A journalist for Spiegel magazine in Germany sent a query for the top 20 prices paid at auction for motorcycles; I'm scooping him as I did the research! Here they are, using the exchange rate on the day sold, and prices include the buyer's premium. Interesting that so many of these motorcycles have been sold in the last two years (but not all of them; the AJS 'Porcupine' and McEvoy-JAP were both sold more than 4 years ago). Higher prices for racing motorcycles have purportedly been realized in private sales, but as we have no way of confirming those transactions, this list will have to suffice as a reference.The statistics: 12 of the top sellers are British, 6 are from the USA, 2 are from Germany. Six of these bikes were racing machines. 17 are large-capacity v-twins. 12 would have been called 'powerful luxury motorcycles' when new. All of them were extremely low production models, the sole exception being the Vincent 'White Shadow', which was an ultra-rare variant on a comparatively common machine (there being over 10,000 Vincent twins made). By decade; 2 from the 'teens, 6 from the 1920's, 5 from the '30's, 2 from the 40's, 2 from the 50's, 2 from the 60's. Thirteen of the top 20 machines were sold by Bonhams, 5 by MidAmerica, 1 by J.Woodand Co., 1 by HandH.
What the statistics tell me: Racing motorcycles from Italy and Japan must never come up for auction, although they do change hands! Provenance is extremely valuable, rarity more so. If you're looking to invest and don't have a connection with a former race shop employee, I'd start looking for obscure v-twins. But you're about 10 years too late. If you want my opinion on future trends, ask, but I'll probably write about it anyway. I was right about buying 1920's machines, though!
(All photos are from the auction house websites. Click on them to enlarge)
TOP 20 MOTORCYCLE PRICES AT AUCTION
(as of September, 2008)
1. 1915 Cyclone Board Track Racer - $551,200
July 2008, Monterey, MidAmerica
2. 1929 Brough Superior SS100, £286,000 $465,350
Oct.22, 2010, Sparkford, HandH Auctions
3. 1949 Vincent Black Lightning Supercharged £221,500 $383,400
October 2008, Stafford, Bonhams
4. 1939 Vincent-HRD 998cc Series-A Rapide £214,800 $378,757
September 2008, New Bond St, Bonhams
5. The ex-Roland Martin, Brooklands, 1927 Zenith-JAP 8/45hp Championship Motorcycle Combination £177,500 $312,986
September 2008, New Bond St, Bonhams
6. 1934 Brough Superior 996cc SS100 £166,500 $293.589
April 2008, Stafford, Bonhams
7. 1954 AJS Porcupine £163,600 $288.475
April 2000, Stafford, Bonhams
8. 1938 Brough Superior 982cc SS100 £163,200 $287,770
September 2008, New Bond St, Bonhams
9. 1941 Crocker Big Tank - $243,800
January 2007, Las Vegas, MidAmerica
10. 1939 Crocker V-Twin Big Twin - $233,200
January 2008, Las Vegas, MidAmerica
11. 1924 Montgomery-Anzani 8/38hp V-Twin £109,300 $192,702
April 2006, Stafford, Bonhams
12. 1973 Harley-Davisdon 750cc XRTT, ex-Cal Rayborn $185,500
January 2009, Las Vegas, MidAmerica
13. 1928 Coventry-Eagle 980cc Flying-8 £100,500 $177,182
April 2008, Stafford, Bonhams
14. 1928 Windhoff 746cc Four £100,500 $177,182
April 2008, Stafford, Bonhams
15. 1915 Harley-Davidson Twin, $169,600
January 10, 2009, Las Vegas, MidAmerica
16. 1968 Fath URS Double World Championship sidecar racer £102,700 $166,000
Oct 17th 2010 Stafford, Bonhams
17. 1925 Brough Superior 980cc SS80 De Luxe £85,200 $155,532
September 2008, New Bond St, Bonhams
18. 1954 Vincent 998cc White Shadow Series C £81,800 $144,246
April 2007, Stafford, Bonhams
19. 1937 Brough Superior SS-100 $137,000
November 2005, LA, Bonhams
20. 1913 Flying Merkel $130,000
October 2006, Barber Vintage Festival, J.Woodand Co.
[As a personal aside, I have been fortunate enough to own three 'siblings' of the motorcycles on this list - Brough Superiors SS100 and 680, and a Zenith-JAP KTOR. I purchased each of these machines when prices seemed high, and each involved a bit of personal sacrifice to own, yet as a middle-class, working individual, I could afford such legendary machines. I feel fortunate indeed to have 'got in the game' before prices reached six figures, and the average fellow was priced out of the market. Still, the motorcycles on the list are truly the creme de la creme, the finest machines available in the world. There are others yet to come, especially ex-works racing machines, which will undoubtedly fetch even higher prices (see the recent sale of the Helmut Fath URS racer for proof). I would argue that, as in other realms (fine art, important documents, etc), some cultural artifacts are necessarily beyond the reach of mere mortals, and will fall only into the hands of the truly wealthy and/or museums, to be preserved for future generations... and we will have more humble fare to ride and enjoy...for better or worse. Long live the Triumph Trophy, the Velocette Venom, the BMW R69S, the Honda CB750, the Ducati 750GT...]