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Exotic
V-twin classics for Vegas
(Guy 'Guido' Allen, December 24,
2024)
The annual giant
January Mecum auction in Las Vegas is promising some
exotica for the V-twin fan
Leading the value hunt
is this single-speed 1915 Cyclone
61ci (999cc) racer – a model which has made a
couple of notorious auction appearances over the last
decade. Best-known is in 1915 an example formerly
owned by Steve McQueen fetched Au$1.2 million
(US$775,000, GB£618,000), plus commission.
Certainly the star
factor was significant in the bidding for that bike.
Back then, only six examples were thought to exist
and, while this example has no McQueen connection,
we've since seen the overall market rise. Watch this
space...
Perhaps a little less valuable, but still fetching telephone numbers, is this 1938 Crocker with 62ci (1016cc) overhead-valve engine and four-speed transmission – advanced spec for the day. Crockers were hand-built in tiny numbers and have taken on near-mythical status in the USA. See the Hagerty backgrounder. Values are hard to nail down, as they can be volatile, but you can start thinking Au$600,000-plus (US$400,000-plus, GB£320,000-plus).
From the other side of
the Atlantic is a 1927 Brough
Superior SS80 running a 988cc JAP engine with
three-speed Sturmey-Archer transmission (above). It's
said to be one of nine survivors from that year's
production. No estimate is offered, but the Hagerty
valuation tool puts it at around Au$186,000
(US$116,000, GB£93,000).
A 1938 version is also available in the same sale.
Likely to go for a whole lot
less is this 1934 BSA G34-14 outfit, running a
986cc V-twin with three-speed transmission and
regarded as a robust luxury bike in its day. The most
recent sale we could find for a similar
machine was via Iconic in the UK, which sold it
for a modest Au$22,500 (US$14,000, GB£11,200).
Let's move across to
Sweden. A rare sight is this 1928
Husqvarna model 200 with its 550cc side-valve
engine and three-speed, all made in-house. It's
carrying an estimate of Au$48-64,000 (US$30-40,000,
GB£24-32,000).
We're back in the UK and
this time have a 1930 Royal
Enfield Model KL, with a 976cc side-valve twin
and three-speed transmission. Billed as an ideal
sidecar tractor, it requires recommissioning and
carries the same estimate as the Husqvarna at (US$30-40,000, GB£24-32,000).
Speaking of rare Royal
Enfield V-twins, a little while back we got to play
with a sportier version, namely the 1937 1140cc KX. It was a
great ride – see the story here.
See the full Las
Vegas catalogue at Mecum.
It runs from January 29 to February 1, 2025.
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