There are hundreds of live auctions of one kind or another in the U.S. every week, from furnishings of single households to the largest late model automobile auctions, where the secondary market gets its stock. The prevalence of goods sold to the highest bidder at every level has made the concept of niche auctions, such as for collector motorcycles, not unfamiliar to the selling and buying public. Live auction styles of the U.S. and some other countries are very different. The purpose is the same and the general rules are consistent, but that’s where similarities end. The U.S. style originated with the civil war in the 1860s. The field property of fallen soldiers was disposed of on the spot to the highest bidder, the sale conducted by an officer. With a limited amount of time available before the bullets began flying again and an unfortunate plethora of lots to auction, the bidding was conducted in a rapid and efficient manner. This style “stuck”; it’s still the model of every live auction this side of the pond. I have not attended an auction in the UK; I have, however, attended auctions in the U.S. conducted by British firms. The UK style seems to be much more sedate and considered. Mecum’s auctions very much remain true to the U.S. rapid-fire style of auctioneering. The company’s headquarters are fairly centrally located in the Midwest U.S., and out of our sizeable headquarters staff, about 60% travel to wherever the current auction is located. We also have a large staff that only works on-site at the auctions; they come from various areas of the U.S. and fly or sometimes drive to the auction site. In total, there are 100 to 200 Mecum employees at any given event. That’s a lot of flights, hotel rooms and meals. This familiarity with our customers and the continuity of staff plays a large part in the success of our company; we consider the expenditure well worth it. As for the motorcycles to be offered, sellers are responsible for getting them to the auction site. We have preferred shipping partners we recommend to our customers, but they are welcome to use anyone they like. Buyers, whether on-site or absentee, can book shipment either domestic or international, on the internet or with representatives at the auction. Motorcycle enthusiasts from any corner of the world are among the most colorful of people, and they come from all over the globe to join in the annual Mecum Las Vegas auction. Unlike some of the more mercenary participants in some other forms of collecting, bike people remain passionate and personally knowledgeable about their two-wheeled machines. Popular preferences are always changing and shifting, however, and off-road competition models have rapidly gained in numbers and value; ‘80s, ‘90s and early 2000s sport bikes are also gaining the respect and value they deserve. The classic-era bikes from various marques—whether American, British, Italian, German, other European companies and now Japanese—stay strong for quality examples. It’s always been motorcycles for me, since my earliest memories. I like cars, I know a bit about them, but as soon as you park a motorcycle next to one, I no longer see the car. I ride a motorcycle to work every day the season permits (that is only about seven months per year at this latitude in the U.S.), and I have a few project bikes in my shop, but I definitely spend more time consigning old motorcycles than I do working on or riding them—still, I’ll take ‘em any way I can have ‘em, and when they’re wrapped up in the excitement of a live auction event, it becomes an experience as unique as saddling up and riding down the open road. AUCTIONS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE A lifetime motorcycle-collecting hobbyist, Greg purchased his first motorbike at 11 years old from a neighbor in 1965 for $10. With his career background primarily rooted in the construction industry, Greg initially joined the Mecum team in 2011 to help remodel and expand Mecum Auctions’ Headquarters. In 2014, he put his passion for motorcycles to good use joining the Mecum motorcycle division as auction manager. Greg has two grown children, Ben and Violet, and lives with his wife, Cindy, in Mecum’s original hometown of Marengo, Illinois. GREG ARNOLD THE SPOKES MAN 72 // MECUM.COM
