Ex-Elvis Presley 1964 Honda CL72 Scrambler auction ending soon

A 1964 Honda CL72 Scrambler said to have been owned by Elvis Presley is currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer, with bidding set to end very soon. The rare Honda, which is said to have passed from actor Gary Lockwood to the King of Rock and Roll in the 1960s, is being offered with documentation supporting its celebrity provenance, making it one of the more unusual pieces of motorcycle memorabilia to come to market in recent years.

For many, Elvis Presley was, still is and always will be the king of rock and roll, but the mark he left on the world of popular culture was much bigger than ‘just’ that of a singer, songwriter, and musician.

With more than 30 film credits to his name, stretching back to the mid-1950s, Elvis was also a big star of the silver screen, and one thing many of his movies had in common was either cars or motorbikes.

One film in particular might have led to the ownership of this 1964 Honda CL72 Scrambler, which is said to have found its way into Presley’s ownership following his on-screen appearance with a Honda CB77 Super Hawk.

Now, that same Honda is up for grabs through Bring a Trailer, with the no-reserve auction drawing attention from collectors thanks to its claimed Hollywood history.

According to the seller, the bike was purchased in 1967 by actor Gary Lockwood, best known for his role in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Lockwood and Presley became friends while filming It Happened at the World's Fair in 1962, a movie that famously featured Elvis riding a Honda CB77 Super Hawk. The listing states that Lockwood later sold the CL72 to Presley after the singer had admired the bike.

Supporting the claim is a collection of paperwork that includes copies of previous registrations, a bill of sale linking the bike to Lockwood, photographs of the actor with the motorcycle, and correspondence outlining its ownership history. While it is difficult to independently verify celebrity provenance on vehicles more than 60 years old, that paperwork will undoubtedly be key to convincing potential bidders.

The bike itself is a tidy example of Honda's early scrambler. Powered by a 247cc parallel twin producing around 24bhp, the CL72 helped establish Honda's reputation for reliable, lightweight motorcycles during the 1960s. It features the model's signature high-level twin exhausts, 19-inch wire wheels and period-correct silver paintwork.

The auction only has a few hours left to run, and is sitting lower than you’d expect for a bike with such a celebrity link. You can check out the full listing on the official website.

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