Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/787665
32 nMarch 2017n www.thunderpress.net THUNDER PRESS by Felicia Morgan LAS VEGAS, NEV., JAN. 25–28—The west coast had been under deluge for weeks and the radar offered no signs of relief while making plans to ride out for the annual Mecum bike auction in Las Vegas. I held my breath for the entire week before as the desert warmth held out, despite the surrounding storms but, sure enough, just as the bags were going on the Beast, the temperatures dropped. It was destined to be a cold ride. Snow had dusted the mountain peaks and as I chased the sunset into the horizon I discovered a fondness for the heated grips and battery-powered jacket liner I had cranked up to max. By the time I rolled into the South Point Hotel & Casino on the south end of the sprawl- ing desert mecca, the Beast read 32 degrees. After shivering through the thaw- ing process while checking in, I set about getting bivouacked for the next fi ve days of fun and frivolity. Once settled, there's no need to ever leave the cushy digs at South Point since the place is really its own little oasis. With multiple dining options, shows, a theater, spa amenities and even a bowling alley there's no end of stuff to keep you busy, just in case the Vegas- typical gambling and drinking aren't on your personal to-do list. For us, the Wednesday through Saturday motorcy- cle auction was just about all we had time for. Unless you count catching up with friends from around the world, of course, because we had plenty of that planned for our extended weekend since people fl y in from all corners of the globe to scope out the offerings at the famous Mecum bike auction. With almost 1,000 machines ready to roll across the stage and a variety of vendors to visit, we knew we'd have to be on our toes if we wanted to fi nd the Motorcycle Cannonball riders that we knew would be on hand and keep up with the nonstop activities. There was a bit of rearranging this year and the auction was moved to South Point's equestrian arena, which came with some good and bad discov- eries. On the cool list was the fact that the new room has a stage in an audi- torium layout so attendees can easily watch the action from the top tier and keep an eye on the several screens sus- pended throughout the building. The saloon proved to be a great place to sit and watch from afar while sipping sarsaparilla, or something with a bit more kick, but the arena stands seating was also comfortable if you wanted to be closer to the action. Bidders seat- ing was on the ground fl oor directly in front of the stage and overall, there seems to be more room for preview- ing the bikes that sat displayed in the warehouse area away from the bidding action, which alleviated the usual traffi c congestion of bikes being shut- tled to and from the staging area. But therein lay another problem: vendors were also set up in the preview ware- house, away from the auction, which made for a disjointed feeling since vendors were somewhat isolated. We understand that plans are underway to address that and future events will probably have vendors on the top tier, closer to the party and more easily accessible. Despite the layout issue, the new format was well received and attendees spent the weekend happily perusing the almost 1,000 machines that Mecum had gathered together, resulting in the biggest motorcycle auction on record. The family-run Mecum auctions have been known as the world leader in car collector sales for more than 30 years and since the acquisition of MidAmerica auctions three years ago, have taken over the antique motorcycle world as well. Known as a reputable company that offers over 20,000 car lots per year, the 2017 Vegas auction saw 868 out of 949 motorcycles sold, which represented a 92-percent sell rate. Not too shabby for a bunch of old motorcycles and related memorabilia. One of the cool niceties of the auction was that for those who couldn't make it out to hang with the cool kids in Sin City, the auction was televised. Buyers could call in their bids from anywhere in the world. But, for those who did make it out to Glitter Gulch and the wild, wild west, they discovered that Mecum's wasn't the only game in town. On Thursday Bonhams set up at the Rio across town and held their typically understated sale as buyers and sellers tried to negotiate the small, cramped room. Most we spoke to didn't stick 26TH ANNUAL LAS VEGAS AUCTION Hangin' with the cool kids The cream of the antique crop See "Auction," page 36, column 1 This 1976 H-D Stratocycle was built by Bud Ekins for Evel Knievel for the movie Viva Knievel. Released in 1977, the movie never did well because Knievel was arrested shorty after its release and lost his sponsorship for taking a baseball bat to a promoter who wrote a less-than-glowing book about Knievel. The bike was unsold, so look for it at the June auction.