'TOP 20' AT AUCTION - UPDATED

The recent sale of a Brough Superior SS100 for £286,000 had me scrambling to revise my 'Top 20', compiled in 2008, tracking the highest prices paid at public auction for motorcycles.  Of course, rumors abound of much larger sums being paid for super-rare bikes, but these can't be confirmed.  There are many reasons buyer and seller might keep such a sale invisible by cash transaction and private sale, as sales tax and (in some countries) property tax begin to bite hard at six-figure deals.  So, we'll stick with legitimate auction sales, and as of today, this is what we find:

TOP 20 MOTORCYCLE PRICES AT AUCTION
(November, 2010)

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. 1907 Harley Davidson 'Strap Tank' Single  $352,000
Oct. 21, 2006, Gooding and Co.
 








5. 1939 Vincent-HRD 998cc Series-A Rapide £198,400 $347,200
September 2008, New Bond St, Bonhams

6. 1927 Zenith-JAP 8/45hp  £177,500 $312,986
September 2008, New Bond St, Bonhams













7. 1934 Brough Superior 996cc SS100 £166,500 $293.589
April 2008, Stafford, Bonhams












8. 1954 AJS Porcupine £163,600 $288,475
April 2000, Stafford, Bonhams











9. 1939 Brough Superior SS100 - $280,400
January 2011, Las Vegas, MidAmerica

10. 1937 Crocker 'Hemi-Head' - $276,000
November 2006, Los Angeles, Bonhams

11. 1929 Scott Flying Squirrel 600cc ex.Steve McQueen/Von Dutch $276,000
June 2009, New York, Antiquorum

12. 1938 Brough Superior 982cc SS100 £151,100 $264,400
September 2008, New Bond St, Bonhams









13. 1938 Brough Superior SS100 £157,700 $255,900
April 2010, Stafford, Bonhams

14. 1941 Crocker Big Tank - $243,800
January 2007, Las Vegas, MidAmerica











15. 1938 Brough Superior SS100 - $238,000
January 2011, Las Vegas, MidAmerica

16. 1939 Crocker 'Small Tank' twin $236,500
Oct. 21, 2006, Gooding and Co.

17. 1939 Crocker V-Twin Big Twin - $233,200
January 2008, Las Vegas, MidAmerica











18. 1954 BMW RS54 £143,000 $232,000
Oct. 22, 2010, Haynes, HandH

19. 1924 Montgomery-Anzani 8/38hp V-Twin £109,300 $192,702
April 2006, Stafford, Bonhams









20. 1911 Harley Davidson 7D Twin  $187,000
October 21, 2006, Gooding and Co.

The statistics: 12 of the top sellers are British, 7 are from the USA, 1 from Germany. Five of these bikes were racing machines. 16 are large-capacity v-twins. 13 would have been called 'powerful luxury motorcycles' when new. All of them were extremely low-production models, barring the ex-Steve McQueen Scott! 

By decade; 1 from the 'Noughts, 2 from the 'teens, 5 from the 1920's, 8 from the '30's, 2 from the 40's, 2 from the 50's. 

Nine of the top 20 machines were sold by Bonhams, 5 by MidAmerica, 3 by Gooding and Co, 2 by HandH, 1 by Antiquorum. 

Six of these machines were sold in 2008, 5 in 2006, 3 in 2010, 2 in 2011, 1 in 2009, 1 in 2007, 1 in 2000.

What the statistics tell me: 2008 was a banner year for spending on valuable old bikes, but the late 'Noughts were very good in general. Racing motorcycles from Italy and Japan - surely among the most valuable two-wheelers in the world - must never come up for auction, although they do change hands!  Provenance is extremely valuable, rarity more so.  If you have a relatively ordinary motorcycle, make sure Steve McQueen owned it. 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 and fours.
(All photos are from the auction house websites. Click on them to enlarge)

6 Brough Superiors
4 Crockers
2 Harley Davidsons
2 Vincent-HRDs
1 Zenith
1 Cyclone
1 Coventry Eagle
1 AJS
1 Montgomery
1 BMW