A record-breaking motorcycle, which was the first to ever hit 300mph, is heading under the hammer.
The iconic 1975 Don Vesco Silver Bird Lightning Bolt land speed motorcycle is looking for a new owner.
The unique piece of motorbiking history set an international record of 303mph in 1975.
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The bike is kitted out with two Yamaha TZ750 engines, as reported by What’s The Jam.
It was built by Don Vesco to race on the Bonneville Salt Flats, in Utah, the USA.
Three years after the Silver Bird broke the record, the racer transformed it into the Lightning Bolt.
A new paint scheme and two Kawasaki 1000cc engines helped it hit 318mph, breaking his own record that he held for 12 years.
The dazzling motorbike has featured on the CBS Sports Show and in a number of magazines including Sports Illustrated.
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Mecum Auctions are hosting the sale of the 51-year-old vehicle on 21 Mar, in Glendale, California.
Don Vesco has an extensive racing career, entering the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2004.
In his prime, he becamJe the first American to win the US Grand Prix at Daytona in 1963.
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In 2001, he set the international land speed record for a wheel-driven car in the Turbinator, hitting a speed of 458mph, a year before his death.
A spokesperson for Mecum Auctions said: “This historic record-setting motorcycle broke national and international land speed records in the 1970s fitted with both Yamaha and Kawasaki motors.
“The dual paint scheme replicates the original designs when both records were set.
“This record-breaking land speed motorcycle comes with one of the TZ750 Yamaha engines for display purposes only, a driving suit, helmet, boots and vintage photos.”
At Mecum’s Las Vegas motorcycle auction in early 2025, a 1915 Cyclone V‑Twin became the first motorcycle ever to sell for more than $1 million at a public auction, fetching £1.06 million.
Other rare pre‑war machines, like a 1938 Crocker Twin and a 1913 Henderson Four, also sold for six‑figure sums
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