Ducati’s 750SS is already one of the most mythical motorcycles of the 1970s —mgreen-framed, bevel-driven and built in the smallest of numbers. But when one turns up with proper Isle of Man TT pedigree and a link to the late Alain de Cadenet, the story writes itself. Even when it smells faintly like a barbecue.
That’s the strange fate of this 1974 Ducati 750SS, raced twice around the Mountain Course by British privateer star Charlie Sanby, and now on the block at Bonhams following storage in a sealed container that survived a fire. It’s a project, it’s a relic, and it’s properly documented.
Charlie Sanby: ‘Lord of Lydden’
Sanby earned his reputation the hard way: beating factory bikes with privateer grit. After dominating the Kent circuit known as Lydden Hill —winning the inaugural ‘Lord of Lydden’ race in 1966 and again in ’67 — he became one of Britain’s sharpest road racing talents.
By 1969 he was riding for Gus Kuhn on Nortons, where he regularly embarrassed factory riders and came painfully close to winning the TT in 1971, retiring while in the lead thanks to the failure of a ten-pence battery terminal. If there were ever a moment that summed up privateer racing before sponsorship money took over, it’s that.
When the Kuhn days ended, Sanby switched to Suzuki, then found himself back on a private Ducati in 1974, bought by Bryants of Biggleswade specifically for him to campaign. That very machine is the one now being auctioned.
Sanby rode the Ducati in the 1974 Production TT, finishing last — but only because of a badly earthed condenser. He returned in 1975 partnered by Dave Mason, putting it 20th in the same class before switching to an ex-works Suzuki.
After the racing years, the Ducati was registered for the road on 29 February 1976. Later, it passed into the hands of none other than Alain de Cadenet, gentleman racer and broadcaster.
Stored in a sealed container that subsequently caught fire, the Ducati escaped the worst of the flames but was exposed to significant heat. When pulled out, the tyres still held air, the engine turned over with compression, and it reportedly smelled strongly of smoke. The auction house stresses that no guarantees are made about condition or structural integrity, and the bike is sold exactly as viewed.
No paperwork survived, but the identity is confirmed: it’s on DVLA and HPI records, and Ducati authority Ian Falloon has verified it as the genuine ex-Sanby TT bike, featured in his book The Ducati Story.
The estimate sits at £15,000–£20,000, with no reserve.
Fire & Shadow: De Cadenet’s 1954 Vincent Black Shadow
Also from the estate of Alain de Cadenet, one of the last known Vincent Black Shadows with known identity and a mysterious gap in its life has re-emerged.
The motorcycle was hidden in a sealed container that later survived a fire. This 1954 Series-C 998cc Black Shadow comes to auction with its tyres still holding air, its big v-twin turning over with compression and its paintwork carrying the patina of an unexpected bonfire.
As with the Ducati above, the flames didn’t touch it, but heat did. It’s scarred, historic and unforgettable.
This particular bike’s early life is known. The Vincent Owners Club confirms it as a 1954 Series C machine using original crankcase and frame numbers. Oxford Council records show it was registered 13 August 1954.
It resurfaced under the ownership of Alain de Cadenet. No documents survived the fire, though its identity remains traceable on HPI and DVLA records. The VOC still recognises it from 27 years ago. It has history, just not paperwork.
Bonhams make no promises about structure, metallurgy or internals. It turns, but what lurks inside a big Vincent v-twin that’s been roasted is anyone’s guess.
Bonhams Motorcycle Online Winter Sale
