The convergence of two quintessentially American icons is imminent at the Mecum Indy 2023 Auction, as a Harley Davidson FLH once belonging to Elvis Presley is set to be auctioned.
In a word association game with the public about America, H-D and the legendary Elvis would likely be common responses. Despite Elvis's departure, his enduring legacy as an American icon persists. Similarly, the brand Harley-Davidson, currently marking its 120th anniversary, holds a deeply rooted status in American culture, celebrated with festivities both in Milwaukee and Budapest.
Elvis's association with Harley-Davidson is iconic, and now, one of his prized bikes, a 1976 FLH Bicentennial, is up for grabs at the Mecum Indy 2023 sale as Lot S228. This particular bike, reportedly the last Harley-Davidson he purchased before his passing in August 1977, has an intriguing history. After Elvis's demise, the bike found its way to a hotel owner who utilized it for promotional purposes before eventually being consigned to the Pioneer Museum in Murdo, where it became a cherished exhibit.
No stranger to the auction circuit, this FLH was previously auctioned in 2022, fetching $800,000, despite initial valuations suggesting a significantly higher figure around $2 million. Now, with a mere 1,261 miles on its odometer and its direct connection to Elvis Presley as his final motorcycle purchase, experts anticipate this bike could smash auction records for Harley-Davidson sales. Should it achieve this feat, it would surpass the current record holder, a Harley-Davidson Strap Tank model, which sold for approximately $1 million at another Mecum sale earlier in the year.
Elvis's era coincided with Harley-Davidson's zenith, and the King himself was an avid enthusiast of the American motorcycle manufacturer, boasting a collection of their bikes. Legend even has it that he wasted no time in acquiring his first Harley the moment he inked his inaugural recording contract.