5 Classic Harleys That Are Worth A Small Fortune
It's extremely difficult to find anyone in America, or anyone anywhere, who has not heard of Harley-Davidson. H-D is a quintessential American icon. Over the years, the company has produced an array of bikes, with models like the Sportster and Soft ail attracting a broad base of riders with prices ranging from around $10,000 to $20,000. Expensive? Sure.
For those who want something extra fancy, Harley-Davidson has more exclusive lines of bikes, too. The Harley-Davidson CVO models, for example, can cost more than $40,000. These bikes have premium features, the best technology, and unique designs. Costs an arm and a leg? Yes.
And then there are Harley-Davidson motorcycles whose worth or value can only be described as small fortunes. This article talks about five such Harley-Davidsons. Some of these bikes are very old, and some are the rarest Harley-Davison motorcycles ever built. Others are unique because they've been customized in amazing ways. Regardless, they're worth a lot because they're just not ordinary Harley-Davidsons. In fact, a lot of these motorcycles are so expensive or exclusive that it won't even make sense to ride them. People who collect these bikes see them as more than just motorcycles, too. For those who love two-wheeled goodness, these Harley-Davidsons are some of the most special ones out there.
Harley-Davidson Cosmic Starship
The Harley-Davidson Cosmic Starship is more of an art piece, a statement of luxury, or a collector's dream than it is, well, a bike. But it started as a regular 2002 Harley-Davidson V-Rod — until artist Jack Armstrong made it into something else entirely. In true small fortune fashion, this bike is called the "Million Dollar Harley."
According to the artist, "The style of the 2002 Harley V-Rod was revolutionary, and it was the most futuristic creation in motorcycles I had ever seen." Many riders will understand that sentiment, since the V-Rod is one of the best Harley-Davidson motorcycles ever made. And so it became the ideal canvas for his space-inspired style. The bike is still a Harley at heart — so the Cosmic Starship retains the 2002 V-Rod's reliable specs, like the 1,130cc four-stroke V-twin liquid-cooled engine giving 115 horsepower.
What makes this motorcycle so valuable is not just its artistic value but the story behind it. The bike's transformation involved an intricate process that took six years to complete, using a striking palette of oranges and yellows and numerous layers of clear coat. The artist also vowed to create no more than 100 pieces of art, including this motorcycle, which carries a unique significance. So, the Cosmic Starship was introduced in 2010 with much grandeur, including a dramatic unveiling at Bartels' Harley-Davidson in Marina del Rey. The bike sold for an eye-watering $3 million in 2012 and now has a staggering market presence between $15-30 million.
Jerry Lee Lewis's 1959 FLH Duo-Glide
The 1959 Harley-Davidson FLH Duo-Glide is a decent bike in its own right. It has a big four-stroke V2 engine of 1,212cc and can power up to 55 horsepower. The handling is a bit mediocre, but the FLH is by no means the worst Harley ever made. The bike fetches anywhere between $14,000 and $35,000 depending on its condition, which is still expensive, but Jerry Lee Lewis's specific FLH qualifies as a "small fortune Harley."
H-D gifted two of these bikes in 1959 — one to Jerry Lee Lewis and the other to Elvis Presley. In fact, this motorcycle even became part of Lewis's rivalry with Elvis Presley. Besides the rarity, the bike also holds value based on how good its condition is. The bike was shown meticulous care; it has a low mileage (only 2,257 miles on the odometer) and was continuously owned by Lewis. This kind of historical and emotional value catapulted its auction price to $385,000. It's not too far-fetched to assume that if Elvis Presley's FLH gets auctioned, it will reach Harley-Davidson's pantheon of million-dollar bikes.
Unlike the Comic Starship, the bike itself is not even modified cosmetically. The design still has a black-and-white color scheme, a tall windscreen, white leather seating, and chrome accents. The mechanical aspects of the bike also remained, including its suspension system—moving away from the traditional hardtail design, it introduced a rear suspension—trivial now, but a big deal back then.
