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• Auction House:
  Donington Auctions
• Sale Name:
  Collectors' Motorcycles, Cars & Horse Drawn Carriages - Featuring the Private Museum of Racing Driver Bryan Thomson
• Sale Date:
  20 Jun 2021 ~ 2pm (AEST)
• Lot #:
  11
• Lot Description:
  1982 HESKETH VAMPIRE
  The first delivered V1000 produced, and one of the most important British motorcycles of the second part of the 20th century.
• Notes:
  By the late 1970s the once proud British motorcycle industry was in tatters. Norton was dead, and Triumph barely alive. There had been no new large capacity British motorcycle since the 1968 Triumph Trident and Lord Hesketh decided this had to change. Hesketh dreamed of another Brough Superior or Vincent Black Shadow, and envisaged a two-wheeled Aston Martin, classy, expensive, and built to last. Like Ducati, Hesketh decided on a 90-degree V-twin, offering perfect primary balance, excellent cooling, and a low centre of gravity when mounted in a frame with the front cylinder almost horizontal. But unlike the Ducati the Hesketh was a considerably more up to date in design. Designed by Weslake and displacing 992cc (95x70mm), the massive vertically-split sand-cast crankcases contained a one-piece forged crankshaft. The cylinder heads featured four valves per cylinder (set at a Cosworth-like 40-degree included angle), with chain-driven double overhead camshafts. The primary drive to the five-speed gearbox was by helical gear, and the lubrication system was by a semi-wet sump type. A pair of DellOrto 36mm carburettors fed the cylinders, and each bench-tested engine produced between 79 and 86 horsepower at 6,500rpm. Supporting this imposing engine was a nickel-plated frame constructed in Reynolds 531 chrome molybdenum tubing, long recognised in Britain as the finest frame material. Like the Ducati twin the engine was incorporated as a stressed member with Marzocchi suspension; a 38mm front fork with Brembo brakes, and a pair of Strada shock absorbers. Loyalty to British products included composite Astralite wheels, a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear. Rolling on a 1,511mm wheelbase, and weighing 250kg, the Hesketh was no lithe race replica, but a luxury grand tourer par excellence. A close look at every component revealed that this was a machine built to last and if you ever managed to wear an engine out eight sizes of piston overbore were available. In 1981 a purpose-built factory was built in Daventy, with 100 examples of the V1000 produced before Hesketh went into receivership. In 1982 production moved back to Easton Neston, under a new company, Hesleydon, to produce the Vampire. Designed with export in mind following requests for a touring version, only 50 examples of the fully-faired Vampire were produced. The updated engine was initially titled the EN10 (Easton Neston one/0), becoming the EN11 and eventually EN12 for the Vampire. These updates incorporated many improvements to overcome reliability problems, mainly to the main bearings and oil cooling system. John Mockett designed the fairing at the MIRA wind tunnel, the fairing body a hand laminated GRP box structure. Unfortunately, spiralling costs and a general downturn in motorcycle sales in the early 1980s saw the market for expensive hand-built classic motorcycles disappear. The Hesketh remains a legacy of the British motorcycle industry of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Hesketh engine numbers began at 0050 and the first V1000 was this example, sold to Eddie Faulkner (Velocette Owners Club PRO) in Northampton on 10 February 1982. At 5,831 miles Eddie had the V1000 converted to the later Vampire and EN10 engine configuration at Easton Neston. It received a new speedometer and the odometer currently displays 3,726 miles for a total of 9,557 miles since new. In 1985 Bryan & Loel Thomson were in England for 6 months, when Bryan attended an auction and missed buying a V1000 Hesketh, which he regretted for a decade. 10 years later, he received a call out of the blue from Sothebys confirming that they had another V1000 coming to sale, but this one was even better than the last, the first production motorcycle. Bryan, not risking losing out again, decided to fly to England and bid for it in person. He subsequently acquired the bike at the Sotheby's Stafford Motorcycle Auction, 23 April 1995 (ex-lot 319) with 3,000 miles on the odometer. After taking possession of the bike, Bryan visited the first owner Eddie Faulkner in Northampton who still had the original V1000 instruments and bikini fairings that were removed when it was converted to the later Vampire configuration. This motorcycle has been used sparingly, reserved primarily for Ulysses Club events over the years and has their badge fitted to the bottom of the rear mudguard. It has only been ridden on permits and is sold unregistered. Additional to the parts accompanying the sale is an extensive file of important provenance information which includes: Four original copies test certificated (MOT) issued from 1985 to 1994 in original MOT plastic sleeve, together with three paper medallions; Original Sothebys auction catalogue from 23rdApril 1995 with copy of buyers invoice; Original Hesketh V1000 owners manual and sales brochure; Copy of a b/w photography of the first owner Eddy Faulkner collecting this motorcycle from the works factory at Easton Neston, plus local newspaper article "Eddie sells four bikes to buy a Hesketh" and Motor Cycle News April 7th1982, which both mention engine no. 50 as being number one production bike, plus one article features the photo of the motorcycle delivery; Original copy the English Certificate of Permanent Export certificate; Original English Bill of Lading and shippers documentation; Original Australian Vehicle import Approval certificate; Copy of Eddy Faulkners English registration document for the Hesketh, circa March 1982; Photograph of first owner Eddy Faulkner and Bryan Thomson shaking hands mid-1995 outside Lord Heskeths stately home Easton Neston. Inscribed by Bryan on rear; Half a dozen original unused Hesketh and Vampire stickers; Original English number plate ENH55X; Spare new fuel tank, new mufflers and original cylinder barrels and pistons prior to the EN10 update. This motorcycle is sold unregistered.
• Estimate:
  A$85,000 - 95,000
• Realised Price:
  *****
  

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• Category:
  Automobiles & Accessories

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.