Bonham’s To Sell Evel Knievel’s HD XL1000
There have been famous movie props sold at auctions but Evel Knievel’s Harley-Davidson XL1000 from Viva Knievel! takes this year’s award for the “most coveted”. Evel’s 1976 Harley XL1000 began its life as a factory motorcycle that was modified by famous stuntman and tuner Bud Ekins. Ekins is known for major filmsThe Great Escape so it was natural for Knievel to hire top notch specialists to build his stunt bike with a doctored fuel tank, seat, exhaust and removed fenders and lighting.
Silodrome updated us that after the movie Harley-Davidson was able to acquire the bike preserve it in the private collection of L.A. motorcycle dealer Dick Hutchins. It’s been sitting for close to 40 years but now it’s been restored heading to Bonham’s auction house. In preparation for the auction the original paint artist, George Sedlak, has restored the exterior up to 1976 quality. Look at the pictures, quite breathtaking all the colors and clean artwork.
If you’re examining prices right now of mid-1970’s Harley XL1000 you might find them below even $10,000; however this one will auction for over $80,000 up to $100,000. This is not an everyday rider, this is a movie prop meant to drool over and sit in your mini-museum at home. I am not sure if this is a good price or even close to it’s real worth for I am no expert on props. I am in fact a fine researcher and from briefly digging through Google I think this is a good price for a big piece of American entertainment history.
Do you have any home videos of Evel Knievel’s jumps or stunts? We would love to see them. If you have any of him riding this bike would be aces. Personally I was too young to fully enjoy Evel’s events but I have mad respect for him doing what Red Bull is going after today.
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