8 replies to this topic

[Duc-Man]

I read yesterday an add in a classic car magazine.

1957 BMW works racer for sale.
600cc supercharged engine
ex-Walter Zeller
only one ever made
original conditions
street legal (!)

asking for at least 1million €uro

Two questions:
a) what makes that bike so special and/or is it bike/race-historicaly important (to ask for such an amout of money)?
b) do people pay that much money for old race bikes? Any examples would be welcome.

[roadshop]

I read yesterday an add in a classic car magazine.

1957 BMW works racer for sale.
600cc supercharged engine
ex-Walter Zeller
only one ever made
original conditions
street legal (!)

asking for at least 1million €uro

Two questions:
a) what makes that bike so special and/or is it bike/race-historicaly important (to ask for such an amout of money)?
b) do people pay that much money for old race bikes? Any examples would be welcome.

Hi!
I can´t really answer your questions.
But it is true that BMW built this one-off roadgoing maschine,
and gave it to Walter Zeller as a present when he retired in 1958.
The price seems a bit high to me as well, but who knows?

[Rennmax]

I read yesterday an add in a classic car magazine.

1957 BMW works racer for sale.
600cc supercharged engine
ex-Walter Zeller
only one ever made
original conditions
street legal (!)

asking for at least 1million €uro

Two questions:
a) what makes that bike so special and/or is it bike/race-historicaly important (to ask for such an amout of money)?
b) do people pay that much money for old race bikes? Any examples would be welcome.

Hi Duc, as far as I remember, BMW built a street legal RS 54 bike for Walter, which was obviously not equipped with the old super-charged engine which was long banned for competition then. Well, its unique (if it is the real one !!), nevertheless the sum is beyond good and evil IMHO. Your 2nd question. The highest amount I've ever heard was about 350-400 000 Euros which Bob Heath spent for Hailwood' s Honda 350/4, the championship winning bike in '66.
Well, I think there are people who spent millions for a Ferrari GTO... why do they pay so much for a old car

EDIT:

I stand corrected

http://www.eggersdor...ter-zeller.html

the last pic on the left shows him and the bike, it's the old supercharged motor

Edited by Rennmax, 25 March 2010 - 19:32.

[Arthur]

Hi Duc, as far as I remember, BMW built a street legal RS 54 bike for Walter, which was obviously not equipped with the old super-charged engine which was long banned for competition then. Well, its unique (if it is the real one !!), nevertheless the sum is over the hill IMHO. Your 2nd question. The highest amount I've ever heard was about 350-400 000 Euros which Bob Heath spent for Hailwood' s Honda 350/4, the championship winning bike in '66.
Well, I think there are people who spent millions for a Ferrari GTO... why do the pay so much for a old car

Yes it is way over the top and when Bob Heath bought the ex Hailwood 4 it had no engine internals and he had to spend big bucks to get a crank ect made for it
Recently the ex Jim Redman honda 4 failed to reach its reserve at a Bonham Auction I believe it reached around £300k

[roadshop]

Hi Duc, as far as I remember, BMW built a street legal RS 54 bike for Walter, which was obviously not equipped with the old super-charged engine which was long banned for competition then. Well, its unique (if it is the real one !!), nevertheless the sum is over the hill IMHO. Your 2nd question. The highest amount I've ever heard was about 350-400 000 Euros which Bob Heath spent for Hailwood' s Honda 350/4, the championship winning bike in '66.
Well, I think there are people who spent millions for a Ferrari GTO... why do the pay so much for a old car

EDIT:

I stand corrected

http://www.eggersdor...ter-zeller.html

the last pic on the left show him and the bike, it's the old supercharged motor

I read that the engine was taken from Max Klankenmeier´s sidecar-outfit
used for the 1949 600cc-championship, 589,5cc 72.2x72mm.

[roadshop]

I read that the engine was taken from Max Klankenmeier´s sidecar-outfit
used for the 1949 600cc-championship, 589,5cc 72.2x72mm.

German chapionship of course.

[Duc-Man]

Thank You everybody for the info on that bike.

About what people pay for historic vehicles is for me kind of understandable to a certain point. Depending on the history and state of a race car/bike I can accept what money gets asked for and also paid.
With this bike is it (I think) a bad joke to ask for such a sum since it has apperently no history apart from being unique.

Any further examples for expensive bikes from the past?

[SILVERDREAMRACER]

cheap by comparison $1,000,000 for the pair is the starting point

better value than the beemer

http://rmdmotors.com...s-ns500-nsr250/

[r50us68]

Hello
I was wondering about were the bike is for sale? Is it being sold by the person who had bought it originally from Walter Zeller? Is there and agent that is brokering the sale, or is just listed in the newspaper?