'Eddie Rickenbacker' motorcycles under the hammer

WORLD War One buffs will know the name Eddie Rickenbacker as America's greatest fighter ace of the period but if you're from San Francisco the name is better known in terms of the bar and grill named after him.

Its founder, Norman Hobday (alias Henry Africa), picked up an old Indian as decor for the bar and ended up with 30 vintage machines, hanging from the ceiling, lining the walls and displayed in the window. After his death last year, the collection is to go under the hammer at the Bonhams auction at Quail Lodge in Carmel, California on August 16, during the prestigious Pebble Beach Automotive Week.

Full details of the collection have yet to be released, but it includes Indians, Cleavelends, Harleys, Excelsiors, Ariels, Guzzis and Triumphs as well as a host of lesser-known brands. Keep an eye on www.bonhams.com for more details.