Cruiser diaries Dec 2011

Maybe it’s a bit ghoulish, but I couldn’t resist going to have a nose around the closed-down St Leger Harley dealership in Doncaster on the day before the huge auction where they sold off the assets of that shop plus two other dealers. St Leger, along with Leeds Harley-Davidson and Manchester Harley-Davidson, were part of the same company, Summer Retail Ltd, which went into administration in July.

I was expecting this pre-auction viewing session to be a grim, gloomy affair, but in fact there was an incongruously upbeat atmosphere, more like a works outing to the seaside than a funeral. The 44 people who lost their jobs across the group may feel rather differently, of course.

There were a lot of bikes up for grabs and a huge quantity of other stuff. The bikes were all outside, and even plastered with ‘Lot’ stickers many of them still looked hugely attractive. Most were Harleys, but standing alongside them were several Japanese and British trade-ins, and an incongruous row of electric scooters.

What had been the showroom was brimming with parts and accessories (tanks, mudguards, panniers), loads of Harley’s generally excellent riding gear and casual clothing, and various trinkets that perhaps don’t seem such a good idea now, such as H-D bottle openers and H-D dog leads (two types).

My fellow browsers included other dealers and Harley specialists – many clearly intent on spending big – along with various owners and enthusiasts. There were also many locals with their kids, who seem to be treating it as a jolly day out in the sun, just before the schools went back at the end of the summer break.

Although the underlying problems are serious – an economy in a lot of trouble, and an industry that seems ill-equipped to buck the trend – there were plenty of reasons to feel hopeful, not least the fact that so many people turned up rather than staying at home watching Jeremy Kyle. The burger van was doing a roaring trade, and there were flyers for a new company called Fatboyz (fatboyz.co – this is correct), specialising in American V-twins, offering hope to owners who might otherwise have to ride all the way to Chesterfield or Lincoln for suitable parts, accessories, servicing and advice.

On the day of the auction itself, more than 1000 people turned up, between them spending more than a quarter of a million pounds. Some of the bikes and parts were bought by bidders from Germany and Belgium.

David Smith from auctioneers Charterfields said: “The sale and auction generated huge interest amongst the biking community and attracted visitors from throughout the UK and Europe. We are delighted with the outcome. While it’s sad that the dealerships have had to close, our job is to achieve the maximum returns for creditors and the success of the sale has helped us to do that.”

Street Glide facts

Start miles 220

Current miles 3903

Costs this month £98 (fuel)

What I’ve learnt

Where there are Harleys there are burgers not far away. And happy people.