This 1908 Harley set a brand new document for Mecum in Las Vegas. MEcum Auctions.
A 1908 Harley-Davidson Strap Tank, Mecum Auctions
WE LOVE CAFÉ racers, we love bobbers, and we love a killer scrambler. However we additionally love nice classics, and generally they arrive from an unlikely producer. This 12 months at Mecum’s Las Vegas public sale, a uncommon bike practically bought for $1 million, and it wasn’t a Henderson, or an MV Agusta, not even a Vincent or a uncommon Indian. Nope. It was a Harley-Davidson.
1908 Harley-Davidson Strap Tank, Mecum Public sale
The most costly motorbike bought this 12 months on the 2023 Mecum public sale was a 1908 Harley-Davidson Strap Tank. This uncommon bike has an attention-grabbing pedigree that makes it a certainly one of a sort. Lower than a dozen of those bikes exist, nonetheless this one could possibly be probably the most unique. This Strap Tank, so referred to as as a result of the fuel tank and oil tank are held to the bicycle-like body with nickel strap, is among the oldest surviving HDs and predates panhead Harleys by a long time.
This Harley bought for $935,000 at public sale, Mecum Public sale
When the public sale gavel fell, the bike went for $850,000. That works out to $935,000 after public sale charges. Watch the gavel fall in Mecum’s video.
The seat cowl is among the unique components of this 1908 Harley, Mecum Public sale
This specific Strap Tank was discovered by motorbike collector David Uihlein in 1941, and he saved it for 66 years. Sure, it was restored, nevertheless it’s probably the most appropriate and unique bikes from that period. It has the unique tank, wheels, engine belt pulley, seat cowl and muffler sleeve.
The tank is held on by a nickel strap, Mecum Public sale
Sure, that’s lots of scratch for an previous Harley. It’s not the most costly motorbike ever bought, however it’s the most costly bike ever bought by Mecum in Vegas. It wasn’t the primary Strap Tank that Mecum ever bought, in 2021 the corporate bought a 1907 Strap Tank for $297,000. However this bike has a well-documented historical past, in addition to well-documented unique 115-year-old components.
