Monterey Car Week isn’t entirely about cars. The Monterey car auctions will see more than one third of a billion dollars spent in three days this year, but it is the sheer volume of High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs - people with $1 million in liquid assets) and Ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs - somebody whose net wealth exceeds $30 million) in town for Monterey Car Week each August that attracts luxury brands there en masse and ensures that sprinkled among the cars are a smattering of bikes that the vendors hope will appeal to the hyper-monied audience.
It's a reasonable expectation, because America has seven million HNWIs and 180,000 UHNWIs (one third of the entire planetary population of this rare species), and there are very few events anywhere that draw such a large and concentrated audience of wealth.
This year the cream of the crop contains some of the most valuable motorcycles in existence. The highlight of the auctions is undoubtedly the final Crocker V-twin, which is in perfect condition and with a stellar provenance – the bikes are in order of increasing estimates, so the Crocker is at the bottom of the list.
1926 BMW R42
Estimate: $60,000 - $70,000
Lot R45 | Mecum | Saturday, August 20, 2022
Link to auction page
In brief: It is astonishing that the design of a motorcycle made in 1926 is still recognizable in the motorcycles on the showroom floor a century later. Indeed, the BMW motorcycles made in 1923 look almost identical to this, and will most likely be appreciated a lot more next year than this year, as BMW Motorrad's Centenary is in 2023. The primary balance of the marque's horizontally-opposed twin cylinder design yielded a sweet motorcycle then as it does now, and there wouldn't be many motorcycles of this age that ride as well as one of the early flat-tank BMWs. The model record price at auction for the R42 is $92,000, set by Bonhams in Las Vegas in January 2014, and there are very few of these left given that just 6,500 units of the R42 were produced in the first place.
1910 Harley-Davidson Belt Drive Single
Estimate: $80,000 - $100,000
Lot S7 | Mecum | Saturday, August 20, 2022
Link to auction page
In brief: This matching-numbers 1910 Harley-Davidson Belt Drive Single is 112 years of age, has been meticulously restored by a marque expert and is expected to go home with someone for less than $100,000. No wonder the vendor decided to put it in front of the automotive crowd at Monterey Car Week, where prices are often an oder of magnitude higher.
1926 Indian Altoona
Estimate: $110,000 - $120,000
Lot R24 | Mecum | Saturday, August 20, 2022
Link to auction page
The Altoona Speedway was a 1.25-mile (2-km) board track located in central Pennsylvania that hosted American Board Track Championship races during the 1920s. In a time when winning on Sunday meant significant sales on Monday, winning at Altoona, particularly when the silverware was most significant, was very important for manufacturers.
Just as famous motorcycles have often taken their names from the venue of a significant victory (e.g. Daytona, Bonneville, TT, IOM, Le Mans, ad infinitum), the Indian Altoona took its name from an event on July 9, 1926. On that day, "Curley" Fredericks on a near identical motorcycle to this, won a 5-lap race at Altoona at an average speed of 114 mph (71 mph). That's the highest lap speed ever recorded on a circular track by a motorcycle, and it's how the bike got its name.
The 61-cu-in side-valve engine of the Altoona was designed by Charles Franklin, and its most distinctive features were the removable cylinder heads (a first for a side-valve Indian) and twin updraft Zenith racing carbs. As the induction gasses on a side-valve engine feed the cylinder from below, mounting the twin carburettors accordingly greatly assisted gas flow and the Altoona proved to be the fastest side-valve engine Indian ever built, and was the fastest side-valve engine until the much later arrival of the Harley-Davidson KRTT.
Six weeks after the 114-mph Altoona win, Fredericks used the bike to lap a 1.25-mile board track at Rockingham, New Hampshire at 120.3 mph (193.6 km/h), the fastest average lap speed ever recorded on a board track. The board tracks were dangerous to begin with, but by the mid-1920s the lap speeds were spiraling out of control and board track racing was desanctioned in 1926 before too many people got killed.
So just because this bike looks like a lollipop, don't for a moment think that it isn't an alcohol-breathing monster that would scare 99.99% of high-testosterone males to death, perhaps more so if they were even allowed to ride it in similar circumstances as these bikes were once raced. As such, this two-wheeled dinosaur is the last of a breed. The motor lived on in other forms of motorcycle competition, and the model record (engine record?) is held by a 1928 Indian Altoona hillclimber at $247,500. That bike was an original machine in as-raced condition that sold at the EJ Cole Collection sale in Las Vegas in March, 2015.
1916 Excelsior V-Twin with Sidecar
Estimate: $100,000 - $120,000
Lot F76 | Mecum | Friday, August 19, 2022
Link to auction page
In brief: This 1000cc V-twin Excelsior was one of the fastest motorcycles on American roads 100 years ago. At that time, Excelsior advertised itself as “the zenith of motorcycle quality”, and along with Indian and Harley-Davidson, comprised the "big three" of motorcycle manufacturing in America. Machines such as this, with the sidecar attached, bridged the gap in personal transportation that preceded the high car ownership levels of today. Indeed, this machine is fitted with a factory sidecar featuring horsehair upholstery - a luxury appointment 100 years ago. Perhaps the most interesting feature of the Excelsior sidecar was its slide-out rear axle, which increases the wheel-to-wheel width of the motorcycle to that of an automobile. When this bike was new, only a small percentage of American roads were paved, and most unmade roads were defined by the two grooves worn by the tires of cars – without that adjustable wheel track for the sidecar, it would have been far more difficult to use this "outfit" back in the day.