Harley-Davidson Bucherer Blue Edition
The Harley-Davidson Bucherer Blue Edition is a project by a Switzerland-based workshop Bündnerbike in collaboration with the luxury jeweler Carl F. Bucherer, and the team spent over 2,500 hours in creating this bike, with each component meticulously handcrafted, welded, and polished. The chassis literally sparkles with diamonds, and even the screws are gold-plated. They even painted it a special kind of blue that looks different from every angle. It seems that this was achieved through a secret process involving six layers of paint over silver plating and is a trademark of Bucherer.
The Blue Edition is based on the 2017 Softail Slim S, but it underwent so many transformations no Softail was left to be recognized by the time it was done. Still, a Harley is a Harley — it has a powerful 1.8-liter V-twin engine, producing 92 horsepower and 148 NM of torque, paired with a six-speed transmission.
The level of luxury on this bike reaches some ridiculous excesses. For example, the bike comes with onboard safes containing a Bucherer watch and a 5.4-carat diamond ring and a watch holder that doubles as a winder. The handlebars are diamond-encrusted, and the seats are hand-sewn in Switzerland using cowhide. You can technically ride this Harley, but it's so fancy and expensive that it's more likely to be kept as a showpiece. Total worth? $1.9 million. Small fortune indeed.
[Featured image by Decio "desmodex" via Flickr | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 2.0]
1969 Easy Rider Chopper
The Harley-Davidson Easy Rider, famously known as the Captain America bike, is no stranger to classic motorcycle fans. In fact, for a lot of them, this is the bike that started it all. Based on theories of the bike's origins, its journey from a 1962 FLH Panhead or 1952 HD Hydra-Glide — supposedly acquired at a police auction by Peter Fonda — to an iconic symbol in the 1969 movie "Easy Rider" is nothing short of, well, cinematic. And all of this was happening in the backdrop of freedom and the counterculture movement. If there ever was a recipe for a true Classic, then this might be it.
The mystery and fascination surrounding Easy Rider Captain America is not just because of its cinematic fame but also because of the controversies and tales of its existence post-production. With numerous rumors regarding the number of bikes made and their subsequent fates that ranged from theft to dismantling, the motorcycle's story is as compelling as its design. It's this combination of history, mystery, and cultural significance that has really driven up its value, culminating in a staggering auction price of $1.35 million in 2014. It's important to note that the authenticity of that bike was challenged just days before it was sold, according to autoevolution.
The bike is not operational and lacks an odometer as of the last auction, but by now, its value lies beyond mere mechanics. The interesting bit is that there might actually be more than two original bikes out there — keep your eyes peeled.
Strap Tank
If Classic is an indication of time, then the 1907 Strap Tank is the ultimate Classic Harley-Davidson. Since this bike was one of the first 207 units produced, it's no surprise that it is a prized possession for both collectors and enthusiasts. Although, the Strap Tank is a tad out of reach for most enthusiasts unless you happen to have $1 million for a motorcycle.
The Strap Tank is easily recognized by a very distinct design feature — the nickel-plated steel bands that secure the oil and fuel tanks to the frame. This is also how the bike got its Strap Tank name. This bike also sits at a pivotal moment in Harley-Davidson's history, as the company was on the brink of expanding its production to a grand scale.
The bike's provenance adds layers to its value. One good example is serial number 37, which has been preserved in its original form for over a century, passing through the hands of enthusiasts and collectors, including a 75-year tenure within a single family and later acquisition by collector E.J. Cole.
While one might balk at the $715,000 price tag fetched by a 1907 model, a 1908 counterpart shattered records by collecting $935,000 at auction. At the end of the day, the Strap Tank, like almost all bikes on this list, is more of a collector's showpiece than a daily ride. We can only be curious about what a 120-year-old Harley-Davidson must ride like.