【Estimated Price 200 Million Yen!】Mike Hailwood's Honda Works Racer "RC173" to be Auctioned in the UK

UK auction house Iconic Auctioneers has announced that it will be auctioning off Honda's works machine "RC173", which led Mike Hailwood to the title in the 1966 Road Racing World Championship. The auction will be held on November 15, 2026, at the NEC Classic Motor Show in the UK. The estimated winning bid is up to approximately 200 million yen.

A 350cc Factory Racer Ridden by a Legendary Rider

Iconic Auctioneers will be offering Honda's works machine "RC173" at the "Iconic Motorcycle Sale" held within the NEC Classic Motor Show in the UK on November 15, 2026. This machine is a factory racer specially built by Honda for Mike Hailwood's participation in the 1966 Road Racing World Championship 350cc class. The estimated winning bid is between 750,000 and 950,000 pounds (approximately 160 million to 200 million yen).

In the 1966 season, Hailwood rode the RC173, equipped with a four-cylinder engine, to numerous victories in Grand Prix races in countries such as West Germany and France. He consistently set fastest laps and skillfully won the rider's title, fending off rivals. Hailwood is known as a legendary racer with a record of 76 GP wins, 9 World Championship titles, and 14 Isle of Man TT victories.

Maintained in Running Condition After Overhaul by Honda

The RC173 remained in Hailwood's possession after the season and was raced in invitational races in 1967 before being displayed in a museum and eventually passed on to its current owner in 1997. It was then restored to running condition, loaned to the Honda Collection Hall in 2005, and underwent chassis and engine overhauls by Honda. The engine and frame numbers are original, and the machine is said to be currently in running condition.

In addition to the motorcycle itself, the auction includes various specialized tools, a set of original carburation jets, the original stand, and a storage stand manufactured by Honda. Mark Bryan, Motorcycle Manager at Iconic Auctioneers, explained that this machine is indispensable when talking about Hailwood and that it is extremely rare for such a significant works machine to be offered for auction.

To bid in the auction, pre-registration is required on the Iconic Auctioneers website. Attention is focused on the outcome of the auction to see how this historically valuable works machine will be evaluated.

Iconic Auctioneers:%%PROTECTED_11%https://www.iconicauctioneers.com

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