There are two big motorcycle auctions that will be part of Monterey Car Week this year, one at Mecum, which acquired the world's largest motorcycle auction house, Mid-America, a few years back, and the other through Worldwide Auctioneers.
The Worldwide Auctioneers Pacific Grove auction will include a dozen bikes from the Allen Smith Collection of Significant Motorcycles. Between the two auctions, we've put together the most interesting bikes available at Monterey this year.
1903 Indian Single
Estimate: $200,000 to $250,000
The oldest known original paint Indian, this bike has a remarkable story with a known history that dates back to being purchased by a dentist in 1920 in exchange for $50 worth of dental work, then sold again for $20 cash in 1960. The bike is from the first full year of Indian motorcycle production and is quite likely to become the most valuable motorcycle sold at Monterey Car Week.
Part of the Allen Smith Collection, this 1903 Indian "Camelback" Singlewas restored almost a decade ago, subsequently scoring 99.75 (of a possible 100) points at the 2009 Antique Motorcycle Club of America Nationals, and has been a museum exhibit since then. The bike is being offered without reserve, against an estimate of $125,000 to $175,000.
Another machine with a great story, this bike was assembled from parts of 1905, 1906 and 1907 models by Henry Wing Sr, one of the founders of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America (AMCA). What's more, this bike was on display when the club held its first meeting in 1954 and the historic event was photographed, so the motorcycle's part in history is well documented.
Also from the Allen Smith Collection, this1939 Brough Superior SS80 comes complete with full history and documentation, matching numbers, and a heritage that includes time in the Steve Klein collection and as an exhibit at the Australian Motorcycle Museum. Estimated at $80,000 to $120,000 but sold with no reserve.
The King of American roads for a time, this 1910 Pierce Four is the first model of an American four-cylinder motorcycle, beginning a proud tradition of American fours. Pierce brought an FN four to the States from Belgium, improved on it in every way it could think of and began producing this model in 1909. More than a century ago, the turbine smooth (at least in comparison to its contemporaries) 43 cubic inch (707cc) T-head four could sustain 60 mph if the road was suitable, though at that time the roads of America were rugged at best. Note the lack of a front brake and any rear suspension.
1923 Indian Big Chief with Indian Princess Sidecar
Estimate: $120,000 to $150,000
This 1923 Indian Big Chief with Indian Princess Sidecar has been auctioned several times in recent years and invariably fetches more than $100,000 each time because it was once owned by Steve McQueen and restored by McQueen's great mate Kenny Howard, aka "Von Dutch," adding to its celebrity status. It sold at Bonhams' 2014 Las Vegas Auction for $126,000, then sold again in Vegas in January 2017 for $110,000.
A fully-restored motorcycle of spectacular beauty that has featured on the cover of books and magazines, matching numbers, numerous first place and best of show awards ... worth watching what it fetches. The outstanding finish on Indian motorcycles during this period was due to the ownership of the marque by the DuPont family, part of a much longer tale well told by Paul d'Orleans at the Vintagent. This is not the only motorcycle at this auction associated with the famous DuPont name, the others being 1906 and a 1907 Indian Singles owned by E. Paul DuPont.
Few motorcycles in history are as distinctive as the orange Flying Merkel and this spectacular1913 Flying Merkel is a perfect specimen. The 60 mph 1000cc V-Twin was at the forefront of technological advancement with a monoshock rear end and the first self-starter on a motorcycle. Fully restored and fresh from a long stint at Australia's National Motor Museum, the official estimate on this bike is $100,000 to $150,000 but given that truly historic motorcycles sell for a fraction of their four-wheeled equivalents at auction, and this auction is in four-wheeled territory, the bike might easily sell for much more and become part of a primarily automotive collection.
This 1906 Indian Camelback features the original paint and was once part of the collection of E. Paul DuPont, the owner of Indian Motorcycles from 1930 to 1945.
