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Prince’s leather jacket sells at auction

Prince's leather jacket up for sale

Prince’s leather motorcycle jacket from the film Purple Rain was sold for $US75,00 (about $A100,000) in an eBay auction.

The bidding started at $6000 and there are no details yet on the mystery bidder.

The god of funk, rock and jazz died in April at the age of 57.

In the movie, Prince rides a chopped and modified 1981 Honda CB400A “Hondamatic” and wears a black and white leather jacket.

That jacket was offered as part of the 83rd Hollywood Auction in which Prince’s yellow guitar sold for $137,500 (about $A183,000) earlier this week.
Prince's leather jacket up for sale

Prince was often seen riding his Honda around the streets of Minneapolis. It was a two-speed automatic, so he didn’t need to exercise his finger-fretting hand with a clutch.

The bike was one of three featured in the 1984 Purple Rain movie in which Prince did most of the riding.

It was customised with a large Windjammer fairing, mini-ape handlebars and a pink velour seat.Prince Purple Rain

Don’t laugh at the size of the bike, as Prince may have been big on talent, but he was short in stature at 5 feet, 2 inches (157.4cm).

Even the low 30-inch (762mm) seat would have been a stretch for the rock/funk god, except for the fact that he usually wore high-heeled shoes.Prince Purple Rain

Prince was obsessed by his motorcycle, but the only reference we can find to bikes in his lyrics is in Raspberry Beret: ”I put her on the back of my bike and we went riding down to old man Johnson’s farm.”

The original Purple Rain bike is no longer painted purple, but black and gold for the sequel Graffiti Bridge, and is still on display at Prince’s Paisley Park Studios, Minneapolis.