When I started riding motorcycles, you couldn’t find a 100-year-old motorcycle. Why not? Well, there weren’t any motorcycles that old in 1970. Times have changed, and all you have to do to own a bike a century old or older is head to the Mecum LV Motorcycles 2027 auction at South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas from February 3-6 and put in a winning bid. Mecum’s 36th Annual Collector Motorcycle Auction will have at least 10 motorcycles from 1927 or earlier rolling out for sale. Let’s take a look at them, starting with the oldest.

100-Year-Old Motorcycles for Sale

1909 Harley-Davidson Model 5A

One of only 54 Model 5As fitted with magneto ignition, this Renault Gray single has a pedal-crank start, 30-cubic-inch inlet-over-exhaust engine with a Schebler carburetor. Other features include belt drive, leading-link front suspension, 28-inch spoke wheels, and coaster brake. 1909 was Harley’s fifth year and the first time production topped 1,000 machines. This early single shows the simple, durable design that helped the company grow before its V-twins took over. This example is from The Thom and Honore McIlhattan Collection. The couple were the owners of Harley-Davidson of Vallejo in California for 17 years.

1911 Waverley Single

This blue concours build by Jeff Haberman follows factory specifications. That means a 494cc overhead-valve single-cylinder engine with one speed and belt drive. The single-loop frame and fork with vertical leaf springs are typical of the era. Waverley engines, designed by Perry E. Mack in Milwaukee, were among the early American overhead-valve designs and earned a reputation in racing for better breathing and power. It’s a clean example of an early, innovative single.

1914 Excelsior Twin

Another concours build by Jeff Haberman to factory specs, this gray-and-red Excelsior has a 61-cubic-inch inlet-over-exhaust V-twin and a rear handbrake. Excelsior was a major American maker in the teens, and this twin shows the period style of chain-drive V-twins that competed with Harley and Indian. The careful restoration highlights the clean lines and mechanical details of a well-built 1914 machine from a company that helped shape early American motorcycling.

1914 Flying Merkel

Unrestored and still wearing its original orange paint, this 61-cubic-inch V-twin comes with early Wisconsin registration cards. The cantilever rear suspension was advanced for the time. Flying Merkels were known for smooth-riding suspension and strong racing results. This single-speed example, with its rear drum brake and period details, is a rare survivor of a short-lived but influential American brand.

1914 Harley-Davidson Model 10E

Known as “Slow Joe” Gardella’s Harley-Davidson “Gray Ghost,” this comprehensively restored 61-cubic-inch F-head V-twin was ridden in the 2010 and 2012 Motorcycle Cannonball runs, finishing 12th and then 2nd overall. It has a single-speed free-wheel clutch in the rear hub, Bosch magneto, and chain drive with period features such as the first-year step starter, brake and clutch pedals, wider fenders, and rectangular floorboards. Gardella once claimed it could reach 80 mph, an impressive velocity over 110 years ago. This motorcycle is from The Sinless Cycles Collection.

1916 Harley-Davidson Model 16F

This 61-cubic-inch F-head V-twin Harley-Davidson introduced a newly designed curved fuel tank, which replaced the flat-side design. It has a 3-speed hand-shift transmission, chain drive, Schebler carburetor, full-valence fenders, spoke wheels, and a solo saddle. Finished in gray, it shows the solid, practical design H-D was refining in the mid-teens. It’s a clear example of the sturdy American V-twins that were becoming more common on the roads. The Thom and Honore McIlhattan Collection brings this to auction.

1919 Harley-Davidson Model W Sport Twin

This unusual flat-twin Harley uses a 36-cubic-inch side-valve engine mounted in line with the frame for smoother running. Power runs to the rear wheel through a 3-speed hand-shift gearbox and chain drive. It has a trailing-link fork, 26-inch spoke wheels, a solo seat, and a green-and-red finish. Produced from 1919 to 1923, the Sport Twin had export ambitions. Despite being a departure from Harley’s usual V-twin layout, the Model W Sport managed to set long-distance records. Mecum is selling this as part of The Thom and Honore McIlhattan Collection.

1924 Patria Ace-Henderson Four

This rare Spanish-built machine is believed to be the only surviving example of just 12 ever made. It uses a powerful American Ace 1263cc inline-four engine with a hand-shifted 4-speed gearbox in a tubular steel frame. Patrias were built in Barcelona for possible Spanish military sidecar use. However, the government declined to buy them, so the bikes went to civilian buyers. With its blue paint and period details, it stands as a unique blend of American power and European craftsmanship from the mid-1920s. This is another bike from The Sinless Cycles Collection.

1925 Harley-Davidson JDCB

A 74-cubic-inch F-head V-twin with a battery and a kickstarter sends power to a 3-speed gearbox with tank-mounted hand shifter and foot clutch. Other features include a leading-link springer fork, electric lights, exhaust cut-out, and a contracting band rear brake. The optional Corbin speedometer was available for the first time that year. Originally listed at $325, it represents the refined, more complete big twins Harley-Davidson was selling in the mid-1920s. The Thom and Honore McIlhattan Collection offers up this motorcycle for auction.

1927 Ravat ER13 With Sidecar

This French machine pairs a 250cc single-cylinder engine with a 3-speed gearbox, rigid frame, and girder fork. Restored to concours condition by European craftsmen, it came from a museum collection where it had been kept in riding condition. Jules Ravat started with bicycles in Saint-Étienne in 1898 and began building motorcycles in 1922. The black finish and attached sidecar give it the classic look of a practical 1920s European touring combination.

Mecum makes it easy to bid. You can enter bids for the Mecum LV Motorcycles 2027 auction in person, via the internet, or by telephone. However, you must register before bidding.