As the auction description puts it so nicely, "this rugged and refined Excelsior is a ridable piece of American motorcycle history."
1938 Indian Four
Estimate: $120,000 - $140,000
Lot R22 | Mecum | Saturday, August 20, 2022
Link to auction page
In brief: On the outside, this 1265cc 1938 Indian Model 438 Four is strikingly original, with first-year production items such as the difficult-to-obtain 120-mph speedometer and full-color tank art. On the inside though, the recently rebuilt 77-cu-in engine has new transmission gears and a Kevlar clutch, and is built for fast, smooth, trouble-free mileage from a motorcycle built more than three decades before the Honda CB750 four.
1920 Harley-Davidson Dewey Sims Board Track Racer
Estimate: $150,000 - $175,000
Lot S98 | Mecum | Saturday, August 20, 2022
Link to auction page
The lot is essentially a museum exhibit. It went to auction during the traditional Las Vegas motorcycle auction in January of this year when it sold for $143,000, and is expected to fetch between $150,000 and $175,000 this time around, clearly in the hope that the historical significance will be appreciated more by a different audience.
The bike comes with a 90-year-old photo of Sims on this bike, a winning trophy from 90 years ago, plus his period helmet and goggles and documentation. The lot is essentially a museum exhibit and ... there's only one this authentic.
Steve McQueen's last motorcycle: 1971 Husqvarna 400 Cross
Estimate: $130,000 - US$180,000
Lot 1 | Bonhams | Friday, August 19, 2022
Link to auction page
In brief: Four years ago, we ran an extensive feature entitled "Steve McQueen's 'On Any Sunday' Husqvarna: How a bike that sold for $1500 in 2008 sold for $230,000 in 2018." The article covered how authentication had enabled the 1970 Husqvarna 400 Cross Steve rode during Bruce Brown's 1970 feel-good motorcycle movie, On Any Sunday, to sell for $230,500. It also detailed the cars, motorcycles, jackets, watches ad infinitum that had been sold over the years for multiples of the amounts they would have fetched if they hadn't been worn or owned by McQueen.
This bike was sold at the Steve McQueen Estate Auction at Imperial Palace on November 25, 1984, in Las Vegas, Nevada, passing through three subsequent owners before being acquired by the vendor 11 years ago. It is in 'last ridden by McQueen' condition, and 'not started', with all the dents and scratches from McQueen's usage. McQueen began riding dirt bikes when four-strokes ruled the roost, with Steve part of the United States Team in the International Six Day Trial (now known as the International Six Day Enduro) in 1964.
He rode a Triumph 500 at that time, which by comparison to the lightweight Husqvarna two-strokes such as this, would have been underpowered and frightfully heavy. Steve was a competitive, international class dirt bike rider, and quickly understood the advantages of two-stroke racing machinery, helping to pioneer the new era of off-road riding.
From the auction description: Frame number MI3845, as presented here is perhaps the best known of all McQueen's Huskys by virtue of a known provenance and documentation from the time it was acquired by the star and remaining in his possession as one of his go-to bikes for the rest of his life.
1954 Vincent Black Shadow
Estimate: $175,000 - $200,000
Lot F84 | Mecum | Saturday, August 20, 2022
Link to auction page
Harris Vincent Gallery has been associated with many of the legendary motorcycles in history, and its reputation for quality is long established. This Black Shadow was not just restored by Harris Vincent, but with the addition of 12 volt electrics, an electric starter and some quality engine internals (such as Maughan & Sons new premium flywheels), it is arguably considerably better than new. The additional coat of lacquer certainly adds to the gloss, and at the $175,000 to $200,000 price, it represents much better value than the Knuckleheads
1954 Vincent Black Shadow
Estimate: $160,000 - $170,000
Lot F82 | Mecum | Saturday, August 20, 2022
Link to auction page
In brief: The second of two Black Shadows on offer this year, this 1954 model comes from the Robert Richardson Collection, and prior to that, from the New York collection of Bob Weaver. Weaver was known for collecting meticulously restored machines, and this Black Shadow had been restored by a British marque expert.
The laws of supply and demand rarely falter at auction and the supply of Knuckleheads is an order of magnitude greater than for Vincent V-twins, yet the Knucklehead is now selling for more than the Vincent Black Shadow.
We expect Knucklehead prices to soften as a greater supply comes to market in response to the recently inflated prices, and Vincent prices are currently soft and represent great value – the Vincent star will rise again.
