A Tribute to the Crocker Motorcycle

The v-twin Crocker Special was America's first true Superbike. These bikes were built in limited numbers from 1936 to 1942. Each one was hand assembled and the customer could specify engine sizes from 61 cubic inches up to 90 cubic inches, the type heads (hemispherical or polyspherical), as well as the level of chrome trim, paint scheme, tank size, etc. (The vast majority of the Crocker Specials were 61 cubic inch models with poly heads. Only about a dozen were made with the hemi-head engine.) Each Crocker was, in effect, a factory produced custom bike, which is one reason of the few remaining Crockers, no two look exactly alike.

No bike produced by Indian or Harley could come close to matching the performance of a Crocker Special, not even the famed Harley Knucklehead. A bone stock 61 Crocker Special put out 60 horsepower to the Knucklehead's 40 and could do nearly 120 MPH off the showroom floor, which means the Crocker could run with the likes of Britain's Brough Superior SS100, and later the Vincent Black Shadow.

Al Crocker never intended the Crocker Special to be a mass produced bike. It was a performance machine for true aficionados who could afford the best. Even in the midst of the Great Depression, there were more orders than the small factory in Los Angeles could hope to produce. But, sadly, the Crocker was a victim of WWII and production ceased in 1942. In all, approximately 100 Crocker Specials were made, of which about 60 are still around today.

Check out www.crockermotorcycleco.com for info on the re-introduction of the Crocker.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Crocker
• Harley
• Indian
• v-twin
• motorcycle

[wolfman4u1]

I think the Crocker was built in Culver City So. Ca

[Gary7even]

@wolfman4u1 The Crocker manufacturing facility was located at 1346 Venice Boulevard in downtown Los Angeles.

[wytfut]

Best I've seen... very good

[hypnotstcollector]

argueably better than a Vincent Black Shadow/ Lightening. Probably better but since i was 9 i wanted a Vincent. And Britton

[modelleg]

Never had heard of Crocker...wow what a revelation.

[dogcamtrev]

Nice slide show and music thanks

[schlusselmensch]

@FenrirLupus I must agree. About the only motorcycle without a suspension that I'd have the slightest bit of use for would be a Rokon. A Vincent is a pleasant bike to ride, even on the crap roads hereabouts that seem to be the best that our local government can do with the great shiteloads of tax we pay. A Crocker would just be misery.

[depeche03201985]

i wish buy one of these, but actually the price is around 85,000 - 100,000 us dollars to get one of these beauty and i guess the actual owners do not sold them bikes