Chris Cornell’s 2004 Voxan 996cc Black Magic motorcycle, gifted by the late Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman to its current owner, is set to be auctioned by Bonhams. The auction house estimates the bike will sell for £7,000 to £10,000. This particular Voxan is noted as the 14th Black Magic model produced by the French motorcycle manufacturer and has only 3,726 kilometers (approximately 2,318 miles) on its odometer.
Chris Cornell’s motorcycle is impressive
Voxan, founded in Issoire, France in 1995 by Jacques Gardette, aimed to establish a prominent French motorcycle brand akin to Triumph in the UK. The Voxan 996cc Black Magic features a unique 72-degree, 8-valve, water-cooled V-twin engine built by Sodemo Moteurs, a renowned French motorsport tuning company. The chassis was designed by Alain Chevallier, whose Yamaha-engined motorcycles achieved success in Grand Prix racing in the 1970s and 1980s.
Despite its impressive engineering, the Voxan motorcycles were limited by France’s regulation capping motorcycle power at 100 bhp, which somewhat constrained the potential of its powerful engine. Nevertheless, the Voxan bikes were admired for their design and performance characteristics.
“Vincent, Hesketh, Buell and Voxan have one thing in common: all built highly desirable, limited edition, v-twin sports motorcycles and all ended up out of business. Voxan was founded in Issoire, France in 1995 by Jacques Gardette, whose ambition was to create a high-profile French motorcycle company, perhaps inspired by what John Bloor had achieved with the revitalised Triumph in the UK.”
Chris Cornell‘s association with the Voxan motorcycle adds a significant historical and personal value to the vehicle. The auction of his motorcycle continues a trend where memorabilia and possessions of famous music artists command high prices.
Prince and John Lennon’s guitars were sold
Recently, Prince’s Cloud 3 guitar sold for over $900,000, marking a substantial increase from its previous sale price of $8,000 in 2005. Similarly, John Lennon’s Framus Hootenanny guitar fetched nearly $3 million, highlighting the enduring appeal and value of music memorabilia in the collector’s market. In somewhat related news, Jim Carrey once received a gift from Chris Cornell as well.
