5 Of The Rarest Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Surviving Today

Throughout its long, storied history, some things about Harley-Davidson have remained consistent. Its model range might have changed dramatically, and its financial fortunes have fluctuated over the decades, but it remains an all-American company. It also still makes some of its motorcycles in the U.S., although others are assembled in Brazil and Thailand. Its history and lineup of powerful, distinctive motorcycles have helped keep it a firm favorite among American riders. But like any historic brand, there are a few quirks of Harley-Davidson that few fans will know about. 

For instance, there are many models that Harley-Davidson enthusiasts won't realize existed, from military bikes to motocross racers. Likewise, few enthusiasts will remember the brand's rarest motorcycles, although they are sought after by collectors in the know. These five models are among the brand's rarest creations to date, with so few survivors that most enthusiasts will likely never see one in the metal.

Many of the rarest Harley-Davidsons are also among the most collectible, but no other Harley has ever created quite as much of a storm among collectors as the 1908 Strap Tank that appeared at a Mecum auction in 2023. The winning buyer bid $850,000 at the event, with auction fees bringing their final total to $935,000. That made it the most expensive motorcycle ever sold at a public auction.

The record-setting Strap Tank was one of 450 motorcycles produced by Harley-Davidson that year, and is among the company's earliest surviving models. What made it particularly exceptional was that the bike was largely original, having been discovered in a barn in 1941 and then carefully stored by its owner in Wisconsin for over six decades. It was then restored by a specialist and eventually made its way to auction, complete with its original four-horsepower engine.

The auction, which was held in Las Vegas, may have been the farthest from the original Harley-Davidson factory that the bike had ever travelled in its history. Until that point, it had remained with Wisconsin-based owners for more than 100 years. The site of that original factory in Milwaukee remains under Harley-Davidson's ownership today, and now serves as its corporate headquarters.

While speedway racing still takes place today, it's one of motorsport's most niche disciplines, and has followings in only a small number of countries. The sport originated in Australia and New Zealand, but became increasingly popular in America during the late 1920s. Five years later, the sport had already begun to decline in popularity, but that didn't stop Harley-Davidson from attempting to create a dedicated speedway racing bike. The 1934 500cc CAC Speedway Racer was the result of those efforts, although only 12 examples of the motorcycle were ever made, owing to lackluster performance. 

In the early days of the sport, Harley-Davidson's "Peashooter" Model AA proved very successful, racking up wins in the hands of rider Joe Petrali. After a few years away from racing, Harley's management attempted to make a grand re-entry into the sport by enlisting Petrali to design a new, dedicated racing bike. He eventually created the CAC Speedway Racer, but despite his best efforts, early tests proved it to be a step behind its competition. Harley bosses eventually discontinued the speedway racing program after only a dozen examples of the bike had been built, with just nine of those thought to survive to the present day.

CAC Speedway Racers very rarely appear for sale, but when they do, they fetch significant sums. One surviving example appeared at a Bonhams auction in 2025 and sold for £69,000 (roughly $91,000).

None of the other important moments in Harley-Davidson's history would have happened without the motorcycle manufacturer's early innovations. Chief among those innovations was the launch of magneto ignition, which allowed the bike's engine to start without the rider pedaling or pushing the bike.

Harley first offered magneto ignition in 1909, making the 1910 Model 6-A one of the earliest models to feature the system. The model also featured 28-inch wheels and a 494cc engine, making it both more comfortable and more powerful than its predecessors.

It's not known exactly how many examples of the Model 6-A survive today, but it was rare from its inception, with only 334 examples built in 1910. One of those surviving examples appeared at a Bonhams auction in 2020, following an extensive restoration. It was listed with a guide price of $85-95,000, but did not sell at the auction.

Decades after its brief venture into speedway racing, Harley-Davidson made another very brief attempt at competing in a different motorsport. The MX250 was the company's first — and only — motocross bike, and was only made for a single year in 1978. Around 1,000 examples of the bike were produced, and it's not known exactly how many survive today. However, survivors are few and far between, with Harley noting that only four examples are known to remain intact in Europe, where the legendary rider Rex Staten raced the bike.

While 250cc bikes can make a good choice for less experienced riders, they weren't the intended audience for the MX250. Instead, Harley wanted to become a serious force at the top level of motocross, but its high price and suspension issues meant that it never sold in the numbers the brand hoped for. 

Despite its unique history, the MX250 isn't as valuable as Harley's other rare motorcycles. At a 2012 Bonhams auction, one surviving example sold for just $7,605, and even the Serial 001 MX250 could only achieve a final bid of $18,500 when it crossed the block at Iconic Motorbike Auctions in 2021.

The "Sport" Harley-Davidson might be a rare find today, but it remains an important part of the brand's history. It marked the first time that the brand had given a name to one of its models, rather than a letter and number designation, and was also the first Harley-Davidson where its engine was structurally integral to the rest of the motorcycle. That helped keep its weight to a minimum, which was particularly important given that its 600cc engine wasn't as powerful as some of the brand's other models.

The Sport was never directly targeted towards American consumers, instead being pitched towards European riders who were looking for an alternative to homegrown brands. Its design similarity to the British Douglas motorcycles was no accident, as Harley had specifically taken inspiration from British designs in an attempt to appeal better to European tastes. The model proved to be a small success, with a little under 10,000 examples sold between 1920 and 1923. Few examples of that original run are thought to survive today, but like many of the motorcycles here, exact survival numbers aren't known.