The Hybrid Motorcycle Car That Set American Pickers Back $35,000
During its 23-season run on History, "American Pickers" has proven beyond doubt that people really like watching Mike Wolfe and his crew of antiquing gurus dig through other people's garages, crawlspaces, and storage units. Of course, they also like watching the gang uncover lost, forgotten, and very for-sale artifacts worthy of flipping for a big-time payday. As fans of the series know, Mike and his various cohorts have always had a soft spot for classic motorcycles, shelling out major bucks on the regular for vintage bikes over the years. That includes a 1910 Royal Pioneer bike that Mike and his former co-host Frank Fritz once shelled out a staggering $55,000 for.
That bike remains one of the priciest picks in the history of "American Pickers." While the "American Pickers" team rarely, if ever circle back to sellers they've already picked for a second go at their goodies, they made an exception for the man who sold them that Royal Pioneer. And during a Season 10 episode of the show, Frank not only revisited Pat Regis' Florida homestead to check out another high-priced artifact, but he also ponied up an additional $35,000 for an extremely rare hybrid motorcycle car.
The pickers paid some serious cash for a super rare Merz Cycle Car
As indicated during his previous "American Pickers" appearance, Pat Regis is a bit of a motorcycle enthusiast himself, seriously wowing Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz with that Royal Pioneer. Though Mike didn't make the return trip to Florida to check out Regis' gear for a second time, Frank did. And with motorcycle expert David Ohrt in tow, he was equally blown away by Regis' 1914 Merz Cycle Car.
As the episode details, the cycle car is sort of a motorcycle-automobile hybrid that essentially combines the charms of both. In case there was any question, Merz Cycle Cars are extremely rare, with the National Motorcycle Museum claiming there are only two known to exist these days. That indeed includes the one Frank and David scoped out at Regis' place. While that Merz is far from mint condition, Frank and David are clearly not about to walk away without it. As expected, Regis' asking price is initially a little high, with the pair eventually settling on a $35,000 price tag for the uber-rare vehicle.
Given the item's scarcity in the wild, that lofty price still kinda feels like the deal of deals. And in an almost unbelievable turn of events in the episode, Regis even offers the guys a money-back guarantee if they're not 100% happy with the Merz. Needless to say, that exceedingly friendly addendum made even this pricey pick too good to pass up for the "American Pickers" crew.