5 Of The Most Valuable Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold At Auction

If you think buying a Harley-Davidson at a dealership can be hard on your wallet, try acquiring one through an auction. That's how many of the most valuable Harleys change ownership, much like expensive pieces of artwork — some would argue that, depending on the model, a Harley-Davidson can be a work of art in itself. There are different reasons a particular Harley can be considered high-value, fetching hundreds of thousands of dollars after bidding wars between those determined to own one.

There are some classic Harleys that are worth a small fortune because of how unique or rare they are. This rarity can be because of who has owned them or their appearance in iconic films. Other bikes may have earned their value by being a part of Harley-Davidson's long and storied history. By their very nature, each of these valuable motorcycles has its own story to tell — otherwise, they likely wouldn't be worth much. Here is a quick breakdown of five of the most valuable Harleys ever sold at auction.

"Easy Rider" isn't just a motorcycle movie; it's pretty much THE motorcycle movie. Written by Peter Fonda, directed by Dennis Hopper, and starring both — as well as a young Jack Nicholson — the movie personified the counterculture of the boomer generation and also forever transformed the types of movies made in Hollywood. On top of that, there's a strong argument to be made that "Easy Rider" made choppers — easily identified by their raked-out front end and extended forks and handlebars — a core part of American culture.

With all this in mind, you can see how one of the 1976 "Captain America" Harley-Davidsons seen in the film is worth well over a million dollars. In 2014, it sold for a whopping $1,350,000, making it the most expensive motorcycle ever sold at the time, whether by auction or private transaction. Its role in an iconic Hollywood film isn't the only thing that makes the bike interesting (and valuable).

Reflecting the turbulent outlaw story of the "Easy Rider," the production itself involved a serious criminal act — stuntman Tex Hall stole three of the Harleys from the film at gunpoint. One of those bikes survived to be the one sold for seven figures. The bike, like the others in the film, was custom-built by Clifford Vaughs, though Peter Fonda says he had a big hand in its design and production. Built from a 1952 Hydra-Glide, it sported a 1,207 cc engine and could deliver 60 horsepower and 70 lb-ft of torque, for a top speed of 90 mph.

You won't find many Harleys selling for more than what this 1908 Model 4 Harley-Davidson Strap Tank has. You also won't find many Harleys older than the bike, which is a key reason it's worth as much as it is. Harley-Davidson was founded in 1903 and was incorporated in 1907 — just a year before this particular Harley-Davidson Strap Tank was produced. Only 450 Strap Tanks were built during this initial run.

Knowing this, it's not surprising that the 1908 Harley-Davidson Strap Tank sold for $935,000 at auction in 2023. Less than a dozen Strap Tanks originally made by Harley-Davidson are known to exist today, but this one particularly stands out and is worth even more than the rest for a good reason — it was discovered with most of its original parts and paint job. It was built with a 26-inch rear wheel and a 740 cc engine that delivered up to 4 horsepower, able to reach 40 mph. The bike has been "painstakingly restored" around its original frame.

Strap Tanks get their name from the nickel straps holding the gas and oil tanks to the frame. One of the earliest types of Harleys ever made, it helped make the brand a household name in the earliest days of the automotive revolution. This 1908 model was found by a motorcycle collector in 1941, when it was already decades old. It was mostly kept in storage since then, which is why the bike remains in such good condition — nearly 120 years after it was made. 

There is no shortage of Elvis memorabilia that collectors will spend a pretty penny on. That includes a bike he once owned — a 1976 Harley-Davidson FLH 1200 Electra Glide. The vehicle was already a limited-edition, made to celebrate America's bicentennial, but the fact that the King of Rock and Roll bought and rode it has made it one of the most expensive custom Harleys ever sold. In 2019, a winning bid for the bike was $800,000. Despite being less than half of what some expected it to go for before the auction began, it's still one of the highest amounts ever paid for a Harley at auction. The ride came with its original keys and title, signed by Elvis Presley himself.

Elvis died in 1977, so this was one of the last bikes owned by the superstar. Supposedly, he only put 126 miles on the odometer before his death. Purchased in California's Palm Springs, Elvis moved the Harley to Graceland, his home in Tennessee. For some reason, just three months before his death, the bike was sold to a local dealership. A New Jersey hotel put the vehicle on display before moving it to the Pioneer Auto Museum in South Dakota. A FLH 1200 Electra Glide that's in excellent condition but has NOT been owned by Elvis is valued around $20,000. The bike has a 1,207-cc engine that can output up to 58 horsepower and 70 lb-ft of torque.

One of the most iconic motorcycle chases in movie history is from James Cameron's "T2: Judgment Day," the 1991 blockbuster sequel to "The Terminator." In the film, Arnold Schwarzenegger's title robot rides the bike through the Los Angeles River (the same iconic landmark where the drag race in "Grease" takes place), following John Connor's Honda XR dirt bike before being chased by a Freightliner truck.

The motorcycle from the famous "T2" scene is a 1991 Harley-Davidson FLSTF Fat Boy, though, like many motorcycles used in movie stunts, it was modified. The bike is actually identified incorrectly by the Terminator's "POV" heads-up display near the beginning of the film. The Fat Boy is powered by a 1,338-cc V-Twin engine that could generate up to 48 horsepower and is equipped with a manual five-speed gearbox. Ridden by Schwarzenegger himself, the bike was estimated to sell between $200,000 and $300,000 at a "Icons & Legends of Hollywood" auction in 2018. Instead, it exceeded expectations and sold for $480,000.

Setting an Australian record in 2015, a 1927 FHA 8-Valve Racer sold for $600,000 AUD ($423,700 USD) at Shannons Melbourne Spring Auction. The winner outbid potential buyers from around the world. The bike, now over a century old, was found after spending decades in storage. Not only is it in its original form with no modifications, but it even includes its sidecar. Less than 50 of these racers were built, making it one of the rarest and most valuable Harleys in the world.

One reason the bike is so rare, besides its age, is that it came from the height of board-track racing. This early 20th-century motorsport used a steeply banked oval track layered with wooden planks and was incredibly dangerous to participate in. Not only did hundreds of people die during races, including spectators, but many of the original bikes were also destroyed. Harley-Davidson specifically built its 8-Valve bikes to be raced.  To discourage buyers from using it on regular streets, Harley priced the vehicle at $1,500 in 1916 money, which was around four times more than comparable bikes. Throughout the 1920s, 8-Valves regularly won races by exceeding 100 mph.