We’ve been poring over the lots and collections of motorcycles that will be available at Mecum’s annual motorcycle auction, which returns to the South Point Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Jan. 27-31, 2026. We’ve posted some highlights already, including standout American motorcycles and racing motorcycles.
More motorcycles are being added daily, and there are some real gems – and some curiosities – on Mecum’s website. Mecum’s motorcycle auction is a must-attend event for any gearhead, but if you can’t be there in person you can bid online or by phone – just fill out the registration form at Mecum.com.
This preview post focuses on Japanese motorcycles, and there are some real beauties and rarities. Let’s kick it off with Hondas.
Hondas at the 2026 Mecum Auction
Since we’re starting with Honda, why not start off at the beginning of the storied brand’s history with a 1951 Honda Dream E-Type (lot R471), which was the company’s first production 4-stroke motorcycle. It has a 148cc Single, a 2-speed transmission, and a pressed-steel frame. This maroon-colored peach spent its entire life in Japan until its purchase from a private museum in Tochigi earlier this year.
Also up for auction is a one-of-a-kind 1968 Honda CB750 Prototype (lot R750, see lead photo), the very first CB750 sent to American Honda for testing and marketing efforts. You’d think that bike would be preserved at the American Honda Collection Hall in Torrance, California, but for the right price you can own this singular piece of motorcycle history. Also available two rare 1969 Honda CB750 Sandcasts (lots N473 and R509) and two less rare but still highly collectible 1971 Honda CB750s (lots N276 and N281).
Like classic Honda GP bikes? How about a 0-mile 2004 Honda CB50R (lot N20)? It’s one of only 440 limited-production, race-only replicas of the 1962 RC110, Honda’s first 50cc Grand Prix racer. Or a 2004 Honda RC174 George Beale Replica (lot R710), a 1967 factory replica that’s the third of ten built in coordination with Honda using the original blueprints for the chassis and engine. This beauty has a 297cc inline 6-cylinder 4-stroke engine, Keihin carburetors, a 7-speed manual gearbox, a 6-into-6 exhaust system, a full fairing, and an alloy gas tank.
There are several special Hondas that will be auctioned off as part of the David Silver Collection, 65 motorcycles that are a “wildly eclectic roundup [that] includes motorbikes, purpose-built racebikes, sportbikes, and more from manufacturers all over the world and spans from the very beginning of bicycle production to the modern motoring age.” One of them is 1984 Honda NS400R (lot N270), a limited-production 2-stroke roadracing replica based on the championship-winning NS500 factory racer, which has a liquid-cooled 387cc 2-stroke V-3 engine. There are also two V-4-powered VFRs, a 1987 Honda VFR400R NC24 (lot N140) and a 1992 Honda VFR400 NC30 (lot N26), and a first-generation Fireblade, a 1993 Honda CBR900RRP (lot N267).
There are many more Hondas worth bidding on, including a 1966 Honda CB450 Black Bomber (lot N300), a 1969 Honda CL350 Scrambler (lot N95), and a 1971 Honda Z50 K1 minibike (lot W46), among others.
Kawasakis at the 2026 Mecum Auction
Moving on to Team Green, nostalgia runs deep for Japan’s first muscle bike, the 1973 Kawasaki Z1 900 (lot R302) with Candy Orange and Root Beer paint. Powered by a 903cc inline-Four, this beauty has been nicely restored with a rebuilt engine, period-correct pipes and mufflers, and many refurbished or NOS parts. There’s another 1973 Kawasaki Z1 (lot N474) plus a couple 1974 Kawasaki Z1s (lots R489 and R303) also crossing the block in late January.
More on the wild side is a custom 1974 Kawasaki H2 (lot N374) with a Paul Gast Stage-3 748cc Triple, 40mm Lectron carbs, and a Rickman fairing. Are you a CHiPs fan? You can bid on a 2001 Kawasaki KZ1000 Police Special (lot N317), which was mostly unchanged from 1978 until it was discontinued in 2005.
Suzukis at the 2026 Mecum Auction
If Suzukis are more your speed, you’ll find some cool examples at the January auction. Some are unusual, like a 1975 Suzuki RE5 (lot N298) powered by a liquid-cooled 497cc Wankel rotary engine. This example has original paint, chrome, gauges, pipes, and mufflers. The RE5 has a unique silver cylindrical instrument cluster with a blue translucent plastic cover and yellow side reflectors.
Also unusual is a 1985 Suzuki Gamma 500 (lot N301) with a 498cc 2-stroke square-Four. This JDM (Japanese domestic model) has a U.S. title, and it has Walter Wolf livery paying tribute to the Suzuki factory race team. Suzuki will celebrate 40 years of the legendary GSX-R sportbike line next year, and up for auction is a 1-of-500 1986 Suzuki GSX-R750 LE (lot N211) with rare Yoshimura livery.
Another unique Suzukis is a 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa Land Speed Racer (lot R733) that holds multiple land speed records and was built and raced by the late Bill Warner. Its turbocharged 1,350cc liquid-cooled inline-Four makes 650 hp and 314 lb-ft of torque.
There’s also a 2007 Suzuki RM-Z450 Ricky Carmichael Special Edition (lot N260), a one-year-only, limited-edition model that honors who many consider the G.O.A.T., Carmichael having won 15 AMA Motocross and Supercross championships. This example was prepped by a dealer, started, and then then put into a collection – it has never been ridden. It’s part of the Lucas Family Motocross Collection, a “curated assemblage of mostly vintage and rarely seen motocross bikes [that] showcases the heritage of off-road motorcycling with Husqvarnas, Yamahas, a Kawasaki, and one modern special-edition Suzuki.”
Yamahas at the 2026 Mecum Auction
Yamaha is well-represented at Mecum too, including a custom flat track-style 1968 Yamaha YDS3 (lot W65), a cherry 1973 Yamaha TX650 (lot N100), and a 1978 Yamaha TZ250E Roadracer (lot N414). The TZ250 is a runner that’s ready to race or show. It was formerly owned by Michael “TZMike” Studzinski and includes a ton of custom race-spec parts and upgrades.
If you’re nostalgic for a more groovy time, there’s a 1979 Yamaha XS1100 (lot N217) that’s all original (except the exhaust). It has a factory Yamaha full front fairing, a two-up stepped touring seat with sissy bar, Indigo Blue paint with gold pintstripes, and original airbrush artwork on the gas tank by muralist Robert Wyland.
Always desirable are 2-stroke RZ models, and there are two up for auction. One is a 1984 Yamaha RZ350 (lot N6), a low-mileage example that has a liquid-cooled 347cc parallel-Twin with reed induction. It’s part of the Engle Collection, a “celebration of motorcycling heritage [that] captures the charisma of iconic two-wheeled designs and spans decades, marques, and styles, from the raw character of a 1967 BSA A65 Lightning to the Italian finesse of a 1999 Ducati 748.” There’s also a 1985 Yamaha RZ350 (lot N39) Kenny Roberts model with original paint.
This preview just scratches the surface. There are many more Japanese motorcycles up for auction in January. Go to Mecum.com to check out all the auction listings and register to bid. If you can, plan to attend the auction in person. It’s an experience you don’t want to miss.
How do I watch the auction in Las Vegas? Interested in lot N414. 1978 TZ 250. Thanks.
When you register to bid on the Mecum website, you’ll get a login that will allow you to participate in live online bidding. ESPN+ also shows some Mecum auctions live, but not sure about the Las Vegas motorcycle auction.
https://www.mecum.com/register-to-bid/