For Sale from the Rick Yerick Collection Auction: A 1940 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead EL Worth Getting Excited About

Prewar Harley-Davidsons rarely come up for bid in this kind of presentable, mechanically sound condition, which is exactly why this 1940 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead EL deserves a long look. The motorcycle is currently live in the Rick Yerick Collection Auction, hosted online through Premier Assets, where it carries a clean Ohio title and a genuine 61 cubic inch Knucklehead heart. Collectors who have been chasing a real EL for their garage will want to check out the full listing before the gavel falls.

Finished in black with hand-applied orange pinstriping and correct 1940 chevron fender trim, this EL wears its color scheme with real presence from either side. A period rear luggage rack and a set of Harley-Davidson leather saddle bags flank the back fender, while 16-inch laced wheels and a leading-link springer front end complete a silhouette that is unmistakably late-1930s Milwaukee. Bidders can browse additional angles of the bike directly on the auction listing.

Mechanically, the story only gets better underneath that black paint. The 61 cubic inch (990cc) 45-degree V-twin is the genuine Knucklehead article, complete with its signature knuckle-shaped rocker boxes, an L&L carburetor, and a dry sump oiling system feeding an estimated 40 horsepower through a 4-speed constant-mesh transmission with both foot and hand shift controls. The seller notes the motor currently cranks over, which gives a buyer a strong mechanical starting point, and the full mechanical rundown is posted on the lot page for anyone doing their homework before bidding.

Details like the correct Harley-Davidson tank script, the small speedometer showing 98,522 miles, and the general absence of over-restoration all point to a machine that has been preserved rather than reinvented. It is the kind of tank badge and paint combination that photographs beautifully and, more importantly, still looks right in person, exactly what serious Knucklehead buyers look for before they commit a bid on this listing.

Underneath, the rigid hardtail frame, foot boards, and period floorboard rubber show honest wear consistent with a motorcycle that was ridden and used rather than tucked away, and there is no key included with the bike, so a locksmith or ignition swap will likely be on the next owner’s to-do list. With the Rick Yerick Collection Auction closing on September 17th, anyone serious about adding a genuine 1940 Knucklehead EL to their collection should place a bid on this listing soon, before time runs out.