Show Girl Agnes O’ Loughlin On A 1926 Excelsior Super X Motorcycle
The 12th National Bicycle Show
New York: Photo shows Agnes O’Loughlin riding the ivory and gold motorcycle which was one of the principle exhibits at the 12th National Bicycle Show at the new Madison Square Garden. photo; King Features Syndicate 1-12-1926
Some things have not changed much in one hundred years. Companies still hire pretty women to demonstrate their products at conventions.
Admission to The National Bicycle Show in 1926 was fifty cents. The show was held at the third and newest building named “Madison Square Garden” which opened on November 29, 1925 at Eighth Avenue between 49th and 50th Street.
Madison Square Garden is a misnomer considering the distance from the building’s two predecessors which were adjacent to Madison Square.
The Excelsior Super X began production in 1925 and was the first mass-produced American 740cc (45ci) V-twin. The developer of the Super X was Harley-Davidson’s Assistant Chief Engineer, Arthur Constantine, who brought the design to Excelsior after Harley’s chief, Walter Davidson turned it down.
The retail price for the 1926 Excelsior Super X motorcycle was $325. Today one of these motorcycles in good condition can sell between $32,000 – $65,000.
Screen legend Steve McQueen owned a 1926 Excelsior Super X which was sold by Julien’s auctions on November 6, 2025 for $160,000.
Agnes O’Loughlin
Regarding the model, Agnes O’Loughlin (alternately O’Laughlin), was a dancer and Broadway ensemble show girl. Agnes was at one time a dancing partner of Rudolph Valentino.
The day before this photo was published, there are other news photos of Agnes working at the Beauty Shop Owners Convention demonstrating a match-box sized lipstick holder.
Among Agnes’ stage credits are Earl Carroll’s Vanities (1925); The Ziegfeld Follies of 1927; and Eddie Cantor’s hit musical Whoopee! (1928- 1929).
In July, 1929 Agnes announced her engagement to lightweight boxer Joe Benjamin and that they would marry by November. That apparently never happened. Because a few months later in December, Agnes was on page one of The New York Daily News in filing a breach of promise suit against singer Rudy Vallee seeking $200,000 in damages.
Agnes said Vallee began dating her in July and promised a November wedding. Vallee said he considered Agnes nothing more than “a good friend.”
Of course Agnes did not collect any money from Vallee, and by the mid-1930s her name vanishes from the press.
