HOWL BIKERS - MECUM

In 1988, Dana Mecum set up Mecum Auctions a company specialising in collector cars and motorcycles. Dana was a car enthusiast whose father operated a dealership. His auction company has grown to arguably be the largest in the world and now employs 300 people. The company hosts various auction events across the United States. Television coverage began in 2008, contributing to the popularity of the events.

On the 24th January the company was due to stage its 33rd annual Vintage and Classic motorcycle auction at the hugely impressive South Point Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. The lure of a visit to Vegas and 2,000 amazing motorcycles going under the hammer was too much for David Thomas to resist.

"It was huge" says David Thomas

"What I had was no ordinary experience".

We caught up with Dave after his visit to Vegas.

"Vegas is Mecum's largest sale. Now I do most of the bike Auctions in the UK over the year but nothing prepared me for the road show in Las Vegas. I was invited to go out there by my very good friend David Silver, who not only has his parts business in the UK but also has a thriving business in the US spares and classic bikes. He had shipped some 28 bikes from the UK 3 months before the Auction and put them together with some he had accumulated in the US. Giving him a total of 58 bikes. Most were pre war British bikes which apparently sell well.

So we arrived on the same flight a few days before the auction, which was scheduled for the 24th Jan. I was amazed at the sheer size of the operation held at the conference centre of the South Point Hotel.

The main hall was divided in the 4 days and a large collection of bikes were rowed up under each day.

I knew then this was going to be no ordinary experience".

"At the start of each day they played same rousing music followed by the National Anthem. Next all Veterans were invited up on stage. Then finally the auction got underway. It really is some show" !

Now I have seen footage of the auction on YouTube. My head would be spinning as the auctioneer sounded undecipherable to my ear. So I asked Dave whether he could follow what was going on?

"The procedure was each bike would be wheeled up on to the stage, one revolution of the turn table and then they would walk them off to the side. Once this was over the bidding started with such a fury it was like a cattle market. It took me a while to get my head round what the actual bid was for any bike. There were lots of guys in Mecum uniforms scattered about as there were literally 1000's of bidders in the main arena. They were taking the bids and shouting at the auctioneer to raise the bid keeping their hands up if they had the current bid. It was really interesting as the prices were all over the place some bikes seemed cheap, some seemed expensive.

David Silver sold a 1960's Black Knight for over $70,000. Which was a shock. After four days my ears were ringing but what an experience of bike candy. Within one day of the auction finished it was all packed away like nothing happened".

Huge thanks to David Thomas for sharing with us his wonderful experience in Las Vegas.

We'll finish with the "Bloody Mary" custom bike that Dave photographed on the stand. Here it is going under the hammer on the TV channel.... but what would it sell for? Hit play to find out.

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