Yes—but only in the narrower sense that the 2021 sale was reported as an auction record for an AJS Porcupine. The 1946 AJS E90 sold at Bonhams’ Stafford sale for £293,250 including buyer’s premium, within its £250,000–£300,000 estimate. That result does not establish that it became one of the most expensive motorcycles ever sold.
What happened at the 2021 sale?
New Atlas published the “could become” headline on June 28, 2021, before Bonhams’ Three-day Summer Motorcycle Sale at Stafford, held July 2–4. The lot was a 1946 AJS 500cc E90 Porcupine. Classic Auction Review later reported that it achieved £293,250 including premium, against an estimate of £250,000–£300,000; Visordown also reported the £293,250 result and described it as an auction record for the Porcupine model. New Atlas, Classic Auction Review, and Visordown cover the announcement and outcome.
The £293,250 is the reported price including buyer’s premium for that particular lot, not a current valuation for another Porcupine. Bonhams explains that estimates are its opinions of what an item may achieve, not guarantees of value or selling price. Bonhams’ valuation guidance sets out that distinction.
Why the record claim needs a boundary
“A Porcupine auction record” and “one of the most expensive motorcycles in history” are not interchangeable claims. The follow-up coverage supports the former, a model-specific result. The available reports do not establish a current all-motorcycle auction ranking, so they cannot confirm the broader historical superlative.
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Comparisons also depend on what a price represents. A public auction result, an estimate, and a reported private transaction are different kinds of evidence; a hammer price may also differ from a total that includes buyer’s premium. The date, currency, exact variant and documented history of the individual motorcycle all matter.
Why the E90 attracted attention
The E90 was a 498cc twin-cylinder works racer. New Atlas described its cylinders as almost horizontal, with distinctive needle-like cooling fins between the camshaft covers. It reported approximately 48 hp at 7,600 rpm and a top speed of about 135 mph; these are specifications attributed to the E90 in that 2021 feature, rather than independently verified figures here.
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The model is associated with the inaugural 1949 500cc riders’ and manufacturers’ world championships, with Les Graham named as champion rider. That racing significance should not be mistaken for proof that the auctioned example was Graham’s machine or competed in a particular race. The feature says AJS race-department records did not survive and that the individual lot’s competition provenance was unknown.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.E90 and E95: related names, different motorcycles
Some of the earlier price history concerns the later E95, not the E90 sold in 2021. The 2021 New Atlas feature distinguishes the variants this way:
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| Variant | Reported design distinction |
|---|---|
| E90 | Near-horizontal cylinders and distinctive quill-like cooling finning between the camshaft covers. |
| E95 | Cylinders set at 45 degrees, a new frame and conventional finning. |
The E95’s auction history provides context, but it should not be folded into the 2021 E90 result:
| Event | Reported figure | What the figure represents |
|---|---|---|
| Bonhams Spring Stafford sale, April 2000 | £163,600 | New Atlas reported this as an E95 auction sale and a record at the time. |
| E95 offered in 2011 | US$750,000–US$950,000 | New Atlas reported this estimate; the motorcycle failed to meet reserve, so this was not a sale price. |
| Reported post-auction transaction after the 2011 offering | US$675,000 plus fees | New Atlas described this as a leaked report of a private transaction not publicly announced by the auction house. It is not an established public auction result. |
All three figures above are reported by New Atlas in its 2021 feature. The E95’s estimate and reported private transaction are not comparable to a confirmed public auction result without those qualifications.
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What the sale does—and does not—show
- The 2021 E90 achieved a reported £293,250 including premium, within its stated estimate.
- Follow-up coverage called the result an auction record for an AJS Porcupine.
- The result does not, by itself, establish a world record or an all-time ranking across motorcycles.
- Model history and the provenance of the auctioned example are separate: the sources do not document that lot as a specific championship machine.
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