What happened to the Crocker engines at Bonhams?

[Barry Brown]

I checked the Bonhams auction results site and there was no mention of the 2 Crocker single engines and the Excelsior single engine as well as the Crocker twin and who knows what else. Were these items all withdrawn ? Were these the engines that belonged to Mike Egan? Just curious as Crockers are fetching as the English say "silly money" and I would not have been a contender anyway but it must have ****** off a few potential bidders. Bad move by Bonhams for their reputation to pull these type of stunts. I heard that Alan deCadenait ( of Speed channel fame) and his wealthy English buddies had discovered this great American classic and have been driving the prices up. Anybody know more?

[Smarty]

Barry,

Sorry don't know what happened to the engines at the Bonhams auction. But why would the English want Crockers, when we have the ultimate pre-war bike the Brough Superior which was engineered and made here in the UK ? (OK so it used HD forks at one point)

Oh yes because wealthy Americans have discovered how obviously Superior they actually are and have pushed up the prices over here in the UK !! It always makes me smile to see photos of UK made bikes with their UK registrations still attached pictured at US events.

Ironic don't you think ?

Martin

[Barry Brown]

Oh boy, and I thought I was the king of opening cans of worms! I can tell you that Alan deCadenait who is listed in an early Brough club roster ( I have been a member for 30 or so years) is the owner of at least 2 ss100's. Now he is totally enamoured of Crockers and has possibly placed an order for 5 replicas built by my friend Markus Karalash in Toronto. I have not had the pleasure of meeting Mr. deCadenait but after watching his series on speed channel am convinced he is a major gear head and obviously has good taste for machinery from both sides of the pond. I also suspect rich people can get bored and this is something new. Crockers and Broughs are like apples and oranges. A comparison would take pages. They are both great bikes but for different reasons. The ill conceived British licensing system that can result in good machines being destroyed so that Lord "toffee nose" can have something akin to a "vanity number" . The reason Americans leave the plates on their bikes is that they realize the plates have become an inordinately valuable part of the bike and arguably it's history, contrived or otherwise. Here in Ontario you just make up whatever you want on your plate ( within the bounds of decency) and pay your hundred bucks and the local inmates hammer out your plate.
As the owner of an ss100 and a Crocker I can tell you that I love each equally. The Brough as you are probably aware is considered by many Anglophiles and true Brits ( especially Vincent owners) as a glorified "bitsa" to which I reply, maybe , but how many bitsas set the world land speed record 3 times not to mention the inherant beauty of an early ss100 has never been matched. The Crocker was built in a smaller factory than the Brough with fewer employees but was not a bitsa, more like a miracle. It is doubtful that Al Crocker ever met George Brough but I am sure they would have hit it off. Al admired the English burman gearbox and girder fork etc. and George of course was not ill at ease to use American bits on his bike AND cars, especially the HARLEY fork which permutated into the castle and the HUDSON chassis for his cars, so much for all made in Britain!

[Smarty]

Barry, good to correspond with you,

IMHO anyone who owns and rides a Brough is the possessor of exquisite taste and to own both a Brough and a Crocker must truely be a priviledge not available to many.

I just hope Mr de Cadenet (not sure his surname is strictly a product of the norman invasion of England in AD 1066) appreciates them both for their form and engineering and rides them as they were intended to be ridden and doesn't just suspend them from his mantle piece as trophies to compare with his circle of likeminded friends. Why would he want 5 replicas though, isn't 1 enough ???

I'm glad to hear exporters of UK bikes appreciate the significance of the registration numbers that certain unscrupulous "dealers" here in the UK glibly strip from historic vehicles. As you might be able to tell I'm not a fan of the number plate dealers here in the UK. It's not the ill conceived system that is at fault its greedy politicians who have over the last 20 years popularized the practice of "cherished" registrations here in the UK for profit.

Best Regards,

Martin