Murder Suspect Drew Peterson's Custom Harley Offered on eBay

(May 12) -- With motorcycle season upon us, many potential riders are in the market for a new hog. And with that in mind, a certain headline name is hoping you'll head over to eBay and drop some hard-earned cash on his 2007 Harley-Davidson Softail.

At $50,000, the starting bid may be a tad inflated -- but he's throwing in plenty of notoriety for free.

"This is the actual bike owned by Drew Peterson and is now being sold in 'as is' condition," the auction listing reads. "This motorcycle is 100% authentic and is being stored in the Chicago area. Serious inquiries only."

eBay

This screen shot shows Drew Peterson's 2007 Harley Davidson Softail listed for sale on eBay.

Peterson, 56, was arrested in May 2009 after a special grand jury found sufficient evidence to charge him in the 2004 death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Police have also named him an "official suspect" in the October 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife, 23-year-old Stacy Peterson.

The motorcycle auction listing has not gone unnoticed by the media, which picked up on it after the website Justice Cafe, an Internet blog devoted to the Peterson cases, broke the news. It also caught the attention of Andy Kahan, a Houston crime victim advocate and staunch opponent of "murderabilia."

"Peterson's a narcissistic egomaniac to think anyone would actually want to own a piece of merchandise from him," said Kahan, who also described the starting bid as "certifiable."

The Kelley Blue Book values a 2007 Softail at between $11,000 and $18,000. According to the listing, Peterson's bike -- described as "canyon copper, candy red and abyss blue" -- has some minor customization, but Kahan says it's not enough to justify the asking price.

"He's trumped up the sale, using his name as a hook," Kahan said.

But according to the Chicago Tribune's website, Peterson may have a very specific reason for his asking price. "[$50,000] is almost the exact amount that attorneys for Peterson ... said in a court filing last week is needed for his June trial," it reports.

Peterson's attorney, Joel Brodsky, was unavailable for comment. In an interview with the Bolingbrook Sun, however, he said his client is selling the bike because it has been sitting for more than a year.

Peterson is being held on a $20 million bond pending his first-degree murder trial, which is scheduled to start next month.

"When he gets out, he can always buy another one," Brodsky said. "They're not going to stop selling Harleys."

And like it or not, Peterson can sell anything he wants right now.

"Here's the reality: The key word is 'suspect,' " Kahan explained. "Notoriety for profit and Son of Sam laws don't kick in unless [someone is] convicted."

Kahan also said he would not be surprised if someone actually buys the bike. "I've seen a lot of strange stuff for sale, and I've seen a lot of bizarre people purchase stuff associated with infamous individuals."

He could be right. Eric Gein, owner of Serial Killers Ink, one of the top-selling murderabilia outlets on the Internet, says the bike would make for a great collector's piece.

"I would love to own Peterson's bike, and I've never even rode a bike," Gein told AOL News, adding, "The fact that it is tied to a case that has America's attention is the only reason it holds my interest."

Gein believes that if Peterson's Harley does sell, it will most likely go to a collector of true-crime memorabilia, rather than a motorcycle enthusiast.

"The fact that it is for sale shows the interest Americans have in true crime," Gein said. "Maybe John Walsh will pick it up and put it on display [at the D.C. crime museum]. It would look pretty cool next to [Ted] Bundy's Volkswagen."

The auction listing, which was updated May 11, is scheduled to run until May 13.