Words: Adil Jal Darukhanawala
The bi-annual Cartier ‘Travel with Style’ Concours d’Elegance show for vintage and classic bikes is going to be held at in the royal and historical venue of the Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad on February 4 & 5, this jewel in the Indian classic car and bike calendar will see many rare and priceless old dowagers on show in all their finery and grace. Among the phalanx of big name judges for the event will be 15-time World Champion Giacomo Agostini.
Before the event takes place this weekend, let us take a look at one example of a vintage bike that commanded some serious money at a recent auction in the UK.
In the world of motorcycles, the cost of acquisition is pretty much on a more affordable scale compared to their four-wheeled counterparts. But then when it comes to truly rare two-wheelers, the prices paid for them at recent auctions makes one weep!
This very rare 1924 Croft-Cameron 996cc Super Eight was snapped up for a mind numbing £2,03,100 or about a crore and seventy lakh rupees at the recent Stafford Sale in the UK! Made in Coventry, the Croft-Cameron was one of the superbikes of its era but rather short-lived and thereby its virtual rarity coupled to its sporty prowess meant a very lucky but well-heeled buyer got a great machine!
The Stafford Sale is one of the prime motorcycle auctions by Bonhams and the same sale saw a 1948 Vincent 998cc Black Shadow Series-B make a tidy £113,500 when its original estimate was thought to be in the region of £50,000 – 60,000! Modern classics also fared well but only if they were of the rare specialised ilk like an ex-works 1977 Ducati 905cc production racer made by NCR for Sports Motorcycles and ridden by Roger Nicholls in the IoM TT F1 race that year. It found a buyer at £59,740, not bad at all!