First electric Harley to be auctioned for charity by Bonhams

Bonhams will be selling the customised LiveWire in an online auction, now live at bonhams.com, with the hammer set to fall on Tuesday May 26^th. All proceeds from the sale will go to United Way’s Worldwide COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund, with Bonhams waiving auction fees.

It was only a few weeks ago that Bonhams ran an online auction that raised more than £400,000 for the NHS Charities COVID-19 Urgent Appeal. The top lot then was a personal invitation from The Duke of Richmond to join one of his exclusive track days at the Goodwood Motor Circuit. That went for £25,000.

Bonhams isn’t giving a price guide for the special Harley but when eventually regular production versions of the  LiveWire hit the UK – it was only due on sale in the US at the end of last year – it will cost from £28,995.

The auction bike has been designed with a range of bespoke features sure to see that price beaten when the sale ends in a fortnight’s time. Harley says the LiveWire Custom will be a never-to-be-replicated one-off edition of the “First Strike” run of 500 LiveWires, each an individually numbered machine to celebrate the first 500 units of its first production electric motorcycle.  

The 105hp LiveWire is already creating sparks in the motorcycle world with its cool design, 0-60mph in 3 seconds performance and 98-mile range.

The custom bike adds to that with a one-off paint scheme and unique graphics package along with an array of carbon-fibre parts, including the screen blade, tail section cowl and tank trim. A finishing touch is that the bike will be signed by members of the Davidson family.

Also set to tempt buyers is a package of goodies that will give the winning bidder and a guest a behind-the-scenes tour of the Harley-Davidson development centre and museum. But the bike also comes with one proviso: that it must always stay in the US.

“Everyone at Bonhams is a proud supporter of the United Way, and we share the mission of this auction to aid those on the frontlines and those who are affected by this crisis,” said Eric Minoff of Bonhams New York. “We are honoured to be working with Harley-Davidson to auction a truly remarkable piece of motorcycling history for such good cause.”

You can follow the auction, or bid, at https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26471/