We’ve heard of barn finds, but this is something else – Charterhouse Auctions is planning to offer a bike that’s been in uninterrupted storage for over 90 years! Maybe the term ‘barn find’ is pushing it a bit, but the British Motor Traction, built circa 1900, was loaned to the Science Museum in 1933 by the owner’s family, who recognised it even then as an historic machine.

Did it ever go on display? We don’t know, but soon afterwards the Museum put the bike into store, and there it stayed until Charterhouse was recently commissioned to put it under the hammer.

Charterhouse boss George Beale said: “Whilst it is amazing to think this bike has been hidden away for all these decades, it is perhaps staggering to think this bike will be 125 years old in 2025.”

Jim Freeman, chair of the BMF echoed that. “How could they tuck it away for that long? I’ve got a mental picture of a dust sheeted machine hidden away in a corner, only to see daylight every 10 years or so when the warehouse contents were audited. I’d hope that it might end up on display at the National Motorcycle Museum or another large collection.”

Interested? This 125-year-old machine is up for sale at the Charterhouse classic and vintage motorcycle auction on 13th March, and is estimated to go for £10,000-£15,000. Email: bikes@charterhouse-auction.com

Written by Peter Henshaw

Top image courtesy of Charterhouse Auctions