A 1915 Cyclone roadster has become the first motorbike to sell at auction for over $1 million and is now the most valuable motorcycle ever sold say the auctioneers.
The beautiful, bright yellow machine was sold on February 1 by Mecum in Las Vegas. It was the star item in a sale that brought in $27.2 million to become the world’s most valuable ever motorcycle auction. Two other bikes – a 1938 Croker Twin and an 1898 De Dion-Bouton – also set world-best prices in their categories.
The Cyclone had excellent provenance. It was restored by motorcycle expert Stephen Wright and was sourced from the Urban S. Hirsch III Collection that provided eight of the top-10 valued items at this sale.
Cyclone’s were pioneering and desirable but didn’t sell in enormous numbers when they revolutionsied high-speed two-wheel riding. Image courtesy Mecum Auctions.
The bike was described by Mecum as a “holy grail for collectors”.
It was a first, super-fast, but short-lived, the perfect ingredients for collector value.
The Cyclone was the first US-made overhead camshaft bike and capable of going over 100mph, though crude lubrication meant it struggled to complete the popular long-distance races of its era. The single-speed machine with spoked wheels and leather seat was the height of high-speed motorcycle tech when it was designed by Andrew Strand.
They were manufactured for a mere three years, and although their lube issues were no problem for high-speed road riders, were not big sellers. As few as 14 survive, with just five known in the racing set up that set the record at the start of this month.
This is now the most valuable bike sold in a public auction. Previous highs were set by a 1908 Harley-Davidson ($935,000) and a Vincent Black Lightning from 1951 ($929,000).
A Crocker Twin from 1938 that sold at the same auction for $880,000 set a marque record and is itself in the top 5 most-valuable bikes ever sold.
The top end of the vintage car market has seen extremely high growth recently, and Mecum say “spirited bidding” drove this sale.
Although the bike is in immaculate order it has been sold on the condition that it is not for use on public highways.
