Adrian Reed was passionate about vintage motorcycles, to the point of hunting around the world for original parts or crafting reproduction components to the original manufacturer’s standards.
“The sale of Adrian’s collection is a celebration of motorcycle production in its finest hour,” James Stensel, head of Bonhams Motorcycle Department in the UK, was quoted in the auction house news release announcing that 40 bikes from the Reed collection will be offered at the Autumn Stafford Sale, scheduled for October 13 at the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show.
“The collection comprises so many important British and American marques and models,” Stensel said, adding that Reed was “a fastidious engineer (who) had a unique ability to sympathetically restore these machines.”
Reed was born in 1947 and became fascinated with motorcycles at an early age. During his lifetime, he gathered a prestigious collection of motorcycles, parts and accessories.
“He could often be found, covered in metal shavings, painstakingly creating unavailable parts on his lathe or riding with us at a rally,” a family member told Bonhams.
The bikes being offered include a circa 1930 Henderson Model KJ Streamline Four, a circa 1919 Henderson 1147cc Model Z Four, a 1914 Indian 7hp Power Plus, a circa 1923 Nut (Newcastle Upon Tyne) 498cc, a 1924/27 Nut 700cc, a circa 1918 Hazlewood 636cc Combination and a 1904 Ariel 500c.
The auction catalog is available for viewing on the Bonhams website.