1989 Pulse Autocycle (Lot K46) The clock is ticking down to Dana Mecum’s 39 Annual Spring Classic, known as the Indy auction, which takes place May 8-16 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. As of today (April 21), there are 105 motorcycles listed on the Mecum website that are up for sale at the Indy auction. More are being added each week. In our previous posts, we highlighted classic Harley-Davidsons, Japanese classics, and British beauties. Today we’re taking a closer look at unusual and unexpected motorcycles. 1954 Cushman Eagle 1954 Cushman Eagle (Lot G2) (Lot G2): Before minibikes were the hot thing in the 1960s and ’70s, there were Cushman Eagles. The Cushman scooter company started in 1903 (the same year Harley-Davidson was founded) in Lincoln, Nebraska, by brothers Everett and Clinton Cushman. The company started manufacturing the 4-stroke Husky engine in 1922, and it started making Auto-Glide scooters in 1936. The Cushman Eagle, which resembles a small motorcycle with its exposed engine and top-mounted fuel tank, was made from 1949 to 1965. This example underwent an amateur restoration and was purchased from the Sietsma Collection in 2005. 1961 DKW Hummel 115 1961 DKW Hummel 115 (Lot N16) (Lot N16): DKW was a German car and motorcycle manufacturer that operated from 1916 until 1966. Known as the Hummel (German for “bumblebee”), this 1961 DKW 115 is a masterpiece of Art Deco design. Powered by an air-cooled 49cc 2-stroke single-cylinder engine with a 3-speed manual transmission, the 115 has swooping, Jetsons-esque body panels that exemplify the futurism of the post-WWII era. Mocked by the European press as the “tin banana,” this blue and white example – which is being sold with no reserve – brings a smile to our face. 1965 Harley-Davidson MR50 1965 Harley-Davidson MR50 (Lot G254) (Lot G254): After the “You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda” campaign during the early 1960s led to soaring sales of the easy-to-ride Super Cub, Harley-Davidson decided to get in on the act. In 1960, Harley bought a 50% stake in Italian manufacturer Aermacchi, which built 49cc scooters that were branded as Harley-Davidsons in 1965 and 1966. This example has 2,496 miles on the odometer. It was purchased from a private collector and then put on display at Rocky’s Great Outdoors of Burton, Michigan. It is now being sold as part of the… [TheTopNews] Read More.
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