One of America’s legendary motorcycle brands will be auctioned off in January 2018, when the Excelsior-Henderson brand and all of its brands, web domains, motorcycle designs and expired patents will be sold in one lot.
The Excelsior-Henderson Intellectual Property Sale will be the culmination of the 27th Annual Mecum Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction at the South Point Hotel and Casino January 23-27, with the first lot going up for auction on Saturday, January 27.
The sale comes at an interesting time in motorcycle history, with the recent Future Market Insights (IMF) report on the global motorcycle industry predicting that the global motorcycle market would grow at a compound annual growth rate ( CAGR) of 4.6% from 2017 to 2027.
The IMF report sees a bright future for motorcycles over the next decade due to increasing urban congestion and the benefits of motorcycles as a convenient and cost-effective form of urban transportation.
Regarding in particular the logical market segment for all future Excelsior-Henderson motorcycles, the IMF report predicts that the cruising motorcycle segment is expected to grow by 47% over the next decade and specifically mentions that the rise of ” Cruising motorcycle clubs symbolized by the iconic motorcycles of the American giant Harley-Davidson and Indian has spurred the growth of the global market for conventional motorcycles. “
Mecum auctions
With India, China and, to a lesser extent, Indonesia now being the main drivers of global two-wheeler sales growth, and the two markets thirsty for strong heritage brands, it is highly likely that the name which was once a mainstay of the “Big 3 Motorcycle Manufacturers” (Excelsior-Henderson, Harley-Davidson and Indian) can be sold overseas.
Our recent feature article on the Indian motorcycle market highlighted the identifiable trend towards heritage brands and how Royal Enfield (founded 1901) now dominates global sales of motorcycles over 250cc.
The success and status of Royal Enfield as one of the oldest motorcycle brands in the world is the main reason other long-standing brands have all partnered up or been acquired by an Indian motorcycle manufacturer in the in recent years: Peugeot (since 1901), Triumph (since 1902), BSA (since 1903) and Husqvarna (since 1903) being the main ones.
Excelsior
Excelsior-Henderson is the amalgamation of two original brands which were founded in 1912 and 1907 respectively, and became a symbol of America’s manufacturing and engineering prowess during the Roaring Twenties before falling victim to the Great Depression and go out of business in 1933.
The Excelsior-Henderson name was resurrected in 1993 with $ 100 million invested and around 2,000 motorcycles produced in 1997 and 1998, before the company managed to secure additional investment in 1999 and was partially sold.
Mecum auctions
While Harley-Davidson production has endured since its founding in 1903, the third member of the Indian “Big 3” has had an even more tumultuous history since the original company closed in 1953, with no less than eight attempts. to revive the brand before its current owner, Polaris Industries, gave the name the corporate substance and support it needed for a full resuscitation.
Indian motorcycles
Indian Motorcycles recently returned to professional flat track racing after more than 60 years of being away from the sport, sweeping the 2017 US Flat Track Championship and propelling Jared Mees to the 2017 AMA Grand National Championship. With many promotional racing efforts underway across the globe, the Indian Motorcycle’s profile appears to have returned to its glory days and the company now appears to have created the momentum necessary for long-term profitability.
The immediate future of Excelsior-Henderson is now defined, and it will be sold in a very public show, broadcast live on the internet from Las Vegas on January 27, 2018.