Remember Boon, the hit TV series of the 1980s? The BSA Lightning 650 which took a starring role is up for auction, and it could be yours for less than £3000. In the series, which was very successful and ran for seven series, actor Michael Elphick play retired fireman Ken Boon, a biker who runs a motorcycle despatch business but gets drawn into becoming a private investigator.
Set in the Midlands, it attracted an audience peak of 11 million, making stars of both Elphick and the BSA, with every episode featuring him on the bike (or appearing to be). Ironically, although he looked every inch the seasoned biker, Michael Elphick wasn’t a fan and admitted in one interview that the BSA left him cold.

Anyway, the Boon BSA is now up for sale at the H&H Classic Motorcycle Auction on 9th July, with an estimated price of £2800 to £3200 – we suspect that, if there are any Boon fans amongst the bidders, it’ll go for a bit more.

Jim Freeman, chair of the BMF remembers Boon, and the BSA. “As someone in the despatch business myself when Boon was screened, I found the series extremely funny, as it had about as much grip on reality as Biggles did in relation to flying combat. In addition, I can share Michael Elphick’s view of the A65, I thought Triumph twins vibrated like road drills, then I rode a mate’s A65. The thought of riding one for a living was one of the basic comedy elements in the series. I wish the vendor well, but the way ‘60s Brit bike values have been wobbling of late, I’d suggest getting rid now at any reasonable offer, I doubt values are going to harden any time soon.”

Written by Peter Henshaw

Top image courtesy of H&H Auctions