() — A motorcycle harley davidson of 1908 reached a record number of six figures at auction.
The 1908 Harley-Davidson Strap Tank sold for $935,000 at the end of January, making it the most valuable motorcycle sold at auction in history. according to a press release from Mecum Auctionswhich sells collector cars and vintage motorcycles.
The vintage bike was discovered in 1941 in a Wisconsin barn and then kept in the state for the next 66 years, according to the news release. Indiana collector Paul Freehill “expertly restored” the bike. The model includes the motorcycle’s original tank, wheels, engine belt pulley, seat cover and muffler hose.
The bike was one of the first models of the legendary manufacturer, known as “Strap Tank”. (Courtesy: Mecum Auctions)
The Strap Tank is one of 450 motorcycles made by Harley-Davidson in 1908, according to the statement. Fewer than a dozen are believed to have survived to 2023, and even fewer are in as good a shape as this record-breaking model. according to the auction announcement.
Early models earned the name “Strap Tank” for “the nickel-plated steel bands that suspended the fuel and oil tanks from the frame,” the ad says.
The bike was discovered in a Wisconsin barn in 1941. (Courtesy: Mecum Auctions)
The bike “set the pattern for all future production, combining clean but conservative styling, a somber color scheme, heavy-duty parts, and an engine that’s slightly bigger and stronger than the rest,” according to the announcement.
