Mecum Auctions' annual "Vintage & Antique Motorcycle Auction" in Las Vegas is always a wild affair. Every year, an extraordinary selection of the world's rarest and most exotic motorcycles crosses its stage. The 32nd annual event, held from January 24-28, 2023, didn't disappoint.
An immaculate 1908 Harley-Davidson Strap Tank sold for an auction record $935,000, edging out the $929,000 paid for a 1951 Vincent Black Lightning - opens in new window or tab. at a Bonhams' auction in January 2018.
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The Ultimate Motorcycle Barn Find
The 115-year-old Harley never got far from home. It was discovered in 1941 in a barn about 70 miles from Harley's Milwaukee headquarters. David Uihlein Sr., who found the vintage motorcycle, wasn't your average Joe. Uihlein was heir to the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company and a serious collector of fine automobiles.
As a teenager, Uihlein's favorite pastime was scouring Wisconsin's gas station lots, junkyards, and alleyways. He had an eagle eye for hidden treasures and, by his early twenties, had amassed an impressive collection of machinery. The 1908 motorcycle couldn't have fallen into better hands. Uihlein stored it in Wisconsin for 66 years before Paul Freehill of Fort Wayne, Ind., restored it to perfection.
For accuracy, Freehill referenced a 1908 Strap Tank in the Harley-Davidson Museum. He overhauled the engine (No. 2,241) and carburetor (No. 1,049) and replaced the gas tank, wheel rims, muffler, and other parts. The Mecum sale included the original tank, wheels, engine belt pulley, seat cover, and muffler sleeve.
The pièce de résistance is the motorcycle's Renault Gray and Carmine Red color scheme. That's how it earned its iconic nickname: "Silent Gray Fellow."
The Holy Grail of Harleys
Strap Tanks are considered the Holy Grail of Harleys. That's because all the models before the Strap Tanks were prototypes and didn't survive.
Harley-Davidson - opens in new window or tab., founded in 1903, started building motorcycles in a small wooden shed in 1905. The company produced just five motorcycles that year. By the following year, Harley had moved to a new factory on Juneau Avenue and built about 50 motorcycles.
These first models were known as the Strap Tank, based on the nickel-plated steel bands binding the fuel and oil tanks to the bicycle-like frame. In 1907, production bumped up to around 150 motorcycles, and by 1908 that number grew exponentially to 450. Of those, only about 12 have survived, and this record-breaker is as correct and original as they come.
A Tense Auction
The tension between the phone and online bidders was palpable during the auction. It hit a fever pitch when reserve lifted, and the hammer dropped at a staggering $850,000. Throw in the estimated buyer's premium and fees, and you have a record-setting sum of $935,000.
A 1907 Harley Strap Tank in rougher original condition sold for $715,000 at Mecum's Vegas auction in March 2015.
The following unique motorcycles joined the Strap Tank in the top five from the 2023 Mecum Auction:
- 1938 Vincent HRD Series A Twin - $330,000
- 1925 BMW R32 - $220,000
- 1935 BMW R37 - $220,000
- 1927 Indian Ace Four - $214,500
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