Rock ’n’ roll icon Elvis Presley was also an avid motorcyclist. He owned many motorcycles over the years; however, there was only one final bike that Elvis bought—a 1976 Harley-Davidson FLH Bicentennial. Mecum Auctions will be putting this historic motorcycle under the gavel at Dana Mecum’s 36th Original Spring Classic (aka Indy 2023) at Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, which began today.
Although the motor company built 750 examples of Bicentennial Editions, this motorcycle is extraordinary beyond simply being the last motorcycle Elvis purchased. Elvis ordered his 1976 FLH with custom blue-and-black paint, including matching hard cases.
Elvis bought the FLH in California on August 11, 1976, registered it at his Palm Springs home at 845 Chino Canyon Road, and then shipped it to Graceland. Elvis had barely a year to enjoy his 1976 Harley-Davidson FLH Bicentennial, as he died at 42 on August 16, 1977.
After his death, the Elvis FLH was bought by a New Jersey hotel owner, who used it as an attraction for his property. In 1983, it went on display at the Pioneer Auto Show museum in Murdo, South Dakota. It stayed there until 2019.
The Elvis 1976 Harley-Davidson FLH Bicentennial is sold with plenty of accouterments. The original title, signed by The King (note that his middle name is misspelled), is part of the deal, as are the original keys Elvis used to start the bike. The keys are on a fob from the dealer who sold the motorcycle to Elvis. Note that the license plate shown in the Mecum-provided photos is not original, as the FLH was sold with California motorcycle plate number 9L8112.
The motorcycle has 1262 miles on the odometer, so it got some use. Because it still has the California title, the FLH can be registered and ridden on public roads. There is a catch, however—registering it for street use requires surrendering the 46-year-old title with the Elvis signature.
Mecum will auction the Elvis Presley 1976 Harley-Davidson FLH Bicentennial on Saturday, May 20, at its Indy 2023 event.
Elvis Presley 1976 Harley-Davidson FLH Bicentennial Photo Gallery
