Rare Harley-Davidson Becomes Most Expensive Motorcycle Ever Sold At Auction
The vintage Strap Tank is the brand's earliest model and is thought to be one of only 12 surviving motorbikes of the same model. Mecum Auctions put the vintage bike up for sale with a starting price of £698,460 and it reached a final price of £767,355, including the buyer's premium. The record-breaking bike had many of its original parts, including the tank, wheels, engine belt pulley, seat cover and muffler sleeve, making it even more rare, said Greg Arnold, Motorcycle Division Manager at Mecum Auctions. "We marketed the bike well and Harley is by far the most famous American motorcycle brand so we had a feeling it would do well in auction, but obviously you are surprised anytime you sell the most expensive bike ever." Greg Arnold, Motorcycle Division Manager at Mecum Auctions says. Mecum said the bike was found intact in a Wisconsin barn by David Uihlein in 1941, and he kept it in his possession for the ensuing 66 years. The bike was most recently restored by Paul Freehill of Fort Wayne, Ind., the auction house said. Vintage motorcycle website The Vintagent, which tracks the sale of classic motorbikes at auction confirmed the Harley-Davidson Strap Tank fetched the highest price ever bid.
