The Las Vegas Motorcycle Auctions Part 1: The Bonhams Experience

Feb 1, 2017

The Las Vegas Bonhams Auction entry display

The Bonhams Auction featured the very best of vintage and modern motorcycles (Photo by Tim Kessel)

In this two-part series, we will look at the large-scale motorcycle auctions that were held concurrently in Las Vegas, Nevada in January.

The smaller and perhaps more exclusive of the famous Vegas auctions is Bonhams. The Bonhams Motorcycle Auction is a segment of the British auction company that serves as the middleman for everything from rare jewelry to fine art to the world’s most prized vehicles.

For the motorcycle lover, the Bonhams Auction is a chance to see and even touch some of the most exotic motorcycles ever produced. Of course, if you have a deep wallet – extremely deep – you can go home with one of these rare examples. Just as a staggering example, an extremely rare, original 1914 Feilbach Limited went for $195,000. And no, that’s not a misprint.

2013 Ecosse Founder’s Edition Titanium Heretic at Bonhams side view

The Ecosse Founder’s Edition Titanium Heretic is a hand-built custom rocket (Photo by Tim Kessel)

Just to be fair, those of us with more limited means can also bid at Bonhams. Many motorcycles were sold a price point the common man could still fathom. An unrestored 1971 Yamaha Mini Enduro went home with a bidder for a mere $345.

K&N was very well represented in the Bonhams Auction. The event featured several of the most outrageous customs the motorcycle world has seen. Not coincidentally, many of those beauties were wearing K&N filters. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

2013 Ecosse Founder’s Edition Titanium Heretic

The K&N filter in the Titanium Heretic has a very cool nest (Photo by Tim Kessel)

The Heretic is a completely hand-built monster of a custom. The bike is reported to function as beautifully as its form would indicate. Billet and carbon fiber parts grace virtually every square inch of the bike. It is not surprising that the Heretic is composed of the finest components. After all, the founder of Ecosse built this bike as his personal ride.

The power plant is a 2100cc V-twin that produces 110 rear-wheel horsepower. More impressively, it pumps out 145 lb-ft of torque. That huge S&S breathes through a K&N filter that sits in an ultra cool custom aluminum and carbon fiber intake.

Bidders did not meet the reserve price of this exotic. It is valued at over $150,000.

The Confederate Wraith side view at the Bonhams Auction in Las Vegas

The Confederate Wraith's arched backbone is a cool signature element (Photo by Tim Kessel)

2008 Confederate Wraith B210

One of two stunning Confederate builds at the Bonhams Auction, the Wraith is one of under 100 that were ever produced. Celebrities are magnetically attracted to Confederate motorcycles with owners like Bruce Springsteen, Tom Cruise, and Brad Pitt. If you have a bank account that rivals those guys, you could have had this one that drew a winning bid of $48,000.

The Confederate Wraith engine view at the Bonhams Auction in Las Vegas

The K&N filter on the Wraith is a prominent feature along with the exotic forks (Photo by Tim Kessel)

The bike’s spine is an arched carbon fiber member that links the exotic front and rear suspensions. The front forks are an amazing blade-type girder arrangement and the aluminum rear swing-arm is controlled by a center mounted mono-shock.

The Wraith’s exotic body and chassis is built around a 125 horsepower 1967cc V-twin. That motor is fed by an exposed, side-facing K&N filter that serves a conspicuous performance and styling element of the exotic build.

2010 Confederate P120 Fighter Black Flag

The Confederate Fighter Black Flag side view at the Bonhams Auction

The Confederate Fighter Black Flag features fluids portholes and a K&N intake (Photo by Tim Kessel)

The Black Flag is even rarer than the Wraith. Only 13 were ever produced. What puts the “black” in the Black Flag is the fact that every aluminum component is anodized in black. Again, the backbone of the bike is a main focal-point of the styling. There are glass ports in the huge aluminum frame tube so the rider can view both the gas and oil that are contained there.

The Black Flag’s V-twin is a 120 cubic inch monster that produces an arm-stretching 160 horsepower. The 135 lb-ft of torque is sure to spin the carbon fiber wheels. Again, it is a K&N that feeds clean air to the power-plant. An exposed K&N pod filter is mounted to a forward-sweeping aluminum intake. The folks at Confederate are clearly displaying their trust in the world’s best filter.

The Black flag went for a winning bid of over $56,000

Check back for part 2 of the Vegas auction series in which we will look at the massive Mecum Auction and some classic racers that breathe through K&N filters.