Opis
This motorcycle is Lot 378 to be auctioned by Bonhams at The Autumn Stafford Sale (The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show) on October 10th – 11th, please see the Bonhams Motorcycles Website for full details.
Auction Timings:
Lots 201 - 407 are to be sold from 11AM local time on Sunday 11th October 2026.
Public Viewing:
Available 10th & 11th October 2026 from 09:00 until 17:00, at The Staffordshire County Showground (The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show).
Lot 378
c. 1930 Coventry Eagle 172cc Model
Registration no. NSL 807
Frame no. 1244D
Engine no. VZ3239
Established in Victorian times as a bicycle manufacturer, Coventry-Eagle built a diverse range of motorcycles using proprietary (mainly JAP) engines from 1901 onwards, though machines only began to be produced in significant numbers after WWI. Six Coventry-Eagles were offered for 1923, all JAP-powered except for a Blackburne-engined 350, ranging from the formidable Flying Eight to the diminutive S14 Ultra-Lightweight. Most famous of these was the Flying Eight which, with its 1. 0-litre JAP v-twin engine and muscular good looks, was a worthy rival for the Brough Superior and a formidable Brooklands racing machine.
The early-1930s Depression forced Coventry-Eagle to abandon its larger models and concentrate on producing bread-and-butter lightweights. Before then, a landmark development had been the introduction in 1927 of a two-stroke lightweight featuring a novel pressed-steel frame, and this method of construction spread to larger models the following year, remaining a characteristic of the marque until motorcycle production ceased.
The machine offered here is an example of the only 172cc model offered by Coventry Eagle as the 1930s dawned. This Coventry Eagle lightweight was acquired by the current private vendor in 2024 and has not been used since purchase. Following a period of inactivity, this motorcycle will require recommissioning and/ or restoration to a greater or lesser extent before returning to the road and thus is sold strictly as viewed. Prospective purchasers must satisfy themselves with regard to this motorcycle's history, originality, authenticity, mechanical condition, age, usage and completeness (or otherwise) prior to bidding. Offered with a V5C document.
£2, 000 - 3, 000
All lots are sold ‘as is/ where is’ and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness, mileage, engine capacity and originality prior to bidding. Visit the Bonhams Motorcycles website for all pertinent auction information.
