All About Harley-Davidson's Cosmic Starship Motorcycle
What's most striking offhand about the world's most expensive motorcycle — otherwise known as the Harley-Davidson Cosmic Starship — is that there are no significant modifications. It can't fly or turn into a boat, and it doesn't do that cool spinning thing that Batman's motorcycle did in "The Dark Knight." Nor is it any faster than your average Harley-Davidson V-Rod, not that there's anything average about them to begin with. This "Million Dollar Harley" has that distinction simply because it looks cool — sometimes that's all it takes.
Modern art tends to earn enormous bidding prices, and this sleek ride is no exception. According to Petersen's Harley-Davidson, this Harley was customized by renowned artist Jack Armstrong (a nephew of the one that walked on the moon). Since his paintings sometimes sell for upwards of $100 million, the most recent price of $35 million for the Cosmic Starship seems a bit tame in comparison.
The paint job features 37 layers of acrylic paint on what appears to be a bright yellow on red leopard/Jackson Pollock pattern, an ethereal style Armstrong describes as "cosmic extensionalist." It apparently involves binding himself and "the energy that coexists in inter planetary and multi-dimensional extensionalism" into the art, according to Auto Evolution.
Why the 'cosmic extensionalist' Harley costs so much
An expensive painting you can drive is not the only reason for the elevated cost, as exclusivity plays a role as well. The custom Harley-Davidson is a one-off creation, and Armstrong has reportedly vowed to never make more than 100 pieces, and never use an art dealer. Andy Warhol unsurprisingly was a fan, dubbing him "The Last Wizard." While this all sounds like material for a future documentary like "Exit Through the Gift Shop," the artsy Harley has nonetheless received plenty of fanfare.
The motorcycle was unveiled in a 2010 ceremony in which it seemingly dropped from the sky with $100,000 worth of lights beckoning its landing. Two years later, it sold for $3 million, and the current asking price ranges between $15 and $30 million, with expectations to go even higher. There's no word on whether anyone's actually driven the bike, which is understandable, and for the moment it appears to be sitting in a climate-controlled vault, with all 37 layers of paint intact.