Motoring
If you have $3 million to $11 million burning a hole in your pocket, why not splash out on one of these?
We have to admit we had a lot of fun perving over these dream machines as we put this list together. Admittedly, these photos are probably the closest we’ll ever get to owning any of these fantastic motorbikes, but it can’t hurt to look.
So let’s count down the most expensive bikes on sale on the planet. Prices are in US dollars with Indian rupees in brackets.
5. BMS Nehmesis - $3 million (INR 20,86,93,500)
The BMS Nehmesis won the reputable Rats Hole Show in Daytona and brought BMS Choppers to the forefront of custom bike building. It sports a 360mm rear tire, an automatic clutch, and smart electronic grip shifters. It is also loaded with gold-plated components, making it a premium custom-made bike. The bike has also won gruelling road tests at the Metric Revolution show taping.
4. Hildebrand & Wolfmuller - $3.5 million (INR 24,34,75,750)
The Hildebrand & Wolfmuller wins the prestigious title of being the world's first production motorcycle. Patented on 20th January 1894, it features a 1,489 CC two-cylinder and four-strike engine. In its lifetime, nearly two thousand bikes were built. It also had a high initial purchase price with cut-throat competition for improving their designs. Today, examples of it exist in museums such as the Science Museum in London and The Henry Ford in Detroit, Michigan.
3. Ecosse ES1 Spirit – $3.6 million
Ecosse was intended to revolutionise motorbike design. It was the brainchild of Dick Glover, technical director of McLaren Automotive. Glover reasoned that instead of relying on raw power, he’d use F1 technology to improve performance. He applied new materials to strip away the weight and improve aerodynamics and electronics to improve handling and performance. The only thing he couldn’t optimise was the price tag, so for now, the future of motorbike design remains ahead of its time.
2. 1949 E90 AJS Porcupine – $7 Million (INR 48,69,51,500)
Built by Associated Motor Cycles, the AJ Porcupine was a British racing motorcycle. The bike was made of aluminium alloy, sported a 500 CC and horizontal cylinders engine. Curiously, the 1947 model alloy engine was experimented with a silver head for thermal efficiency. The gamble failed as the softness of silver meant it had to be alloyed for racing, with eventually having the experiment abandoned as the thermal efficiency gains were lost.
1. Neiman Marcus Limited Edition Fighter – $11 million (INR 76,52,09,500)
Ironically, the world's most expensive bike is made by Neiman Marcus, someone who has nothing to with the motorcycle industry. Only 45 copies have been made of this bike, making it an exclusive and distinguished bike. The bidding for it was started at $110,000 but was eventually sold at a whopping $11 million. What makes this bike eye-popping is the design, not the speed since it only reaches 190 miles per hour.
