bobang wire: LAS VEGAS 2014 THE RECAP

The first shocker of the week; a factory mis-match, original-paint 1940 Harley EL Knucklehead fetched $159k at Bonhams

There are several de facto motorcycle conventions around the world, but none quite like the annual Las Vegas motorcycle auction week in early January. There isnt a swap meet or evening entertainment, not a banquet or panel discussion or even art show, although elements of all these can be found at Vegas. The focus is the auctions, even though hundreds of people arrive with no intention of bidding on anything, content to meet friends from distant places. Some buy bikes they werent expecting, some take home bikes they expected to sell...such is the unpredictable mystery of the auction process.

Hello handsome! Tight quarters at Bonhams as the crowd filled up walkways and every seat was taken.

What can we glean from this years auctions? The #1 trend I spotted this year was a solidification of prices for up-and-coming bikes, some of which have now truly entered the big time...and Im talking about Harley Knuckleheads. A world record price was set for an H-D EL at Bonhams on Thursday, when an unusual original-paint 1940 Knuck, with a factory mismatch of paint scheme, engine, gearbox, forks, and other parts sold for $159k.

A few of the Silverman Museum Ducatis; green-frame 750SS, a pair of F1s, and a round-case 750Sport

Two days later, this record was broken at the Mecum/MidAmerica auction, when an essentially perfect 1936 Knucklehead - the coveted first-year model - from the George Pardos collection sold for $165k. Both of these prices are double what the best Knucks typically fet ch, and will certainly thrill those who already have them in their garages...and bring despair to those whod love to own a Knuck. Fear not, there are too many ELs out there for them all to become financially unreachable ...just dont count on adding a 36 to your collection cheaply. And anyway, theyre still a heck of a lot cheaper than a Crocker.

King of the Knucks. George Pardos 1936 first-year, perfect EL Knucklehead fetched $165k

There were no Top 20 additions from Vegas, but a total of 15 motorcycles sold at or above the $100k mark, a nd their variety is instructive. In descending order, the top prices: #1 was a fine and very rare example of Harleys first ever V-twin, a 1911 Model 7D Twin from the Pardos collection, which fetched $260k. Next in line was an equally rare BMW R37, the factorys first OHV sports machine from 1925, which sold for $200k. A zero-mile 1978 Ducati NCR racer from the Silverman Museum sold for $175k, and an immaculate first-year 36 Harley EL Knucklehead from the Pardos collection made $165k. The factory mismatch 1940 original-paint EL made $159k, while a restored 74 Ducati 750SS hit $137k. The magic names of Steve McQueen and Von Dutch shot an Indian Chief and sidecar to $126k, and a BMW RS54 Rennsport racer sold for $126k, while a Vincent Black Prince went for $125k.

Its about the people you meet. Shinya Kimura and Ayu with a Von Dutch-painted Triumph TR5

If you had $100,000 and needed to spend it all, you could have purchased a 1938 Brough Superior SS80, an ex-Works racing 72 BSA/Triumph triple in a Rob North frame, several antique Harleys from the Pardos collection (a JDH twin-cam, and a 1914 and 15 twin), a 1951 Vincent Series C Black Shadow, and a 1909 Harley single-cylinder.

Asking $100k, getting $95k, but after the fees, its all the same. A 1938 Brough Superior SS80 with Matchless MX sidevalve engine, nicely restored.

The Silverman Museum collection of Ducatis made an amazing impression at Bonhams, but included only the twin-cylinder Ducs from the museum; the singles will be auctioned off later, undoubtedly with a few of the unsold twins. While the lineup was impressive, few Ducatis have reached into $100k+ territory, and fewer still above that (a pair of ex-factory racers inhabit my Top 20); even fairly rare production and road racers are still relatively affordable.

On display, an ex-Evel Knievel Harley Sportster

2014 was the year of the Harley at Las Vegas; it seemed of all marques present that H-D generally had the strongest sales and the highest prices... a result skewed by the inclusion of the George Pardos collection of first-year models, which came to Vegas in a bunch. They represented one mans 20-year effort to create a collection with a very particular focus... an extremely rare situation! Very few collectors bring such discipline and clarity of intention to their motorcycle habit. The rest of us buy whatever seduces us...

Mark Upham, Conrad Leach, and Jared Zaugg confer

Six is better than four is better than three is better than...

The Ducati 750SS which sold for $137,000 at Bonhams

Breathing room of a 250cc Aermacchi two-stroke racer

An ex-Team Obsolete AJS 7R, complete with spares kit

A much-discussed BMW /2 chopper - $3500 takes it!

One of a pair of BMW RS54 Rennsports at Bonhams

Pushing the Brough amid the gaudy lights of Vegas

The all carbon-fiber Brough Superior racer

Filmmaker Bryan Carroll discusses his novel distribution strategy for his film Why We Ride

The local high school football teams helped out with pushing duties at MidAmerica/Mecum, here with a BSA A65 sidecar racer which sold for $7000. Must be present to win!