Great Balls of Fire

[Scott Parker]

https://www.mecum.com/lot-detail.cfm...=FL0115-206323

[DanM]

The condition is so fine, its hard to comprehend. Even in a living room....

[MJW]

Even without the cool story, I would think it would go for $30,000 but with the excellent back story I'd bet it goes for 50...Mike

[exeric]

I was thinking about the value as well, and I think it's provenance will put it into the stratosphere. I don't know much about '59s, so I don't know if it's been restored with aftermarket parts, but I think the kind person that will open their wallet for this bike is not going to care if it's correct. I think it will go well over $100K.

[sirhrmechanic]

I'm with Eric. It's going to go to 6 figures. Not just the rock star connection, but because it will always be 'that bike.' The perfect original paint Panhead. And even of someone 'overpays' for it today. They'll get it back in a few years. This bike will never be anything but Tier 1.

I am assuming (and I could not tell this from the description) that this has never been restored? Because even for a time-warp bike that's been kept indoors with no expense spared... I'd expecting some faded chrome. Some rust spots. SOMETHING... this looks like a fresh big $$ restoration, not like an original bike that's been ridden 45 miles a year. There's no cracking on a decal. No fading on a light reflector.

Not that I doubt the story, but did it ever look this perfect? Even factory new? Was it 'specially' prepped by HD for Lewis (as it was a gift?) Or did Jerry Lee Lewis restore his favorite machine before selling it?

If it is unrestored... gotta hand it to Mecum's detailers (or their Photoshop technicians!). Because it does look amazing.

[Rubone]

That thing has aftermarket crap all over it. And none of the finishes are original or even attempted to replicate original. Pig in a poke, that one.
Repop gas caps,
repop ignition switch,
wrong seat
wrong steering damper treatment,
repop primary,
black cylinders,
crappy acorn and custom nuts,
repop coil,
wrong shocks,
repop d-rings,
wrong grips,
so much more it is hard to comprehend,
and H-D never put that paint on there.
The buyer of that one is merely buying a fantasy...


The ultimate fishing trip....

[exeric]

That was my point Robbie; the people who bid on that bike are not going to care if it's aftermarket.

[duffeycycles]

Chrome from the 50s looks blue with a hue,modern chrome looks white and shines more-like this bike
I still think over 100 grand,just for the piece of paper that he owned it

[Steve Swan]

With 2,257 (41.0363 miles per year) total miles on the clock, Jerry either "cherished" the bike so much he barely ever rode it or else it has 1,002,257 (17,897 miles per year) miles on the odo and Jerry is a hardcore motorcyclist. Jerry was a young musician having fun with other young musicians. What young man wouldn't want to ride a bike and what saavy businessman man didn't know a heartthrob on a motorcycle made for perfect photo op material.

The bike would have to be in a hermetically sealed environment when he was not riding the machine and when he did ride it, the bike was kept in a laminar air flow room to be like new.

With everything else Jerry had going on in his life, i'm guessing this bike wasn't THAT important nor that "cherished." It represented memories from earlier good times in his life. It's not difficult to imagine the bike was confined to the more than one of Jerry's very secure buildings his memorbalia is stored in. Or maybe in one of his garages where he keeps his things he likes to see every now and then. Or maybe in his personal garage where he keeps his car he drives. Unless the bike was more or less continuously being preserved in a climate controlled environment the past 56 years, it's difficult to imagine there would be no traces of patina (Jerry currently lives in Nesbitt, Mississippi, a non-patina producing state.)

The bike's too shiny to have that better than new appearance. 56 years ago, new paint and chrome did not look like that. Too much depth and perfection. The bike has no trace of patina on dulling paint or plating, to boot. Hard to believe, 56 years of mostly sitting, being ridden 41.063 miles a year, some of Jerry's own personal patina would not have rubbed off on to the bike.

