Last weekend at the Mecum Auction in Las Vegas, a 1915 Cyclone board racer motorcycle once owned by Steve McQueen sold for a cool $775,000. With a production run lasting only three years starting in 1913, the Cyclone has always generated a lot of excitement.
The 1915 Cyclone was part of the E.J. Cole collection and was restored by Stephen Wright, author of the ‘American Racer’ books. Cole purchased this Cyclone at the Steve McQueen Estate Auction at Las Vegas’ Imperial Palace in November 1984, where it was offered as Lot # 636. The combination of Steve McQueen and Cyclone is unique in the world, and it is by far the most interesting motorcycle that McQueen, the King of Cool, has ever known. The price paid of $775,000 eclipses the $551,000 sale in 2008 of a similar Cyclone that didn’t have the McQueen connection.
The Cyclone’s technical specification made it the most advanced motorcycle engine built in America. The Minnesota-made machine featured a 61 cubic inch V-twin equipped with overhead cams. While the company built road machines, it’s racing that Cyclone is remembered for. In its debut year of 1913, factory development riders JA McNeil and Larry ‘Cave Man’ Fleckenstein were timed at 108 MPH in a Minneapolis motordrome. The next year, McNeil was timed at 111.1 MPH at the Omaha, Nebraska, board track, which was nearly 20 MPH faster than the internationally recognized world record of 93.48 MPH, held by Indian, and a 100 MPH mark timed by Lee Humiston on an Excelsior.
McQueen is a brand!
I agree that it’s the most collectible motorcycle. In 5 years it will be worth 1 million+. Try to do this in the stock market without risks.
It would have brought a million Saturday if the paint was pristine. It’s ashamed that the big paint chip on the tank and smaller ones on the frame and rims. It is what it is.
I’m guessing that after Quantitative Easing today’s dollar is worth about 10c of real buying power.
So maybe $70k would be appropriate…..???
-nicker-
A lot of little appurtenances to tweak-with. Fascinating. I think every thing on earth, and every avenue was explored by 1929. There was a lot more dirt too, Dirt was everywhere.
California, below Los Angeles, was all dirt until the late 1940’s. People still got around though. Nothing stopped them from exploring, and casting small parts of every description; building nickle-plated, mechanically complex motorcycles to ride around – and then rebuild them right in the middle all that dirt.
I bet the twenty’s Were wildly-roaring. All that going on in a span of 14-years.
Does it run? Must have been some smooth tracks back then. ..Z
Modern bikes go down in value while antiques go up even with use. Great business to be in.
Millions of dollars and bikes traded hands in 7hrs. Love it.
A true work of functional art
Worthy even without McQueen owing it