Description
National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
Viewing: Tues 21st July from 1pm
Auction: Wed 22th July from 10am
Location: National Motorcycle Museum, Coventry Road, Bickenhill, Solihull B92 0EJ
Registration No: YGC 970S
Frame No: 8101
MOT: Exempt
Uniquely painted gold for Gunk’s golden anniversary competition
Just over 13, 000 miles covered in single-family ownership from new
Restored in 2017 retaining original paint
Excellent history file
Produced from 1976 to 1981, the Yamaha XS750 was fielded as a rival to machines like the Honda CB750 and Kawasaki Z900. Powered by a very capable four-stroke, air-cooled, DOHC inline triple which produced 68bhp at 9, 000rpm, it was named the 1977 Motor Cycle News Machine of the Year.
In 1977, Fosmin Chemicals celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its Gunk engine cleaner by staging the “50 Golden Years of Motorcycling” competition in association with Bike magazine. By correctly identifying five vintage bikes shown on a can of Gunk OK! and coining a catchy slogan, one enthusiast could win this XS750 in its unique golden colour scheme. The eventual winner was John Hill, the treasurer of the Somerset section of the Vintage Motor Cycle Club, a noted Douglas enthusiast, and the owner of 12 vintage machines including a 1901 Chater-Lea, a 1912 Calthorpe and a 1921 Douglas 2¾hp, whose slogan was “Conquers grime for that concours shine.”
The bike was collected from Fosmin’s London headquarters on November 11th, 1977, and ridden home to Cheddar, but Mr. Hill realised the Yamaha was too big for him and gave it as an early 21st birthday present to his son, our vendor. The young Hill used it as transport while he was at university but bought a car in 1983, so the bike was wheeled in to his parents’ garage after 11, 732 miles. It was exhumed in 2013, and restoration started in 2017. The work cost over £6, 000 but preserved the original paint on the bodywork. Only the original, rusted exhaust could not be replaced, hence one was made by OS Pipes in Staffordshire.
A unique, single-family bike with exceptional provenance and just 13, 243 miles from new, this Yamaha is sold with much paperwork including correspondence, press releases and press photographs from the Gunk competition, plus original owner’s manuals and service manuals. Truly, this is a gem to preserve.
** Bidding will take place live at the venue, online via our H&H website, by telephone and commission - T&Cs apply**
Entry by catalogue and can be purchased for £20 (admits 2 people)
