by Doug Logston
I have been aware of the MECUM Motorcycle Auction held in Las Vegas for about eight years. A couple of motorcycling buddies asked me join them at MECUM this year. I was happy to. (You want me to sleep on the cot in the motel room, while each of you sleep in a queen bed? I can do that.) Alas, their plans changed at the last minute, and I was left without a place to stay and no transportation in Las
Vegas. Now what? I was all excited about attending the January auction. MECUM were promising that 2000 motorcycles would be up for sale.
What to do? I know only one Las Vegas resident, long time MSTA member Nicky Zarras. His name may be familiar to you, dear reader. Nicky is past editor of STAReview Magazine, and current Safety Editor and Road Test/Product Test Editor for the magazine. Nick and I have known each other for many years, given our association with STAReview magazine. However, we had never met face to face. I was bold enough to telephone him and ask if he would be home January 25-28th, and would he like a house guest? Nick said he would be happy to let me use the guest bedroom . . . and he would also play chauffeur while I was in Las Vegas. I was thrilled with Nick’s generous offer of hospitality. Look out Las Vegas here I come.
After a gate change and 30 minute delay, my Southwest Airlines flight was airborne and headed for Las Vegas. This would be my first visit to Sin City. As planned, Nick picked me up at Harry Reid International Airport and drove me to his gracious home that he shares with his lovely wife, Chery.
Because of our association with STAReveiw Magazine, Nick was able to score us media credentials for the event. The 2024 edition of Mecum’s Motorcycle Auction (the 33rd annual), was held at the South Point Hotel, Casino, and Spa, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV. As we walked through the casino on our way to the motorcycle show, I saw a lot of slot machines, all electronic. There wasn’t a single “one-arm bandit” machine in sight.
I was disappointed.
Dana Mecum started his family run auction business in 1988 in Rockford, IL. Up until 1996 Mecum sold their vehicles to local car dealers. In 1996, Mecum added premier auctions, offering vehicles of a higher quality, and attracting not only serious bidders but the general public as well. In the last ten years, Mecum auctions have focused on vehicles from pre-WWI to 60s and 70s Muscle Cars. The public has responded, and Mecum has enjoyed annual sales of $300+ million the past several years. Throughout Mecum’s history, motorcycles have been a part of the auction action. In 2011 they established a motorcycle division to better focus on the classic motorcycle auction scene. In December 2013 Mecum bought out MidAmerica Auctions, further solidifying Mecum’s position as the worldwide leading auction house for classic and vintage motorcycles.
In 2023, in Las Vegas, Mecum facilitated the sale of the most expensive motorcycle to ever cross the auction block, a rare 1908 Strap Tank Harley-Davidson, that cost the bidder $850,000 (plus a 10% buyer fee paid to Mecum).
The 2024 edition of MECUM did not sell a motorcycle for nearly $1 million dollars. However, it did have its share of motorcycles that sold for six figures.
1. 1928 Indian Ace $200,000
2. 1957 Mondial 250 Racer $150,000
3. 1914 Henderson Four $135,000
4. 2018 Indian Scout Racer $125,000
5. 1912 Pierce Four $125,000
6. 1994 H-D VR1000 $117,500
7. 1927 Cleveland Four $115,000
8. 1936 H-D E Knucklehead $105,000
9. 1929 Henderson KJ Streamline $100,000
10. 1937 BMW R17 $100,000
(The above prices reflect the actual final bid. Each buyer paid MECUM an additional 10% buyer’s fee based upon the final bid.)
MECUM auctions attract a varied clientele, including a large number of non-bidding spectators. I was one of those. I kept my hands in my pockets while the bidding was going on. Auction events receive anywhere from 20,000 to 100,000 attendees, depending on the location and time of year. And that is much of the fun of attending an auction like MECUM or Barrett-Jackson. One can strike up a conversation with a complete stranger and spend 10 minutes or 30 minutes talking about bikes or cars, and invariably the conversation is educational and entertaining!
educational and entertaining!
Examples: a conversation with . . .
• Rory from South Africa. We were both admiring a blue 1972 Kawasaki H2 750cc Triple. It was a gorgeous bike. Rory was curious what it
might go for as the bike was in the staging lanes waiting for its turn to roll up onto the auction block in the next hour. (It later sold for $50,000, a new world record.) Rory had sold a couple three-cylinder Kawasaki 2-strokes the day before for $19,000 and $20,000 respectively. He told me a fascinating story about finding six Kawi 750 triples in a shipping container in the country of Niger. And because of the corrupt government, he had to pay bribes to several people to get the container shipped from Africa to England. It took eight months, but he did take possession of the container and the bikes.
• television personality Mike Seate (host of “Café Racer” program (2010-2015) on the Discovery Channel). He was drooling over a beautiful 1928 Brough Superior SS100. He told me that he has a new streaming TV program called “Ton-Up TV” available now at www.tonuptv.com. I plan to check it out.
• Diamond Dave from Vashon Island, WA. We talked about the Isle of Vashon TT, the Pacific
Northwest’s classic old bike event. It has been happened since the 1980s. The poker run, featuring vintage motorcycles (British, American, Japanese), typically occurs the weekend before, or the weekend after Labor Day. And the only way to get to Vashon Island is via ferry boat from West Seattle, Southworth, or Tacoma. This event is again on my bucket list.
Consensus from participants as well as interested spectators was that this year was a buyer’s market. With the majority of the motorcycles being offered at no reserve, many motorcycles sold well below what industry experts expected.
Here are some of Doug’s favorite bikes:
MECUM Motorcycle Auction final stats:
For sale listings: 1517
Sales completed: 1312
86% sales success
Total dollar volume: $14.7 million
Lowest sale: $200
Highest sale: $200,000
Median sales price: $6000
Average sale: $11,16
My time in Las Vegas wasn’t all about motorcycles. I got to see the Vegas Strip at night, all lit up. And I got to see the Strip in the daylight. The Bellagio Hotel, with its tribute room to the Chinese New Year, was impressive. As was the Venetian Hotel with its Italian theme and canals and gondolas. Mr. and Mrs. Zarras also showed me some of the natural wonders near Las Vegas, such as Calico Basin and Red Rock Canyon. Saturday night we dined at Nick’s favorite café, Meraki Greek Grill, 4950 S. Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas. They talked me
into trying a couple of traditional Greek dishes, they were very tasty. Sunday morning Nick had me at the airport in time to catch my flight to Fresno, CA. (I know, Denver is the other way.) A short layover and Southwest Airlines delivered me back to DIA on time. It was a clear day for flying and the mountains along the Front Range were snow covered. Simply beautiful.