Top Gear presenters joke about unemployment as they auction motorbikes

Top Gear presenters James May and Richard Hammond are selling off a raft of bikes from their classic motor cycle collections, joking that they need to raise some cash following their recent unemployment.
The two television stars have between them put 12 motorbikes under the hammer, with a combined guide price of up to £66,000.
The bikes will be sold by Bonhams in their Spring Stafford Sale.
The decision to sell off some of their most valued collectable items so soon after the fall from grace of their colleague and co-host Jeremy Clarkson, prompted them to joke about their finances.
May insisted the decision to sell the bikes preceded the Top Gear turmoil, telling the Daily Mail: "Just because I'm unemployed now doesn't mean I have to get rid of everything.


"I was going to sell these bikes anyway. And those paintings, and my collection of Scalextric cars. Honest."

Hammond added: "As a serious collector of motorcycles, it's important to review one's stable regularly, and the Bonhams Stafford sale is the ideal opportunity to move bikes on and possibly acquire new ones.
"I also have a canoe, and some Wharfedale hi-fi speakers, if anyone's interested."
The pair are out of contract with the BBCafter declining to sign new deals to present the next series of Top Gear following the sacking of Clarkson, who punched producer Oisin Tymon in a row over a hot meal.
May's eight bikes each has a guide price of between £800 and £12,000.
His most expensive lot is a 2010 Yamaha SR400 'Grievous Angel' by Deus Ex Machina, valued at between £8,000 and £12,000.
Hammond's four bikes are predicted to fetch anything between £2,500 to £18,500.
His most expensive bike is a hand-built 2010 Norton Commando 961SE.
The Bonhams catalogue entries say the pair have a history of trading bikes between themselves and notes that "avid collector" Hammond "has a large collection of other motorcycles to choose from".
Ben Walker, Bonhams' international head of motorcycles, said: "Jokes aside, James and Richard are offering for sale some great motorcycles from their collections, including examples of Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and Norton .
"We're delighted that they both elected to consign their collections with Bonhams Motorcycle Department, an agreement that originated many months ago.
"They've each got great collections which they are rationalising. You can't ride them all. They are trimming it down.
"Some bidders may well be swayed by who owned these bikes, others may be interested in the bikes in their own right."