Final week was the thirty second annual Mecum Classic & Vintage Bike Public sale in Las Vegas, and it was fairly the present. North of 1800 bikes crossed the public sale block, together with bikes from 15+ storied non-public collections, together with Mike Wolfe’s As Discovered Assortment, Jim’s Eternally Assortment, and the BMW Centennial Choice.
The 1908 Harley-Davidson Tank Strap we lately featured set a brand new world report, promoting for $935,000, and we rounded up the opposite Prime 10 gross sales from the public sale, in addition to some noteworthy alternatives from the non-public collections.
1. 1908 Harley-Davidson Strap: $935,000
Found in Wisconsin barn in 1941, restored by Paul Freehill of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
2. 1938 Vincent HRD Sequence A: $330,000
1938 998cc engine (No. V1016) in a 1939 body (No. DV1755). Appropriate restoration accomplished by a famend Vincent skilled with intensive use of unique manufacturing facility non-reproduction components. One among roughly 78 made.
3. 1925 BMW R32: $220,000
Restored by Hubert Fehrenbach with matching engine, body, and gearbox numbers. Featured within the famed Guggenheim Museum exhibit “The Artwork of the Bike.”
4. 1925 BMW R37: $220,000
Found 25 years in the past on the Marxzelle Museum in Germany in extremely unique situation, restored by Hubert Fehrenbach to exacting requirements. No. 125 of 152 produced.
5. 1927 Indian Ace 4: $214,500
One among simply 260 re-badged Aces constructed by Indian for one yr solely. Restored to concourse situation.
6. 1922 Ace Sporting Solo: $198,000
Philadelphia’s Ace Motor Company, based by William Henderson, produced bikes from 1919-1924, and sporadically till 1927. Unrestored with unique paint, matching-numbers, and 1262cc 4-cylinder engine — stated to be equivalent to the mannequin Henderson was using when he was killed in 1922.
7. 1938 Zundapp K800: $187,000
Pre-war Zundapp with 1938 Stoye mannequin TS Luxus sidecar. First place winner: “Bikes” 2022 Jolla Concours d’Magnificence and “Different European” 2022 Quail Gathering of the Bikes.
8. 1914 Henderson C Mannequin: $176,000
As soon as often known as the “Duesenberg of Bikes.” Restoration by Matthew Smith and David Bettencourt. Matching numbers inline 4-cylinder engine rebuilt by Mike Lynch. 2022 Finest in Present winner at AMCA, Dixon, California meet.
9. 1916 Henderson 4 Cylinder: $165,000
Rebuilt engine, hand-rubbed paint, free-hand pinstriping, loads of period-correct components and uncommon choices resembling acetylene mild and Stewart speedometer.
10. 1931 Indian 402: $159,500
Third technology of Indian’s four-cylinders, comprehensively restored by Mark and Loring Hill of 4th Coast Fours. Appropriate Indian Canoe Inexperienced and Apache Gray refinished by Pat Murphy.
Non-public Collections
• Mike Wolfe’s As Discovered Assortment
American Pickers host Mike Wolfe is greatest recognized for locating and rescuing long-forgotten bikes in barns, cellars, again fields, and hanging within the rafters of previous retailers.
“Unknowingly designated as time capsules, their archaic badges and worn rubber ready to be uncovered and itching to see the sunshine of day — and doubtlessly pavement — as soon as once more.” -Mecum
Through the years, the Iowan has assembled a large non-public assortment, and greater than 70 of them had been up for public sale as a part of his “As Discovered Assortment,” principally together with unique and unaltered Harley-Davidsons and Indians — all to be provided at no reserve, resembling a 1919 Indian Navy Twin (bought for $55,000) and a 1936 Harley-Davidson EL Knucklehead (bought for $132,000).
• Jim’s Eternally Assortment
Jim Godwin is the previous Harley-Davidson supplier behind Jim’s Eternally, Inc. — a 60-year assortment of Harley-Davidson’s greatest. Godwin had greater than 100 bikes from his non-public assortment provided at no reserve, in addition to a lot of his H-D memorabilia assortment — stated to be the biggest of its variety.
Main the way in which had been a number of Knuckleheads, together with a restored, daring pink and chrome 1947 Harley-Davidson FL Knucklehead (bought for $52,800), a 1946 FL Springer Knucklehead completed in two-tone pink over black with matching fenders (bought for $51,700), and Jim’s 1972 Knucklehead chopper (bought for $55,000), constructed to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Jim’s Harley-Davidson in Mendon, Ohio.
• BMW Centennial Choice
Proprietor, curator, and restorer Hubert Fehrenbach provided the BMW Centennial Choice — a collection of 10 bikes from the Black Forest Assortment, eight of which he restored himself, together with a one-of-152 1925 BMW R37 found 25 years in the past at Germany’s Marxzelle Museum (bought for $220,000), and a 1926 BMW R42 stated to be the earliest R42 nonetheless in existence, boasting Body No. 4 and Engine No. 7, which bought for $110,000.
