Last we checked, the periodic table had 92 metals, of which eight are said to be precious. We, as motorcyclists, disagree. Turn the pages of motorcycling history, and you’ll find a different type of precious metal — timeless vintage motorcycles. These motorcycles spearheaded the evolution of two-wheelers, setting examples that are still followed today.
That’s not all. More than simply inspiring the next generation of bikes, these timeless bikes inspired generations of bikers. For many of us, gold wouldn’t hold as much value as these influential motorcycles do. And that’s quite literally for some of us. What are these motorcycles, you ask? Allow us to tell you ten such examples that have soared in value and could easily give real precious metals a run for their money.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from the manufacturers and other authoritative sources, including Motorcycle Online, Bike EXIF, the National Motorcycle Museum, Auto Evolution, Motorcyclist Magazine, and Motorcycle Specs.
All the auction sale prices, bidding estimates, and values were sourced from auction platforms, including Mecum Auctions, Classic.com, Iconic Motorbike Auctions, Bring A Trailer, and Bonhams.
1936 Crocker V-Twin Small Tank Unrestored
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1989 Suzuki GSX-R750 RK (or RR)
Highest Record Sale: $26,400
The first-gen Suzuki GSX-R750 needs no introduction; it set the template for sports bikes to follow. And you can find many affordable options in the used market. What you won’t find is its RK edition, which had a limited run of 500 units and none were imported into the US. You can call this the most special GSX-R750 ever produced!
The bike had a strengthened stroke for easy tuning, magnesium cylinder head covers, Mikuni BST-40 carbs, a stronger clutch, and a close-ratio gearbox. It featured adjustable suspension, fiberglass fairings, an aluminum tank, and a more committed riding triangle. It may not be as expensive as other bikes on the list, but it’s soared in value in recent years.
Performance Specifications
(Specs sourced from Motorcycle Specs)
1975 MV Agusta 750S America
Highest Record Sale: $126,500
MV Agusta was once a brand that built motorcycles to fund its GP races. The plan worked, and the company dominated Grand Prix racing. To offer the American audience a taste of its high-performance bikes, the 750S America was introduced. With only 200 units made, this was the creme-de-la-creme of superikes at the time.
It featured a powerful inline-four engine — a first for the brand — with a high redline of 8,500 RPM (GP experience had a lot to do with it). And unlike other four-banger bikes, this one was full of character. However, the exotic experience and performance came at a price. It was sold for $6,500 when the Honda CB750 cost $2,190! Today, it’s one of the most expensive MV Agustas you can buy at an auction.
Performance Specifications
(Specs sourced from Motorcycle Specs)
1974 Ducati 750 SuperSport Green Frame
Highest Record Sale: $137,000
In 1972, Ducati won the Imola 200 race with a factory racer with fiberglass bodywork, piloted by Paul Smart. To celebrate the success, Ducati produced the Imola Replica–a 750 SuperSport with a distinctive factory color scheme and a big-bore Desmo engine. This Italian café racer was the king on road and track, and it was only superseded by the 1975 Ducati 900SS Desmo. Only 401 units were produced, each hand-built in the Ducati race shop under the supervision of Fabio Taglioni. Today, this gorgeous motorcycle is one of the most desired Ducatis sold at auctions.
Performance Specifications
(Specs sourced from Motorcycle Specs)
A Ducati Panigale V4 SP2 Motorcycle
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1992 Honda NR750 RC40
Highest Record Sale: $181,500; Currently On Sale For $125,000
The Honda NR750 may be the most recent motorcycle on the list. But it has soared in value in recent years, overtaking some of the most iconic vintage motorcycles that came before it. So what makes this superbike so special? To start with, the NR750 was the closest thing you could get to a GP bike when it was introduced.
It was revolutionary, being the first production bike to come with inverted forks, fuel injection, carbon fiber fairings, and an under-seat exhaust. It also featured a V4 engine with oval pistons — essentially a V8 engine with cylinders combined. The exhaust sound was about as hellish as the riding experience. It even inspired the Ducati 916, one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever built.
Performance Specifications
(Specs sourced from Motorcycle Specs)
1927 Indian Four
Highest Record Sale: $220,000
Often regarded as the Duesenberg of motorcycles, the Indian Four is one of the most iconic cruisers ever built. It’s also one of the most odd creations, as this has an inline-four engine, not a V-twin! Indian produced the 401 shortly after acquiring Ace Motor Corporation, and the lineup survived until 1942. One example even found its way into Steve McQueen’s garage (as pictured here)!
