An extremely rare 1908 Harley-Davidson motorcycle has earned itself the title of the
most expensive motorcycle ever
to have been sold in the world, fetching about £767,355 (approximately Rs 7.6 crore). The vintage Harley-Davidson Strap Tank was auctioned by Mecum Auctions at a starting price of £698,460, while the final price fetched some more, including the buyer's premium.
This Harley-Davidson Strap Tank is among the oldest surviving models of this extremely rare breed.
In terms of Harley-Davidson history, there is no more important model than the legendary Strap Tank—it’s the first of the breed, and the earliest Harley-Davidson model one will ever find, as the prototypes that preceded it are long gone.
The Strap Tank was found in a barn in Wisconsin in 1941 by David Uihlein, who kept it at his home for the next 66 years. Uihlein then got in touch with Paul Freehil from Indiana to restore the vintage bike.
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Greg Arnold, Motorcycle Division Manager at Mecum Auctions, said: "We marketed the bike well, and Harley is by far the most famous American motorcycle brand, so we had a feeling it would do well in auction. But obviously, you are surprised anytime you sell the most expensive bike ever!"
And the rare motorcycle still has many original parts, including the wheels, tank, engine belt pulley, seat cover and muffler sleeve.
Of the 450 Strap Tanks produced by Harley-Davidson in 1908, fewer than a dozen are believed to exist. These earliest Harley-Davidson Strap Tanks are the most coveted of all Milwaukee machinery. They established the pattern for all future production, combining a clean yet conservative styling, a somber color scheme, heavy-duty cycle parts and an engine a little bigger and stronger than the rest.
