THE SPOKES MAN RARE, PLEASE Quite often, we’ll be asked to list a “rare” motorcycle in one of our auctions. The designation covers a wide range of interpretations, so let’s take a look at a few. What makes a motorcycle rare? A motorcycle can earn the designation of being rare GREG ARNOLD 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. for something as simple as having the first production number of a particular model, or for showing a very low production number from the model’s first year or last year, etc. In other cases, the term rarity comes from a motorcycle’s list of seldom seen options. Some motorcycles demonstrate rarity by existing as a prototype build, from either a failed or a successful production line, and there are also motorcycles that get their rarity from their status as a scarce survivor of a short-lived model or manufacturer. The list of scenarios that can earn a bike the right to claim itself as rare includes many other circumstances as well. Regarding the first case I mentioned: if you own the first production number of, say, a 1947 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead, that’s a distinctive and rare unit because there can, of course, only be one first serial number of any given year. However, any production number of a 1936 Knucklehead is more valuable because the first year in this instance is much more highly prized than the last year. If we’re looking at 750 Hondas, a low production number for a first-year 1969 model could mean it has an early “Sandcast” engine, which is very valuable, and if you had the first serial number altogether, then that’s a rare and important machine. In the second case I presented—options—the motorcycle in question might be a touring model with every conceivable factory option, including some seldom seen ones, or something like the turbocharged version of a standard model or one boasting a dealer-applied paint scheme, like the Honda Flying Dragons. In the third case—prototypes—the motorcycles are the product of factories building early examples of upcoming, anticipated models. These, in most cases, are not intended to leave the hands of the manufacturer; in many instances, they are even destroyed. The few that escape are rare, to be sure. If you have a landmark model from any company, that’s a valuable machine. In other instances, someone might have a prototype of a model that never made it into production at all; the value can slice either way for these. In the fourth case—survivors of briefly built models from major manufacturers or from more fleeting ones—are rare because relatively few were built to begin with. For example, a 1978 Harley-Davidson MX250s or the innovative Riedel Imme, of which only a handful were made, both fall into this category. Some motorcycles may have an attribute that makes them seem rare at first, but it will actually prove to have little or no effect on its value. Owning serial no. 3 of an ordinary model for most given years is a bit of a curiosity, but it’s most likely not going to add measurable value. “Only 357 produced with this color combination” is a valid bullet point to note on a given example, but again, not likely relevant to its value. Celebrity ownership is a tough one, because the fact relates to the owner and not directly to the machine itself. If it’s closely associated with someone like Jerry Lee Lewis or Steve McQueen, there tends to be a lot of added value; most celebrity associations, however, are typically worth about 10% or so of added value. 60 // MECUM.COM With both rare and medium rare motorcycles available at most Mecum auctions, we invite you to come watch us present the sizzle and back it up with the steak. The selection we present is always full of mouthwatering options, and the type and level of rarity typically runs the gamut, so no matter what you’re after, you’re likely to find it at a Mecum auction event. We hope to see you at one soon.
