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A 1931 Harley-Davidson VL once owned by Steve McQueen sold at auction for $75,000. Left sitting for decades with its engine seized from corrosion, the non-running machine found a new owner as a relic of the "King of Cool."
The value of a motorcycle can't be measured by whether it runs or not alone. The reason a non-running 1931 VL changed hands for $75,000 is that the story of a man named McQueen resides in it. Human memory carved into a machine — that's exactly what makes an icon an icon.
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So even a non-running bike gets traded normally at auction, collector culture is really its own thing.
Just having 'King of Cool' in the ownership history pumping the value up this much shows the celebrity effect is real.
Bikes and cars connected to McQueen tend to all carry a premium price, from my impression.
Where did the 1931 VL actually rank among Harleys of that era?
Paying this much for a unit that's been sitting for decades with a seized engine is collector demand from people who never intend to ride it.
$75,000 even non-running is a price that's already got the McQueen-provenance premium baked in.
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