Vegas or Bust!

For over a decade, mid-winter brings together a close-knit group of individualists otherwise known as The Usual Suspects. At the appointed time we gather to converge at the South Point Casino for a weekend of riding, eating, drinking, stories, and most of all, admiring vintage motorcycles.

For the past five-years I've been was living and working out of Northern California, which left me little choice but to fly in. But now that I've pitched my tent back in sunny Arizona, there was no reason to miss the freez..er, fun. On a typically cool, Sonoran winter morning and with the entire weekend before us, we cheerfully met on the Carefree Highway and steered northwest.

One of my good friends, Joe, flew in from Portland to ride my Triumph Sprint GT.  I decided to try out my 1978 BMW R100RS Motorsport Edition, which has been tastefully tweaked and performance tuned by the experts at San Jose BMW.  Since purchasing it a few years ago I've only ridden it around locally; no more than 100 miles at a time. Long overdue for a proper weekend flogging, the 'White Lion” fit perfectly into the mutually agreed upon 'vintage bike' theme for this year's ride, defined as 25-years old or older, if you owned one. And in the end, I think what ultimately showed up was an interesting and eclectic mix of motorcycles.

Ron was on his white ’78 BMW R100S which is a very rare Motorsport Edition of the S, much more so than the RS. His neighbor and unofficial Usual Suspect organizer Jimbo piloted a 2002 Moto Guzzi V11 Le Mans that I purchased new. Jim originally planned on riding the Guzzi CX-100 / Faux Le Mans he bought from Nolan years ago, but there wasn't enough time to make it pass the pre-flight test. Speaking of Nolan, his trusty white 1985 Moto Guzzi Le Mans 1000 got the call, freshly tuned and shoe-d with a fresh set of Lazertecs. Old pal Marko rode his second-generation Eddie Lawson Kawasaki ZRX1100, nicknamed “The Sewing Machine” because it is so quiet, smooth, fast, and reliable! Bill was on his beautiful fly-yellow Ducati ST4, now extinct, but a great sport touring motorbike. Also joining us was my old high-school buddy Steve, who trekked up from Tuscon on his slippery-fast BMW K1300GT. Dave, yet another riding friend from Portland flew in by plane and met us at the hotel.

The total Usual Suspect headcount this year was nine enthusiasts, with eight riding in. The final tally for bikes was one Triumph, three BMWs, one Ducati, one Kawasaki and two Moto Guzzis...which made for a fast paced ride. It's interesting to note that we had three white motorcycles - a first for us, and these included Nolan’s Guzzi and our Motorsport Beemers! With that many white motorcycles, we could have staged a mini-Shriners parade! That is, if thundering Lafranconi exhausts are permitted...

The 300+ miles separating Phoenix from Las Vegas is an excellent romp, with lots of great mountain vistas and long, 120-mph sweepers right in the middle. The scenic road winds through the historic Arizona towns of Wickenburg, Wikeup, and Kingman. Then, it’s over Hoover Dam, (the new section / bridge), into Boulder City, and finally rolling into south Las Vegas to the South Point Casino. Assuming there is no mechanical breakdowns or other issues, it takes a total of about six-hours, depending on the various stops and the lolly-gag factor. Usual Suspect Rule of Thumb: the larger the group, the longer the lolly-gag!

With fast Jim and his rapid Guzzi leading, the group stops at a little family owned hamburger joint in Kingman for lunch. Packed with lots of 'Route 66' type character, this is quickly becoming tradition. After unloading the bikes, checking-in and a quick shower, there is the honorary first beer for a safe journey and annual group photo at The Lobby Bar; another Usual Suspect tradition.

This year, there were actually three auctions from Thursday through Saturday night. For Mid-America, this was the 21st year. The original and the first, the Mid-America events is historically billed as the “largest vintage motorcycle auction in the world” and I believe it. Showcasing more than 500 bikes just over three days, the auction action is non-stop. Think Barrett-Jackson, or Mechum, only for two wheel enthusiasts. Bonhams and Auctions-America (RM) are the other two auctions featured this year. Since Bonhams was a one-day only auction that we couldn't make, we attended Mid-America and Auctions-America Friday and Saturday.

Unless you attend a large vintage motorcycle auction in person, it is very hard to describe. Photos don’t really do it justice, (IMHO) although we try, but the enthusiasm and passion of motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world is apparent. Another observation we make every year is that mostly old guys, with lots of gray and white hair are the main supporters. Not all, but the majority of young riders today are just not interested in old bikes and history. Somehow, some way in the near future, this needs to change. We need to pass the torch before we fade away, much like most of the WW II generation already has.

I would say there were about the same number of vintage bikes for sale at Mid-America this year, and one can see just about everything and anything you can imagine from the past, both completed restored and original. For example, if one was looking for a vintage Norton, Triumph or BSA from the mid-60’s, you would have no problem finding a suitable example to fit your budget. The same can be said for American manufacturers like Harley-Davidson, Indian, and Excelsior, also know as “The Big Three” since they are the only manufacturers that survived after the Great Depression.

You like rare Vincent Black Shadows and Rapides? No problem. Or how about a rare and documented 1928 Brough-Superior SS100? This one featured the coveted short-stroke 1000cc J.A.P. Engine and was used exclusively by the Dunlop Corporation for promotional purposes. In the last several years, many more Japanese motorcycles from the 60s and 70s are now for sale, again, restored and original and coming into their own light. There were motorcross bikes and trials bikes from Spain, such as Montessa, Bultaco, and Ossa. There were German bikes such as NSU, DKW, Adler, and of course, BMW. Both Mid-America and Auction-America had excellent examples of all the above.

The oldest motorcycle for sale was a 1894 Roper steam motorcycle which went through the blocks with a high bid of $450,000...but did not sell!

Every year, we see a couple of makes no one has ever heard of and this year was no exception. My two candidates this year were a 1956 Islo Carrera 175cc and a 1959 Tehuelche racer from Argentina. This is one of the benefits of attending the Vegas auction scene, there is always something new and interesting to see and study.

Saturday night is always the customary group dinner and attending the indoor short-track motorcycle races promoted by former AMA champion Gene Romero. It is loud and fast and quite exciting. If you have never witnessed indoor, flat-track racing on cement before, you're in for a treat because they guys are SERIOUS! On Sunday morning we're usually on the road by 9:00am and heading back to the Valley of the Sun. Thus, another year has come and gone.

Mid-America boasts about 500 motorcycles sold every year, and judging from the attendance, 2012 was another good event. With the added exposure from Auction-America, RM and Bonhams, I predict the attendance for 2013 will set new attendance records.

The only thing to do now is to analyze the auction results on our return. Although the market is still a little soft there are still bargains to be had in the famous “No Sale Corral”. If you attend next year look for us...we'll be the guys crawling on the floor, taking pictures and enjoying what has to be the best mid-winter motorcycling weekend there is. JJ Cerilli

Mid-America Auction Results HERE

Bonhams Auction Results HERE

Auction America Results HERE