Every year, Wheels Through Time raffles off one of its beautifully restored motorcycles to help fund the museum for the next year, and 2022 is no exception. Well, no, that’s not true—the bike WTT is raffling this year is truly exceptional. It’s a sublime example of a 1937 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead—which Matt Walksler says is the rarest and most valuable bike they’ve offered as a raffle prize so far.
In fact, it’s so rare and valuable that it can be difficult to say with certainty what it’s even worth in 2022. The thing about bikes like this, Walksler says, is that when the few remaining examples left do change hands, it’s usually done through private sales. As a result, no one but the parties involved (and maybe their loved ones) know what the bike went for each time.
That’s why the 2022 Mecum Auctions Monterey event was particularly meaningful for anyone wondering what this year’s WTT raffle bike is worth. A very similar 1937 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead, restored to a very high level of period-correct perfection by some friends of Matt’s, crossed the auction block at that event. What did it end up going for?
Matt was estimating the value of the WTT bike at anywhere between $100,000 and $130,000, although he wasn’t completely sure, either. His estimate was pretty accurate, though—the hammer eventually came down at $110,000 for the ‘37 Knucklehead shown at Mecum in August, 2022. As Walksler noted, some details are a little different between the two bikes. For example, the Mecum bike had a front fender light, while the WTT raffle bike does not.
What the WTT bike does have are a number of 1937-only features. The color is Delphine Blue, which was a 1937-only color. The striping was done in Teak Red with edging done in gold. A 1937 frame and front fork hold the 61 cubic inch engine in place, and that’s a 1937-only dash as well. Completely original pre-war fenders and fuel tanks, a new-old stock amp gauge and oil pressure switch, and a whole host of other genuine Harley-Davidson parts make it an exemplary piece of American motorcycling history.
If you’re interested in purchasing raffle tickets and supporting the Wheels Through Time Museum, you can do so at the link in our Sources.
