1955 Harley-Davidson Hummer B

(October 12, 2022)  Mecum Auctions’ 32nd annual Vintage & Antique Motorcycle Auction will return to South Point Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas this Jan. 25-28, with headlining consignments for the world’s largest vintage motorcycle auction led by Jim’s Forever Collection, to be offered at entirely no reserve. The assemblage features more than 100 motorcycles and quite possibly the largest private collection of Harley-Davidson memorabilia ever offered at auction — a significant portion of which is already available for online bids via Mecum On Time. In total, the Las Vegas auction will feature an estimated 1,750 motorcycles crossing the block throughout the four live auction days as well as additional Road Art selections.

Coming out of Mendon, Ohio, Jim’s Forever Collection represents the longtime pursuits of Jim Godwin, the former Harley-Davidson dealer behind Jim’s Forever museum. Godwin opened Jim’s Harley-Davidson in a car-and-a-half garage behind his brother’s house in 1961 after discovering a passion for motorcycles while serving in the U.S. Army. The dealership expanded over the following 60 years, with Godwin finally retiring in 2021 and refocusing his efforts on his personal collection he’d been amassing since first becoming a dealer.


1948 Harley-Davidson 125 S

Today encompassing more than 100 motorcycles, Jim’s Forever Collection features an unsurprisingly heavy dose of Harley-Davidsons, ranging from the company’s entry into the lightweight market and motorcycles powered by Panheads, to the recognizable models of more modern times. The lightweight, single-cylinder, two-stroke models make up perhaps the largest grouping within the collection, with offerings from Godwin including a 1948 Model 125 S showing just two miles, a 1955 Hummer B  that is one of just 1,040 produced, a 1962 Scat showing a low 5,552 miles that is one of just 993 produced, and much more.

Uniquely, the collection features a motorcycle from nearly every model year the Panhead was offered, starting with a 1949 EL Panhead showing zero miles on the odometer and ending with a 1965 FLH Electra Glide Panhead, as well as first- and second-year examples of the bike often referred to as the first factory custom motorcycle: a 1971 FX Super-Glide and a 1972 model, both with the No. 1 Stars-and-Stripes Harley-Davidson logo on their tanks. Others within the collection include Liberty, Anniversary and Bicentennial editions, and first and final-year examples of Harley-Davidson’s Sturgis models, Knuckleheads and more are also present within.

In addition, a vast selection of Road Art from the Jim’s Forever Collection will join the lineup in Las Vegas this January, with items to be offered both live at auction and via weekly online auctions through Mecum’s timed online auction platform, Mecum On Time. Live auction items will be unveiled over the coming months at Mecum.com, while several themed On Time auctions are already underway at OnTime.Mecum.com, with many more to follow.

Those interested in consigning a motorcycle for auction at Mecum’s 2023 Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction can find complete details about the consignment process and pricing at Mecum.com. 

1965 Harley-Davidson FLH Electra Glide

Bidder registration is available online in advance and on-site at the auction starting at $100, and standard, in-person bidding includes admission for two persons to the four auction days. For those unable to attend in person, enhanced remote bidding options are also available, including for both online and telephone bidding.

General admission tickets are available in advance online for $20 per person, per day, and for $30 at the door and online after Jan. 24; children 12 and younger receive complimentary admission.

For more information on the 2023 Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction and all other scheduled auctions, visit Mecum.com. Mecum’s website is updated daily with the latest consignments and includes detailed descriptions and photographs of the vehicles to be offered. For schedule information, to consign a vehicle or to register as a bidder for this and all Mecum events, visit Mecum.com or call (262) 275-5050 for more information.