More than 30 of New Zealand’s best bikes at annual Webb’s Classic Motorbikes auction

21 September, 2015

Some of New Zealand’s finest motorbikes will be going up for auction this Sunday, September 27, as part of the annual Webb’s Classic Motorbikes auction in Parnell. The lead-up to the auction has seen Webb’s Parnell showroom transform into a makeshift motorcycle museum, with examples ranging through the eras — a 1950 Vincent Black Shadow, through to a 1959 Manx Norton, and a 1979 Ducati 900SS FIM make up the 33-strong selection.

One of the more unique bikes up for grabs is this 1974 Benelli SEI 750. It holds standing as the first ever motorbike to utilize a six-cylinder engine. The Italian-produced bikes were curiously designed by Alejandro de Tomaso — a man far more well known for his work in the automotive sector, having assisted in the production of a variety of cars, ranging from Formula 1 cars to the ubiquitous Daihatsu Charade de Tomaso of the early ’90s. The SEI wasn’t just a pioneer in regards to its power plant, though, as a pioneer in motorbike design. Its angular shape helped change the direction of future motorbike design from rivalling brands, who up to that point in time had employed a more rounded shape to their bodies.

Another of the many bikes worth noting is this handmade 1975 MV Agusta 750S. Expected to sell for between $90,000 and $100,000, the Agusta 750S had an incredibly successful stint in international competition. The Agusta name first came to relevance in 1948, when Franco Bertoni used one to claim honours in the Italian Grand Prix. Agusta bikes would go on to win the 125cc, 250cc, and 500cc international championships over the 1956, 1958, 1959, and 1960 seasons. MV Agusta accumulated 270 Grand Prix race wins in total, thanks in part to the services of some of the best riders on two wheels, including names like Mike Hailwood and John Surtees. This particular example has covered a mere 37,266km in its 40 years on terra firma, and it certainly looks good enough to do even more.

There are plenty more incredible machines on display at Webb’s for all to see. If you’re interested in snapping a few up, or you’d simply like to absorb some of the best two-wheeled nostalgia that New Zealand has to offer, viewing kicks off on September 18, with the Webb’s auction house open each day from then until auction day on September 27. Viewing hours are listed below:

Friday, September 18: 9am–5pm
Saturday, September 19: 10am–4pm
Sunday, September 20: 10am–4pm
onday, September 21: 9am–5pm
Tuesday, September 22: 9am–5pm
Wednesday, September 23: 9am–5pm
Thursday, September 24: 9am–5pm
Friday, September 25: 9am–5pm
Saturday, September 26: 10am–4pm
Sunday, September 27 (auction day): 11am

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Chrysler’s classy cruiser

22 May, 2026

I first saw our feature car, a 1970 V8-powered Regal 770 hardtop, towing a trailer carrying the tidy Ford Anglia classic racing saloon in Broadspeed racing colours that has featured in these pages. The coupe is comparatively rare here, which means anyone contemplating purchasing one of these big two-doors is sure to see prices continue to climb. The latter Charger has claimed much of the Aussie Chrysler limelight, but the simpler and classier lines of this car, which appeared dated soon after its introduction, now have a more timeless appeal.
Former owner, Balclutha motor engineer, Mike Verdoner, remembers the car well. He believes it came from Dunedin originally.
“I’m not sure about the car’s history, but I bought it off its owner at Kaitangata. Unusually, it was advertised in the local newspaper, the Clutha Leader, which was a surprise as these usually go for a lot more money on the internet. I had it for quite a few years. It needed a little bit of work to tidy it up, so I had to decide whether to spend the money on it to do it up, which could have been twenty grand. Its value at the time was not like it is now, so I sold it to Ewan. It’s probably now worth three or four times what I sold it for.”

The Pininfarina 230 SL

14 May, 2026

It’s October 1964, and imagine you’re an automotive journalist covering that year’s Paris Auto Show (Mondial de l’Automobile). As you approach the Pininfarina booth, you come across a car that looks a bit like the Mercedes-Benz 230 SL introduced the previous year at the Geneva Auto Show, a car then arriving at Mercedes-Benz dealerships around the world.
But looking closely, its styling and proportions seem to be a bit different. And it has a fixed roof, unlike the Pagoda-style greenhouse of the removable hardtop seen on the production 230 SL. While today, the styling of the W113, under the supervision of Head of Styling Friedrich Geiger, with lead designers Paul Bracq and Bela Barenyi, is considered a mid-century modern masterpiece, acceptance in-period was not universal. Some critics called out the concave design of its removable roof, which ultimately gave the car its “Pagoda” nickname.

More than 30 of New Zealand’s best bikes at annual Webb’s Classic Motorbikes auction

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