Another bike from the Allen Smith Collection, this 1916 Excelsior Model 16-3 was treated to a long-term restoration by expert Brad Wilmarth and is meticulous in every respect.
This 600cc BMW has been the recipient of a complete restoration, comes with an equally restored Steib sidecar and is believed to have traveled only 50,000 miles since new.
Formerly from the EJ Cole Collection, where it sold for $30,800 against an estimate of $40,000 to $55,000, this bike can be expected to sell for more this time around, without the plethora of distractions of the world's largest motorcycle collection selling around it.
This 1947 Harley-Davidson FL "Knucklehead" is fitted with a 1946 Harley-Davidson sidecar and has just 1,000 miles on the odometer since a cosmetic and mechanical restoration.
This bike is one of the original 400 sandcast Ducati 750cc v-twins, which included the famous Imola race bikes which catapulted the model and the marque to international prominence.
This 13.5ci (221cc) single-cylinder two-stroke Cleveland is not the model for which Cleveland is best remembered (it would later produced a powerful four-cylinder), but it is one very interesting and eccentric motorcycle. With the crankshaft in line with the frame, it would have been a sensible arrangement for a shaft-driven motorcycle, but Cleveland chose chain drive so the bike needed a worm gear to turn the drive through 90 degrees. Even more surprising is that one of these bikes sold for $93,600 in 2007 at a Bonhams auction, becoming one of the most expensive motorcycles sold until that time.
Norton built just 130 rotary-engined bikes during this model run, so the combination of novelty and the famous marque make for a collectible and very fast motorcycle.
Harley-Davidson began making this model when the larger 1000cc v-twin models were banned from board track racing in the 1920s. Only a small number of these rare racers were built before board track racing finished altogether, but this bike represents the very first model produced, wearing engine number #1.
Originally part of the famous E.J. Cole collection, this Thor-engined 1904 Rambler single sold for $33,000 at the Las Vegas sale of that collection and may fetch more this time around without the vast number of competing motorcycles.
The last iteration of the Mike Hailwood Replica offered a 1000cc engine and this bike is one of the 1,100 produced. Though it is 32 years old, it still has just 2,000 km on the odometer.
An original-paint 1000cc v-twin privateer race bike from 105 years ago, but so much more than that because it is one of the replica machines offered by Indian to commemorate its 1-2-3 victory in the Isle of Man Senior TT of 1911. Traveling across the world to motorcycling's "Mecca," the results achieved by Indian in the world's most important motorcycle race have never been repeated.
This bike was restored by none other than E. Paul DuPont who was a motorcycle enthusiast long before his family purchased Indian motorcycles. This is one of several Indians he personally restored for display at the Indian factory during his 15 year ownership.
A fully-restored 1956 Norton 350cc Manx with a long in-period racing history at the Isle of Man TT. The Manx's engine has been tuned and rebuilt by noted tuner Ray Petty, and comes with an aluminum dustbin fairing.
This 1939 Nimbus Type C and sidecar was once owned by Steve McQueen. It features a 746cc SOHC inline 4-cylinder engine and was highly regarded for its reliability and speed of around 75 mph. Only 12,000 were ever produced, and it is testimony to the high regard of its ownership base that 4,000 of the machines are still registered in its native Denmark.
Readers may recall the commercially successful J. Geils Band of the 1970s and 80s. Lead guitarist John Geils was a car and motorcycle enthusiast and at the time of his death in April 2017, he had amassed quite a collection. This bike was his favorite, this model is a great bike and in our opinion particularly undervalued, so ... could be a good buy.
From the Virgil Elings Solvang Museum, this bike is both rare and beautiful and involves a complete Magni racing conversion. Very tasty and a steal if it falls within the estimated range.
As a photojournalist, Mike’s work has been published in a dozen languages across 20+ countries. He has edited or managed over 75 different print publications, each with a different target audience: sports, automotive, advertising, marketing, design, ad infinitum. Mike has been working in the internet for more than 25 years and was the veteran of five internet start-ups before founding New Atlas in 2002.