by Kevin Keegan sold for more than £35,000 at auction just days after the football legend's death, in what proved to be one of the most poignant moments of H&H Classics' motorcycle sale. The 1990 Harley-Davidson Sportster, instantly recognisable thanks to its bespoke Newcastle United-inspired livery, had been consigned by Keegan himself around five months ago before he died earlier this week at the age of 75 following a battle with cancer.
Offered without reserve at the National Motorcycle Museum, in Solihull, on Wednesday, the motorcycle attracted intense bidding before eventually selling for £35,075. Part of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to a cancer charity.
Emotional Auction Tribute
There had already been considerable interest in the bike before the auction, but Keegan's death added an emotional dimension to proceedings, with bidders keen to own a unique piece of memorabilia connected to one of English football's most charismatic and popular figures.
Mike Davis, Senior Motorcycle Specialist at H&H Classics, said the auction had been a fitting tribute to the former England captain and Newcastle United manager. "It was a privilege to auction Kevin Keegan's Harley-Davidson, particularly having been entrusted with it by Kevin earlier this year," he said. "The atmosphere in the room reflected the enormous affection people had for him. The winning bidder, an American-domiciled British businessman, was so determined not to miss out that he flew a representative over from the United States to bid in person rather than rely on the telephone or internet."
Other Notable Sales
The Keegan motorcycle was one of more than 300 classic motorcycles, vintage scooters and automobilia lots offered during the sale, which generated in excess of £1.6 million and achieved a 90 per cent sell-through rate. Among the biggest sellers was Allen Millyard's extraordinary one-off 2009 Millyard Viper V10, which changed hands for £149,500 – almost £50,000 above its lower estimate. The road-legal machine, powered by a Dodge Viper V10 engine, is one of the world's best-known custom motorcycles and set the Fastest Tandem World Record in 2023 with an officially recorded speed of 183.5mph.
Other notable sales included a rare 1937 Brough Superior SS80 from the Chris Harris Collection, which sold for £54,050, and a 1955 Vincent Black Prince/Watsonian Combination that fetched £31,050. A 1989 Honda VFR750R RC30 realised £35,650, while a 1972 Vespa Rally 200 "Ace Face" Quadrophenia tribute scooter, signed by much of the film's cast, sold for £16,100.