1993 Ducati Supermono
Estimate: $150,000 - $200,000
Lot 34 | Gooding & Co | Friday, August 19, 2022
Link to auction page
Created for the popular 1990s Sound of Singles racing series, the Ducati Supermono was a featherweight 550cc single cylinder motorcycle combining the desmodromic four-valve front cylinder from Ducati’s 888 Corsa V-twin superbike with a counterbalancing mechanism (a second "dummy" connecting rod attached to a pivoting-bar arrangement) to mitigate vibration. The suspension was adjustable, top-shelf Ohlins, the Brembo brakes came straight from the 888 Corsa and the rest was an exercise in weight minimization using lashings of carbon and magnesium, with the end result coming in at 118 kg (260 lb) dry.
The super single hence won a lot of races, but as the motor was derived from an engine that was dominating world superbike championship racing at the time, and everything else was the highest spec you could find, the cost was commensurate. As often happens when the costs of unobtainium are passed on to racing customers, the uptake is low and just 67 units of the bike were built. Of the 67 units created, the first 40 were 550cc and produced about 65 hp at the 10,750 rpm redline, while the latter 27 were blessed with a slightly larger 572cc motor producing 76 hp at 10,000 rpm.
Spectacular looks, great results, restricted supply and an ever-growing demand have created an auction block monster as the Supermono has become one of the most sought-after Ducatis. Indeed, it is unlikely that the exotic Desmosedici RR road bike released by Ducati in 2007 will ever sell for more than the Supermono.
The highest price ever paid for a Supermono at a traditional auction house was paid for the bike going to auction here. It sold for US$115,000 at Bonham’s Las Vegas auction in January 2019, was passed in at a Stratas auction in September 2021 against an estimate of $150,000 to $175,000, and it will be part of the official Pebble Beach auction with an estimate of $150,000 to $200,000 and there will be no reserve, so it will be sold.
Remarkably, the bike is one of the first 40, so it isn’t even the most desirable and scarcer variant. Bonhams offered one of the final 27 at its 2015 Vegas auction with an estimate of US$150,000 to US$170,000, but reserve was not met.
1936 Harley-Davidson EL Knucklehead
Estimate: $200,000 - $225,000
Lot S16 | Mecum | Saturday, August 20, 2022
Link to auction page
In brief: This 1936 model is a meticulously restored example of a first year Knucklehead. Handsomely finished in Harley-Davidson's Dusk Gray and Royal Buff paint combination, it boasts some rare original parts such as the mid-1936 open rocker heads, small brace front fender, original dash and speedometer, and the toolbox. Even the gas caps and fluid lines are scarce originals, plus there are a lot of NOS parts.
The model record for this bike is $220,000, which has been achieved by three bikes: a 1940 EL, a 1943 E and a 1946 FL.
1937 Harley-Davidson EL Knucklehead: A second-year (1937) Knucklehead is also being auctioned at Mecum on Friday, August 19, 2022 (Lot F26). The bike is finished in Delphine Blue with Teak Red striping, and no expense was spared during the restoration process to include as many original parts as possible. It carries an estimate of $150,000 - $175,000.
1908 Harley-Davidson Strap Tank
Estimate: $500,000 - $650,000
Lot S38 | Mecum | Saturday, August 20, 2022
Link to auction page
In brief: The 440cc Strap Tank was Harley-Davidson’s first production model and this particular bike is one of those mythical barn-finds that guarantee authenticity and complete originality. It was discovered as a complete motorcycle in a Wisconsin barn in 1941, just 70 miles from its birthplace in Milwaukee. This is one of only 450 motorcycles produced by Harley-Davidson in 1908, and survivors from this early time in Harley-Davidson history are extremely rare – less than a dozen 1908 models are known. Though the bike is now fully restored, it will be sold with its original tank, wheels, engine belt pulley, seat cover and muffler sleeve additional to the bike.
1942 Crocker Big Tank Twin
Estimate: $900,000 - $1,000,000
Lot 63 | Gooding & Co | Thursday, August 18, 2022
Link to auction page
It was only a matter of time before America reclaimed the crown of the world's most valuable motorcycle, simply because America has more high net worth individuals than any other country, and national treasures are hence worth more in America than anywhere else. This Crocker is the latest contender to challenge for the $929,000 record set by Bonhams on 25 January 2018. On that day at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Bonhams sold a 1951 Vincent Black Lightning for $929,000.
The bike was one of just 30 Black Lightnings made, and the completely original and unrestored Vincent set an Australian speed record in 1953 when Jack Ehret rode it to an average speed of 141.5 mph. Only 19 Black Lightnings were still known to exist, compared to 60-something Crockers V-twins, 79 Series-A Vincent Rapides and 71 Brough Superior SS100s. For many years, Crockers weren't all that expensive at auction, but in recent years the prices have grown beyond the traditional Vincent and Brough Superior frontrunners at auction, and 2019 was the year that the Crocker came fully out of the closet.
A flood of Crockers sold in 2019 after years of them being closely held, with a $704,000 on 25 January 2019 and a $423,500 price on 26 January 2019 flushing out several more at auctions later in the year. It started with a $550,000 sale on 18 May 2019, then a pair that appeared at Mecum's Monterey auction on 17 August 2019 fetched $825,000 and $715,000.
