“Buddy Holly’s 650cc Ariel Cyclone, part of the country musician Waylon Jennings’ collection, sold in New York on October 5 [2014] by Guernsey’s Auction House for $450,000 (£280,000). The bike, with 4,000 miles on the clock, had not been run for 20 years.” The Classic Motorcycle, December 2014 edition.
On May 13th 1958, Buddy Holly and the Crickets each bought a new motorcycle from Ray Miller’s Motorcycle Shop in Dallas after returning from a successful world tour. Joe Maudlin (bass) chose a Triumph Thunderbird; Jerry Allison (drums) bought a Triumph Trophy; and Buddy purchased the limited-edition Ariel, of which only 200 were made. They rode 350 miles home though a thunderstorm, wearing new matching Levi jackets and peaked caps.
After “the day the music died” - 3rd February 1959, when Buddy, along with "The Big Bopper" (Jiles Perry Richardson Junior), Richie Valens and pilot Roger Peterson died in a plane crash in Iowa - the bike stayed with Buddy’s family until they sold it in 1970. Nine years later, it was presented to Waylon Jennings as a 42nd birthday present.
Therein lies a certain irony. The plane (which, contrary to popular belief, was not named “American Pie”) was chartered to transport the three musicians to Moorhead, Minnesota on the “Winter Party Dance” tour. Other members of Buddy’s post-Crickets band - Waylon Jennings, Tommy Allsup and Carl Bunch - were to travel in badly-equipped tour buses. Waylon had originally been amongst those who were meant to fly, but agreed to the flu-ridden Big Bopper’s request to exchange places with him. When Buddy learned that Waylon wasn’t flying to Moorhead, he said in jest, "Well, I hope your ol' bus freezes up." Waylon responded, "Well, I hope your ol' plane crashes," a humorous but ill-fated response that haunted him for the rest of his life.
Waylon Jennings died in 2002.
The purchase of the bike wasn't straightforward...
“After being snubbed as 'bothersome teens' at several motorcycle dealerships along Main and Elm Streets - the dealers not realizing these were wealthy musicians, with a number 1 hit in the charts ('That’ll Be The Day') - the lads were actually kicked out of the Harley dealership… [They then] took a cab to Ray Miller's Triumph and Ariel dealership at 3600 W. Davis Street, out in the Dallas suburbs on old Highway 80.”
“Ray Miller had only opened his shop the previous year, in the summer of 1957, having moved from El Centro, California; he and his wife must have watched the Ed Sullivan Show, for they recognized the lanky boys (Holly was just under 6' and weighed 145lbs), and gave them the red carpet treatment. While Holly chose the rare 650cc Ariel Cyclone (…it was the high-compression, 40hp version of the more sedate Huntmaster), bassist Joe B. Maudlin chose a Triumph Thunderbird, and drummer Jerry Allison bought a Triumph TR6A Trophy...all paid with cash on the spot.” (The Vintagent, 2011.)
!["The Day The Music Died." - Forums [Biker Match]](/images/backgrounds/strips/8mobileLQ.jpg)
!["The Day The Music Died." - Forums [Biker Match]](/images/backgrounds/strips/8desktopLQ.jpg)