During WWII, Indian focused on the war efforts, and post-war, the Indian Four never returned. It’s a one-of-a-kind true-blue American cruiser with a four-banger engine. Fortunately, many of these were built in several versions, so finding one at auction isn’t difficult. Although, affording one might be a different story for most of us.
Performance Specifications
(Specs sourced from Auto Evolution)
1937 Brough Superior SS100
Highest Record Sale: $362,651
Many would argue that the Brough Superior SS100 was the first ever superbike, but George Brough called it the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles. Yes, he had Rolls-Royce’s permission for that tagline, too. It’s a testament to how much attention to detail was put into the design and engineering of the motorcycle.
The bike wasn’t only premium to touch, but also fast for its time. For a time when 30 horsepower was considered too much, this bike produced close to 50 ponies, while being faster than any other motorcycle at the time. It was also TE Lawrence’s favorite bike; he owned seven Broughs out of the 69 produced before WWII.
TE Lawrence, in a letter to George Brough
There, it is no good telling you all you knew before I did: they are the jolliest things on wheels.
(Sourced from Sons of Thunder by Neil Bradford)
Performance Specifications
(Specs sourced from Motorcyclist Magazine)
Brough Superior Anniversary Golden Dream
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1911 Flying Merkel
Highest Record Sale: $385,000
Joseph Merkel’s goal was to build a lightweight racing motorcycle for the broad tracks. While production Merkels were ground-breaking bikes for the time, the Flying Merkel wasn’t so. It didn’t feature the innovative self-starter or rear monoshock suspension like its production siblings. However, this V-twin racer weighed under 200 pounds!
Not only did this bike lack a monoshock, but it even lacked brakes, thanks to racing rules of the time. To stop the bike, you had to kill the engine and play with the compression release. The bike featured a unique fuel tank, a loud orange color, and a Flying Markel tag. Today, it features a uniquely loud price tag on the auction market.
Performance Specifications
(Specs sourced from the National Motorcycle Museum)
Crocker V-Twin
Highest Record Sale: $825,000; Currently On Sale For $370,000
Twelve years before the Vincent Black Shadow, an American V-twin motorcycle was the fastest in the world. The Crocker V-Twin, built by the eccentric engineer, Al Crocker. He was so confident in his product that he even offered a full refund to anyone who lost a race to another Indian or Harley-Davidson. Also, each bike was hand-built around the rider.
Funnily, Crocker wasn’t known to number his products consecutively, so no one is sure how many were ever built. Only 68 are said to survive today, though. A 1940 Crocker Big Twin Dale’s Burnout Special is probably still on the market for $370,000. That’s a steal because a 1936 unrestored model was auctioned for a whopping $825,000 at the Mecum auction in Monterey!
Performance Specifications
(Specs sourced from Crocker Motorcycle)
1937 Crocker V-Twin Small Tank
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1949 Vincent Black Lightning
Highest Record Sale: $929,000
The Vincent Black Shadow was the fastest motorcycle of its decade and the next one, and its top speed record was broken by the legendary Kawasaki Z1 in 1973. But its top speed isn’t the only thing that makes it so iconic. In many ways, it was the first superbike, featuring radical innovations like a frameless design, adjustable touchpoints, and relatively low curb weight.
This gorgeous widowmaker had a special edition, the Black Lightning, with a production of just 30 units. It produced 15 more ponies and weighed 85 pounds less than the standard Black Shadow. It’s one of the rarest bikes you can ever come across, and it auctions for close to a million dollars!
Performance Specifications
(Specs sourced from Motorcycle Specs)
1906 Harley-Davidson Strap Tank
Highest Record Sale: $935,000
The earliest Harley-Davidson you can find today is a single-cylinder moped (yes, with pedals). It’s arguably one of the rarest bikes ever. This was the first production bike from the brand, known as the Strap Tank thanks to the bands that held the fuel and oil tanks to the frame.
In 1906, 50 of these were produced, followed by 150 in 1907 and 450 in 1908. It was a popular motorcycle that established Harley-Davidson in its infancy, setting the template for Harleys that followed. Despite the numbers, only 12 Strap Tanks exist today, and even fewer are close to their original condition. This novelty and rarity make this the most expensive bike ever sold at an auction!
Performance Specifications
(Specs sourced from the National Motorcycle Museum)
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