Las Vegas 2014: Vintage Motorcycle Auctions

By Somer Hooker
Published on April 10, 2014
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Mostly original 1940 Harley-Davidson EL Knucklehead from the Wayne Pierce collection sold at Bonhams’ Vegas auction for $159,000.
Mostly original 1940 Harley-Davidson EL Knucklehead from the Wayne Pierce collection sold at Bonhams’ Vegas auction for $159,000.
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$126,000 for ex-Steve McQueen 1923 Indian Big Chief, painted by Von Dutch.
$126,000 for ex-Steve McQueen 1923 Indian Big Chief, painted by Von Dutch.
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1950 Vincent B Series Meteor sold for $39,100.
1950 Vincent B Series Meteor sold for $39,100.
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1954 BMW RS54 Rennsport went for $126,000.
1954 BMW RS54 Rennsport went for $126,000.
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New-old-stock: Never raced 1978 Ducati 900 NCR from the Jack Silverman collection as new, sold for $175,500.
New-old-stock: Never raced 1978 Ducati 900 NCR from the Jack Silverman collection as new, sold for $175,500.
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Zero mile, essentially new 1983 Benelli 6-cylinder 900 Sei sold for $18,975. Prices include buyer’s premium.
Zero mile, essentially new 1983 Benelli 6-cylinder 900 Sei sold for $18,975. Prices include buyer’s premium.
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One of eight Ducati 750 F1s at Bonhams.
One of eight Ducati 750 F1s at Bonhams.
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1986 Honda VF1000R took $5,980 at Bonhams.
1986 Honda VF1000R took $5,980 at Bonhams.
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1955 Vincent Black Prince sold for $125,000 at MidAmerica.
1955 Vincent Black Prince sold for $125,000 at MidAmerica.
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First year 1969 Kawasaki H1 sold for $21,000 at MidAmerica.
First year 1969 Kawasaki H1 sold for $21,000 at MidAmerica.
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Restored, 99.75-point first year 1936 H-D Knucklehead drew $165,000.
Restored, 99.75-point first year 1936 H-D Knucklehead drew $165,000.
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1954 MV Agusta twin cam GP racer stalled at $140,000.
1954 MV Agusta twin cam GP racer stalled at $140,000.
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1963 Honda CZ100 Mark 1 Series 1 went for $17,000.
1963 Honda CZ100 Mark 1 Series 1 went for $17,000.
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1985 Yamaha RZV500R also sold for $17,000.
1985 Yamaha RZV500R also sold for $17,000.
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Original paint, chrome, seat and exhaust got this 1969 Honda CB750 sandcast to $15,000.
Original paint, chrome, seat and exhaust got this 1969 Honda CB750 sandcast to $15,000.
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Beautiful 1925 BMW R37 sold for $200,000.
Beautiful 1925 BMW R37 sold for $200,000.

It’s been 23 years since the first MidAmerica motorcycle auction was staged in Las Vegas. Originally held during Super Bowl weekend, it evolved into the Super Bowl of motorcycle auctions. Now held in early January, it has become the “must do” auction for vintage motorcycle collectors.

Once very much a U.S. event, the Vegas auction has become a crossroads for vintage motorcycle enthusiasts worldwide; this year, no less than 30 countries were represented. This also added up to a phenomenal number of bidders, purportedly more than 1,100 at MidAmerica. For some, it is primarily a social event, for others it is a time for acquiring, selling — or both! As I explained to one person, “It’s like going to a giant motorcycle show, and they’re all for sale!”

Originally run by MidAmerica Auctions, English auction house Bonhams set up shop four years ago, competing for their piece of the pie. And this year another significant transition transpired, as last fall MidAmerica was acquired by Mecum Auctions, a large, established auction house primarily into cars, tractors, boats — and now motorcycles.

Duc and Hog hunting in Las Vegas

Creating auctions like Las Vegas isn’t easy. “You have to have a large collection as your core to build around,” says Ron Christensen of MidAmerica. By having an exciting collection to initially advertise, the vendors then want to get their product “on board.” This year, both houses had several large collections as the nucleus of their sales.

Both Bonhams and MidAmerica had large collections of Harley-Davidsons, and Bonhams also featured a major Ducati collection. Between both houses there were more than 100 Harley-Davidsons and more than 40 Ducatis. In the early years it was difficult to sell a Harley here, as tastes were more focused on vintage British motorcycles. This year, vintage H-Ds represented some of the highest performers.

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