MILLION DOLLAR MOTORCYCLE, SET A RECORD FOR MECUM

This particular Strap Tank was found by motorcycle collector David Uihlein in 1941, and he kept it for 66 years. Yes, it was restored, but it's one of the most correct and original bikes from that era. It has the original tank, wheels, engine belt pulley, seat cover and muffler sleeve

The most expensive motorcycle sold this year at the 2023 Mecum auction was a 1908 Harley-Davidson Strap Tank. This rare bike has an interesting pedigree that makes it a one of a kind. Less than a dozen of these bikes exist, however this one could be the most original. This Strap Tank, so called because the gas tank and oil tank are held to the bicycle-like frame with nickel strap, is one of the oldest surviving HDs and predates panhead Harleys by decades.

Yes, that's a lot of scratch for an old Harley. It's not the most expensive motorcycle ever sold, but it is the most expensive bike ever sold by Mecum in Vegas. It wasn't the first Strap Tank that Mecum ever sold, in 2021 the company sold a 1907 Strap Tank for $297,000. But this bike has a well-documented history, as well as well-documented original 115-year-old parts.

When the auction gavel fell, the bike went for $850,000. That works out to $935,000 after auction fees.