A $1.35m motorbike owned by Peter Bender is on display this week

It’s a speed machine to make motorsport enthusiasts drool with envy, and with a price tag of more than $1 million, this “Holy Grail of motorcycles” is something most people can only dream of riding.

Peter Bender paid more than $1 million to score this rare motorcycle, which is on show at the Richmond Town Hall Classic Motorcycle Show this week. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

IT’S a speed machine to make motorsport enthusiasts drool with envy.

And at a price tag of more than $1 million, the Vincent ‘Black Lightning’ is something most people can only dream of riding.

Owner Peter Bender, the man behind Tasmania’s Huon Aquaculture, was excited to have his pride and joy, the 1951 Vincent, on show at Richmond yesterday for the sixth annual Classic Motorcycle Show.

Vintage motorcycles on show at Richmond Town Hall

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One of only 30 built of its kind, the motorcycle was bought at auction in the US last year by Mr Bender for $1.35 million.

It is joined on display by 45 rare motorbikes from around the world for the show held at the Richmond Town Hall over the next week.

“There are some seriously rare machines on display and I absolutely love that Mr Bender, a Tasmanian who is such a bike enthusiast, has spent that much money on a motorbike and brought it back to Australia,” event organiser Howard Burrows said.

The Richmond Town Hall is hosting a Classic Motorcycle Show this week which features a $1.3 million Vincent Lightning motorcycle, owned by Peter Bender. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

“It is an iconic motorcycle that is the Holy Grail of motorbikes and definitely in the top five bikes anywhere in the world.”

Mr Bender’s Black Lightning has clocked only 8000km in its 68 years. It was originally raced at Bathurst in 1952 by Jack Forrest, before it was purchased by Sydney motorbike dealer Jack Ehret.

It’s believed to be the most expensive bike ever sold at auction worldwide.

It was also hailed as one of the fastest motorcycles in the world until the 1970s with its speeds of up to 130mph.

The Vincent is one of 45 bikes Mr Bender owns since he caught an itch for collecting motorbikes as a teenager.

“I’m not sure what it is exactly about bikes, but I just love them,” he said.

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“I ride most of my collection and I enjoy restoring them. I started collecting bikes when I was about 17 years old, which is when the love began.”

Mr Bender said David Lancaster, TV program Top Gear’s original producer, would travel to Australia later this year to film Jack Ehret’s son riding the Black Lightning on the same stretch of road in Gunnedah, NSW, where his father broke the world speed record on the bike.

Other notable bikes on display at the Classic Motorcycle Show include a 1914 Dayton, a 1912 Champion and a 1914 Ward-JAP.

The showroom’s value is estimated at more than $4 million.

Mr Burrows said he and Mr Bender had discussed the idea of opening a motorcycle museum in Hobart.

The show is open 9am — 5pm until Sunday April 14. Entry is $5 per person.

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