Triumph Elvis Exclusiva – Gibson guitar matching funds for solidarity.

An exclusive Triumph Bonneville T120 “Elvis Presley” – together with a matching Gibson Les Paul – was sold for $20,000 (around €18,500). The funds raised will go to the Elvis Presley Foundation.

A unique Triumph Bonneville ‘Elvis Presley’ motorcycle, and the corresponding Gibson Les Paul Guitar, was sold for $20,000 (around €18,500) at the Amelia Island Auction held by Bonhams|Cars on February 29. The auction was in support of the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation, which continues Elvis’s legacy of generosity by supporting numerous charitable causes.

This motorcycle, a Bonneville T120 – the top of the ‘modern classics’ range – features a paint job by award-winning customization artist J Daar and is inspired by the original Triumphs of the ‘Memphis Mafia’ and the Bonneville Desert Sled that appeared in the 1968 film ‘Stay Away, Joe’. It is also influenced by the iconic look of Elvis’s 1968 Comeback Special TV show, in red, silver, and gold.

The motorcycle was unveiled at the 2023 Barber Vintage Festival in Birmingham, Alabama, and has since been on display at the Presley Motors Automobile Museum in Graceland.

The legendary musician and cultural icon was notoriously passionate about motorcycles. Elvis’s introduction to Triumph motorcycles happened in 1965, while taking a break from filming and spending time with his closest friends, known as the “Memphis Mafia,” at his home in Bel Air. His friend Jerry Schilling had ordered a new Triumph T120 Bonneville and Elvis borrowed it to ride around the neighborhood. He was so impressed that when he returned, he asked his logistics manager, Alan Fortis, to “order one for each of them, but… it has to be tonight!” Bill Robertson & Sons dealers managed to deliver seven Triumphs that night, and Elvis and his friends rode around Bel Air together until late, only stopping when neighbors called the police to complain. The matching Les Paul guitar, donated by Gibson, was also customized by artist J Daar and put up for sale alongside the motorcycle. The choice of the guitar was inspired by another example of Elvis’s generosity; while rehearsing for the ’68 Comeback Special, Elvis used a Les Paul, which he later gave to his ‘chef’.

“This lot was clearly a big hit among Elvis and motorcycle fans, fetching a fantastic sum to offer to good causes,” said Paul Stroud, Commercial Director of Triumph Motorcycles. “The T120 and the Gibson guitar-inspired design, with custom designs by J Daar, are very unique and make a wonderful tribute to the legend.”

Dana Carpenter, Executive Vice President of Entertainment at Authentic Brands Group, owner of Elvis Presley Enterprises, added: “We are excited to partner with such an iconic brand like Triumph to bring to life this customized and unique Bonneville T120, while also helping one of Elvis’s favorite charities. The additional generosity of our friends at Gibson for contributing a customized Les Paul guitar strengthens the legacy of generosity and community that Elvis Presley represented.”

Tags: 2024bonneville T120Elvis PresleyMotosNoticiasTriumph