10 Most Expensive Harleys Sold on eBay in the Past 90 Days
Harley-Davidsons hold their value better than any other bike on the market, but are the sky high asking prices just the pipe dreams of sellers? Thanks to eBay we can look at what has sold and for how much in the past 3 months, and there are some nice bike there.
1. 2015 H-D Street Glide Special Custom - $50,000
It is easy to get discouraged when in the middle of a custom bagger project, and wonder if you are just lousing money with every modifications you make. The builder of this Street Glide, eBay seller JDiesel25, certainly seems to have managed to make a little with this sale. The custom bagger features all the tricks, including a 30" front wheel, air bag suspension, stretched bags and tank, and custom and aftermarket parts everywhere. It isn't all just for show, there is a hopped up 107 cubic inch motor with Screamin' Eagle parts, too. Several other big wheeled baggers also sold for about $39,000 (here, here, and here).
2. 1937 H-D Model ULH with Matching Sidecar - $50,000?
It is hard to tell exactly how much this bike went for, since it sold on a "best offer" but it was likely about $50,000. This is a sweet pre-war 80 cubic inch flathead model ULH, which means it is the highest compression of the factory motors, and it comes with a matching sidecar. According to the seller, in Chillicothe, OH, the only non-factory parts on it are the gas caps. Hard to tell how accurate that statement is, but it certainly has a nice original looking patina on it.
3. 1938 H-D Model EL Knucklehead - $47,500
This nicely restored early knucklehead was also sold by eBay seller JDiesel25. The description is sparse, but this does look like a nicely preserved, basically stock, Harley big twin from before the war. The seller makes it a point to mention it is painted the correct red/black and gold, and everything else appears to be correct too. These bikes were agricultural in their engineering, as most everything was in those days, but that means they are much more serviceable than any 21st century bike can ever be. Everything on this bike can be fixed and maintained by the average person, without computers or special machinery, because in 1938 there was not a Harley dealer in every town and village, and no internet. This bike sold once, for $45k, but the buyer backed out, then it sold for more than $47k.
4. 2007 H-D Softail Elvis Replica - $44,000
It took a little digging to figure out what this bike was really, because I had never heard of the 2007 Elvis Edition bike. It seems Bruce Rossmeyer, owner of 11 Harley dealers including the huge one in Daytona, and the one near Elvis' home in Memphis, decided to produce this special 30 bike run of customs. Using a new 2007 Softail, retro and reproduction accessories were added to make a bike that was the spitting image of the 1957 touring bike Elvis owned and loved. These reportedly sold for more than $50,000 new, including the painting and bronze sculpture, so someone got a bargain at just $44,000, unless that painting isn't worth $8,000 and the sculpture isn't worth $10,000. NADA lists a regular Softail as being worth just $17,500.
5. 2017 H-D Road Glide Special Custom - $39,999
It takes a lot of courage to strip down a brand new bike with just 10 miles on the clock and apply a full custom treatment to it, but that is what Roaring Toys did to this 2017 Road Glide Special. The first thing you notice is likely the custom paint, but there are plenty of other touches all over the bike as well. In fact, there is little that they left untouched, which is good because that price is a $16k premium over the factory MSRP. Is the factory warranty still in effect on the new Milwaukee 8 motor? It seems doubtful, or they would have mentioned it, and the motor was taken down to the cases and powder coated. Still, it is a rather nice looking bike and the work looks like it was all done by first rate professionals.
6. H-D 1946 Model FL Knucklehead - $37,100
Would you rather have a perfectly restored bike, or an original knucklehead that shows its age well? This 1946 FL knucklehead was in the same family for most of its history, and the love shows on it. It runs and is rideable, but otherwise has been kept surprisingly original, with period correct saddlebags and accessories. eBay recently had a slightly newer, "restored" 1947 example which sold for slightly less (best offer), which would seem to indicate that yes, originality is somewhat valuable.
7. 2013 H-D Street Glide Custom - $36,000
It is impossible to do this bike justice in a photograph, so you have to check out this video on YouTube. It just boggles the mind how Paulee manages to create with paint that lights up as if the surface itself were one giant LED. Even when the light isn't making it glow, the custom applied paint depicts an awesome flame job hiding demons and naked women all over it. Add to that the CVO bags and fender, the custom fairing, and all the rest, and this 2013 Street Glide seems like a bargain at $36,000.
8. 1972 H-D XR750 Race Bike - $35,000
Obviously, this XR750 is a limited production, race only flat track bike, and of course it is valuable. But, the real questions are whose bike was it? Was it a local privateer, or a nationally ranked racer with a factory contract? It is possible that over the years that information has been lost to time. If it formerly belonged to any of the notables who signed the front number plate, it could be worth twice what it sold for, but without a trail of ownership it is just a nice old bike.
9. 1945 H-D Knucklehead - $34,100
This is a rare bike, because if you know your history, civilian production wound down in 1941 and did not get back to normal until the 1946 model year. Instead of thousands of bikes, the motor company put together just hundreds for civilian use during the war years. This 1945 Knucklehead is put together from mismatched cases, but according to the seller, the numbers are correct for the production year. The lack of chrome and nickle plating is typical of vehicles produced during the war years, as those materials were needed for the armed forces.
10. 1946 H-D Knucklehead Chopper - $35,000
One of the hottest things among collectors these days are survivor bikes chock full of vintage parts that you just can't buy anymore. This particular chopper, built in the 1970s (according to the seller) from the bones of a 1946 Knucklehead is a perfect example. These days you'd never find a builder using genuine WWII German army artifacts on a chopper build, and swastikas are only seen on the most hard core of outlaw bikers. I'd love to see more details of how the foot/hand clutch and shifter work.
For help getting your old bike like new again, or added special custom touches, check out the how to section of HDForums.com.
