MCBA ’06: A Great Place To Start, Grow Or Monetize A Motorcycle Collection Just because the bidding soared past a half-million dollars for one bike at last year’s Monterey Classic Bike Auction doesn’t mean you need the net worth of a small country to win a beautiful piece of machinery at this year’s MCBA. “Every collector has to start somewhere,” says Gavin Trippe, impresario of the MCBA event. “Our goal is to take the complexity and mystery out of bidding for or auctioning off a motorcycle with a respectable pedigree. So whether you’re a veteran museum curator or just a bike lover who wants to look at a work of art every day, MCBA has something to offer.” Not all bikes are gaveled away for tens of thousands of dollars. As über-collector Alan Wilzig said in a recent Cycle World interview about one of his first acquisitions, “For $2,400 there was no painting I could buy that gives me as much pleasure to look at as that [bike].” As for owners who hope to hit a juicy number for one of their prized possessions, Trippe notes that even if they name a “reserve” (or minimum sale price), they can always waive it in the heat of the bidding if the price gets “close enough” and they want to avoid a regrettable “no sale”. Historically, though, the most active bidding occurs on items with “no reserve”, meaning they will absolutely be sold to the highest bidder. “The ‘no reserve’ bikes are where it really gets fun,” says Trippe. “That’s when everybody wins.” Trippe’s advice to collectors, be they green or seasoned: peruse the 2006 inventory on the MCBA website (www.montereyclassicbikeauction.com), do a little research on the bikes you like, and determine a maximum price you’re willing to bid. Then stick to your plan. Even a wannabe collector has nothing to lose by registering as a bidder/buyer for this year’s MCBA in a timely fashion: registration is free until June 23rd. Also, state-of-the-art “Simulcast Auction” software will again enable collectors who are unable to attend the auction in person to bid online from anywhere in the world in “real time” using only a personal computer and a broadband connection. Registration forms for buyers and sellers are available now at www.montereyclassicbikeauction.com . The website also offers extensive information about this year’s auction, which takes place July 20-22 at the Portola Plaza Hotel in Monterey during MotoGP week at Laguna Seca. Information: www.montereyclassicbikeauction.com Email: [email protected]