Famous Crooner Is Also a Collector of Harley-Davidsons

Hair Down

Did you know that late 1960s chart-topper Engelbert Humperdinck still performs to sold-out crowds, and still rides his Harley-Davidson—all at 84 years old? In fact, riding is one of his preferred ways to unwind. The romantic balladeer elaborated in a recent Guardian interview, “If I really want to let my hair down I’ll ride my Harley-Davidson around the Hollywood Hills.”

Voice Fame

Humperdinck admits that he never really wanted to be a singer. Born Arnold George Dorsey, he was the youngest boy in a family of ten originally from Leicester, England, but grew up in Madras, India, where his father was stationed during World War II. Despite his reluctance to perform, his strong voice and ability harmonize led him to fame. 

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Rumor Ride

It's not completely clear how many Harley-Davidsons Humperdinck has owned over the years, but he has been photographed numerous times arriving at events on various examples of Milwaukee's finest. Dispelling rumors that he would ride from one show venue to the next, Humperdinck stated in a 2019 CurtainsUp TV interview, “I didn’t do that. That’s a bit difficult! But I still like to ride." 

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Greatest Recognition

In the same interview, Humperdinck spoke about being recognized as a celebrity while out riding. The octogenarian crooner elaborated, “Sometimes I’ll get to the lights, pull up my visor, and see people next to me do a double-take: 'Oh my God, it’s Engelbert Humperdinck.' I don’t mind. Recognition is one of the greatest compliments you can have.” 

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Garage Crowd

In 2018, a couple of Humperdinck's bikes appeared on Bonhams auction site. When asked about his collection he explained, “I still have one motorcycle. I used to have five Harleys but you can only ride one at a time. So I sold four of them because they were crowding my garage. Now I have two cars and a motorcycle, and that’s enough.” 

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Bargain Dyna

The first bike to fall under the hammer was Humperdinck's 1992 FXDC Dyna Super Glide, at the Autumn Stafford Sale, in Stafford, England. Despite frequent appearances in promotional images over the decades, the 1340cc Evolution-powered Dyna had a remarkable 2,500 original miles showing on the odometer. It sold for a reasonable sum of $12,625—a bargain for a like-new Dyna. 

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Respectable Miles

Second in the Bonhams' lot was the singer's 1992 FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic. Humperdinck is listed as the bike's second owner since 1996. It appears that even well-to-do celebrities are not averse to buying used Harley-Davidsons. Appearing to be in stock condition, the FLSTC's odometer registered a more respectable 21,100 miles. The Softail also sold for a bargain price of $13,366. 

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Open Road

Throughout his lengthy career, Humperdinck has sold over 140 million records, including 64 gold albums and 23 platinum, received four Grammy nominations, a Golden Globe, stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Las Vegas Walk of Fame. Reflecting on riding, he hit a note with his preference for the highway. “It’s an open road. It helps me get the wind in my face.” 

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For maintenance and repair guides for your Harley, browse our technical How-to articles right here on HDForums.