Probably Mechum's knows of or hires people to keep an eye on celebrities who are nearing their earthly exit and buys these belongings up. Sort of like "Tender Touch," a local estate buying company here where i live. Considering the bike belonged to Jerry Lee Lewis, as Mechum's or whowever 'found' it, it was too rough to bring the celebrity price on the auction block, that Mechum's felt it should bring. So, the bike was restored.

[AFJ]

With 2,257 (41.0363 miles per year) total miles on the clock, Jerry either "cherished" the bike so much he barely ever rode it or else it has 1,002,257 (17,897 miles per year) miles on the odo and Jerry is a hardcore motorcyclist. Jerry was a young musician having fun with other young musicians. What young man wouldn't want to ride a bike and what saavy businessman man didn't know a heartthrob on a motorcycle made for perfect photo op material.

The bike would have to be in a hermetically sealed environment when he was not riding the machine and when he did ride it, the bike was kept in a laminar air flow room to be like new.

With everything else Jerry had going on in his life, i'm guessing this bike wasn't THAT important nor that "cherished." It represented memories from earlier good times in his life. It's not difficult to imagine the bike was confined to the more than one of Jerry's very secure buildings his memorbalia is stored in. Or maybe in one of his garages where he keeps his things he likes to see every now and then. Or maybe in his personal garage where he keeps his car he drives. Unless the bike was more or less continuously being preserved in a climate controlled environment the past 56 years, it's difficult to imagine there would be no traces of patina (Jerry currently lives in Nesbitt, Mississippi, a non-patina producing state.)

The bike's too shiny to have that better than new appearance. 56 years ago, new paint and chrome did not look like that. Too much depth and perfection. The bike has no trace of patina on dulling paint or plating, to boot. Hard to believe, 56 years of mostly sitting, being ridden 41.063 miles a year, some of Jerry's own personal patina would not have rubbed off on to the bike.

Probably Mechum's knows of or hires people to keep an eye on celebrities who are nearing their earthly exit and buys these belongings up. Sort of like "Tender Touch," a local estate buying company here where i live. Considering the bike belonged to Jerry Lee Lewis, as Mechum's or whowever 'found' it, it was too rough to bring the celebrity price on the auction block, that Mechum's felt it should bring. So, the bike was restored.

As with any transaction where the written word is involved, read the fine print (as taken from the Mecum web site)

"Information found on the website is presented as advance information for the auction lot. Photos, materials for videos, descriptions and other information are provided by the consignor/seller and is deemed reliable, but Mecum Auction does not verify, warrant or guarantee this information. The lot and information presented at auction on the auction block supersedes any previous descriptions or information. Mecum is not responsible for information that may be changed or updated prior to the auction. The decision to purchase should be based solely on the buyers personal inspection of the lot at the auction site prior to the auction."

AFJ

[RichO]

Jerry's 1985 album, "I am what I am" has him on this machine front and back cover. It shows wear and some oxidation and the windshield is not beaded. I to believe the machine has been restored recently. It's still a nice representation of a 1959 Duo-Glide though. Buyer beware or not. To each his own.

[servicardenise]

If it is original, it should appear as original wear and tear. Uneven finishes from a picture are not the same as visually inspecting it to make a purchase such as this. Provenance puts it in a place and time, but the status based upon our standards are different. Where and when did someone put it to our evaluation process demonstrates some accountability...I would hope.
Denise

[AFJ]

afee9e9d-4c67-4f87-8ae4-6182954ba0ab-620x409.jpg

So which JLL H-D is this one?
Caption on the original picture says, " June 14, 1958. Memphis. Rock 'n' roll singer Jerry Lee Lewis and his 13 year-old wife, Myra, get set for a motorcycle ride."

AFJ

[sirhrmechanic]

If I am not mistaken... that's a '53 model. Tank graphics and the anniversary logo.

13-year-old wife... they did do some funny things in the South back then. Then again, if you weren't married by 17, you were an old maid.

Cheers,

Sirhr

[Rubone]

So which JLL H-D is this one?

That is a '56 model with '54-'56 style bags.