The Harley Davidson Museum boasts of having on display Elvis Presley's 1956 KH Harley Davidson model and a receipt to prove his ownership. The motorcycle receipt shows it was bought by Elvis from a dealer in Memphis on installment for $50.15 a month. It even showed The King's occupation which he noted down as vocalist and self-employed. This was the same motorcycle The King was photographed with when he was featured in the cover of the hottest motorcycle magazine that time, The Enthusiast.
Elvis purchased his Harley motorcycle just a few months before he made it big through his Heartbreak Hotel single which became a chart topper later on. There is a motorcycle shop in Memphis which took care of all the motorcycle business of The King. Ron Elliot, the shop owner, said that of all the motorcycle bikes The King had, it was the Harley Davidson Dresser which he favored the most. These were police-type motorcycles that are definitely big.
It is thus not surprising that the 30th death anniversary of Elvis in 2007 was honored by the makers of Harley Davidson through the release of 30 limited edition bikes, all of which were replicas of the Harley Davidson 1957 Blue KH model which was once owned by Elvis. These motorcycles will however have a Softail chassis. Each motorcycle costs $57,888 inclusive of a bronze sculpture and a limited-edition painting of Elvis. The price is steep but for the thousands of Harley Davidson collectors, this is a small price to pay considering that it has one to thirty individualized serial numbers.
The Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee residence of Elvis was filled with fans and spectators when these limited edition motorcycles were unveiled last April 22. It is not all glamour though because the American Diabetes Association will benefit from the proceeds of Elvis Rock N' Roll Ride for Life.
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