Last Saturday a 1903 Indian motorcycle sold at auction for $155,000. It was announced by the auction house as the known oldest motorcycle from Indian that began selling bikes in 1902. It is one of only three built in 1903.The auction was won via a telephone bid from a motorcycle collector from New York City known only as Georgio. The 1.75-horsepower single-seater hasn’t run in over 80 years and except for a few nuts and bolts used for early repairs, is almost all-original. The bike hung on a dentist’s wall for 30 years and was later stored in a garage, and then in a basement, according to the auctioneers.
World’s Oldest Unrestored Indian Motorcycle Sells For $155,000
Published by April 25th, 2012 in Builders, Editorial and Events.9 Responses to “World’s Oldest Unrestored Indian Motorcycle Sells For $155,000”
Comments are currently closed.
Would like to be the new owner
I am Josh Ruby the auctioneer who sold the 1903 Indian for my auction firm Wolfe Auctions Frederick MD we claimed it to be the oldest known unrestored indian in the world the new owners name is James Gorgio from New York feel free to contact me with any further questions or inquirys of upcoming sales
That’s great! My buddy was there and was sending pics of some great looking bikes.
Great job Josh!
-Troy
Josh Ruby, I wonder if James Rubio wanted to be identified?
$155K for someone’s old powered bicycle….. Wow!
It’s not like anyone alive still has fond memories of such a family motorbike.
Must be speculation…….. 🙁
-nicker-
Cyril…thanks for this post. What an amazing piece of American History.
Cyril, not too many people actually followed up with post sale news on this. I was curious what it went for… thanks for the follow up.
155K for a 109 year old piece of American History is not so much money is it?
It’s light enough to be hung on a wall, but would be better sitting on a rotatable pedestal. For something this unique http://bestwayhydraulics.com/ could fabricate a 3″ column, hydraulic floor lift for say, your living room, and the bike could be lifted to eye level and rotated by pushing anywhere on the bike. Tell Eddie & Alana I sent you. They love….Me!
A social conversation attraction, as well as for personal contemplation (much like Shakespeare’s desk skull). Would be easy me to get “lost” in what the mechanic was thinking when he assembled parts of the machine. Most all of it’s there. You know there’s some original construction places from 1903 still remaining.
Congratulations on your purchase.
Not just the one of the first indians its the grandad of all motor bikes