The tale of the Crocker cycle kicks off in 1882 with the birth of Albert Crocker. Though a shady area his childhood, yet the story picks up with his college studies in engineering and subsequent hiring from the Aurora Automatic Machine Company of nearby Illinois, within the style and design team of the motorbike division. These folks were producing the mighty Thor bike during the time, and Crocker wasn't merely chosen for his engineering acumen, but he also doubled as a competition race player from 1907 to 1908 and won several tournaments aboard its V-twin powered machines. It is cited that he befriended Oscar Hedstrom and George Hendee, concepts of the Indian Motorcycle Co., throughout his racing endeavors, resulting in a long friendship.
As outlined by "The Iron Redskin", Crocker resigned from Thor in 1909 and worked fro Indian. He was assigned in San Francisco to take care of the parts department of the manufacturing plant under the direction of "Hop" Hopkins, a noted bike figure of the day. The plant relocated him to Denver ten years after as branch manager; and in 1924 was sent to Kansan City to manage the Indian dealership there. He continued to distribute motorbikes across the State. He married Gertrude Jefford Hasha in 1925, widow of the famous racer Eddie Hasha, and alongside they gone to Los Angeles several years later to take on the old Freed Cycle Company. In combination with servicing and selling motorbikes, he produced an equipment shop within the industry and offered Indian with crankpins and other small machined parts.
A racer and engineer in his own right, Paul Bigsby, become a member of the shop as a foreman. Both men shared an appreciation of design, motorcycles, and bike racing. Flat track racing started to grow, and they both designed a single-cylinder Speedway racer to contend in this category of bike racing. Estimates contrast on the total number of Speedway racer motorcycles made, however the agreed number is apparently somewhere in 30 and 40.
Bigsby and Crocker went on to produce the popular Crocker V-twin later in the 30s, which gained great praise coming from all those who owned and operated or competed with them. Presently, these are the other Holy Grail of motorcycle collectors. Bigsby also gained fame beyond the bike community with non-motorcycle relevant products.
The bike featured here is a 1933 Crocker Speedway Racer owned by Jerry Gendreau of Illinois. This motorbike and others beautify the Iron Horse Social Club, a popular bar and motorbike bliss around town. Jerry gotten enthusiastic about classic motorbikes in the past after looking at books relevant to vintage race motorbikes . Jerry currently has flat trackers, hill climbers, drag racers, you name it. He can trace the ownership of this bikes back to Sam Parriott, a noted racer and motorcycle enthusiast. He owns a 1948 picture of Sam with this racer and a Crocker twin in California, dry lakes, in which the bike set a speed record of 120 miles-per-hour, and also the Crocker twin set a record of 129.49 miles per hour. Wow!
He got the motorcycle about 15 years ago at the AMCA motorcycle meet in Davenport, Iowa, from Glen Bator, who revived it earlier. The motorbike is outfitted with a 30-112", 500 cc, over head valve, one-cylinder engine that puts out approximately 40 horsepower. Jerry's motorbike still holds some of its authentic paint, and yes it appears like its going 100 miles-per-hour simply fastened on its frame. He's very proud of its historical past, and the fact that it's a rare machine just contributes to its aura.
As outlined by "The Iron Redskin", Crocker resigned from Thor in 1909 and worked fro Indian. He was assigned in San Francisco to take care of the parts department of the manufacturing plant under the direction of "Hop" Hopkins, a noted bike figure of the day. The plant relocated him to Denver ten years after as branch manager; and in 1924 was sent to Kansan City to manage the Indian dealership there. He continued to distribute motorbikes across the State. He married Gertrude Jefford Hasha in 1925, widow of the famous racer Eddie Hasha, and alongside they gone to Los Angeles several years later to take on the old Freed Cycle Company. In combination with servicing and selling motorbikes, he produced an equipment shop within the industry and offered Indian with crankpins and other small machined parts.
A racer and engineer in his own right, Paul Bigsby, become a member of the shop as a foreman. Both men shared an appreciation of design, motorcycles, and bike racing. Flat track racing started to grow, and they both designed a single-cylinder Speedway racer to contend in this category of bike racing. Estimates contrast on the total number of Speedway racer motorcycles made, however the agreed number is apparently somewhere in 30 and 40.
Bigsby and Crocker went on to produce the popular Crocker V-twin later in the 30s, which gained great praise coming from all those who owned and operated or competed with them. Presently, these are the other Holy Grail of motorcycle collectors. Bigsby also gained fame beyond the bike community with non-motorcycle relevant products.
The bike featured here is a 1933 Crocker Speedway Racer owned by Jerry Gendreau of Illinois. This motorbike and others beautify the Iron Horse Social Club, a popular bar and motorbike bliss around town. Jerry gotten enthusiastic about classic motorbikes in the past after looking at books relevant to vintage race motorbikes . Jerry currently has flat trackers, hill climbers, drag racers, you name it. He can trace the ownership of this bikes back to Sam Parriott, a noted racer and motorcycle enthusiast. He owns a 1948 picture of Sam with this racer and a Crocker twin in California, dry lakes, in which the bike set a speed record of 120 miles-per-hour, and also the Crocker twin set a record of 129.49 miles per hour. Wow!
He got the motorcycle about 15 years ago at the AMCA motorcycle meet in Davenport, Iowa, from Glen Bator, who revived it earlier. The motorbike is outfitted with a 30-112", 500 cc, over head valve, one-cylinder engine that puts out approximately 40 horsepower. Jerry's motorbike still holds some of its authentic paint, and yes it appears like its going 100 miles-per-hour simply fastened on its frame. He's very proud of its historical past, and the fact that it's a rare machine just contributes to its aura.
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