Sharing its roots with the Triumph Trident, the BSA Rocket 3 was a 750cc triple that was designed to extend the model line beyond 650 twins. It was specifically built for the US market, which wanted larger displacements and less vibrations. BSA’s financials suffered with the production of this bike, but nearly 27,500 of the Trident/Rocket 3’s were produced between …
1974 Royal Enfield Bullet 500
View Post1975 Kawasaki Rickman CR900
Post Listing Update: This Rickman did not meet reserve despite 39 bids up to $25,000. There’s a lot to like about this early Rickman kit. It’s powered by the engine from a Z1 that was rebuilt at 1,105cc with 10:1 compression ratio, with a claimed 125 horsepower at the rear wheel. It’s got all of the invoices and paperwork going …
<500 Miles - 1970 Velocette Thruxton
In 1961, the Velocette Venom set a 24 hour speed record (which still stands for a 500cc bike – read all about it here on The Vintagent). 3 years later, the Venom won its class at Thruxton’s 500 mile endurance race. The next year, the Venom gained the Thruxton name and lots of goodies like a twin-leading shoe brake, giant …
1956 Sunbeam S8
After WWII, as part of reparations, BMW gave up its designs of the BMW R75. Bikes like Chang Jiang and Ural used these designs, but England’s take was the Sunbeam S7. You can see the BMW influence when you look at a side profile, but Sunbeam wanted to differentiate themselves by utilizing a inline vertical twin instead of the German …
1968 Norton Commando Fastback
Here’s a first year example of the Norton Commando, one of the first 2,200 that were ever built – the seller claims it’s a ‘show bike’.
Spirit II – 1979 Yamaha XS750 Custom
View PostMagic Button – 1981 Triumph Bonneville T140ES
The Triumph Bonneville T140 ES (for Electric Start) was one of the last bikes produced by Triumph before the Meriden Co-op fell apart and the company was sold to John Bloor.
1965 Norton Atlas
View Post1952 Ariel VHA
Post-Sale Update: After being relisted, this Ariel sold for $12,588 with 24 bids on eBay. The Ariel Red Hunter was a long standing legend – but for just two years (’52 & ’53), they made an all-alloy engine variant called the VHA. Here’s a beautifully restored example of this hard to find bike.
V-Twin Custom – 2015 Royal Enfield Musket
This post ends with a bike for sale, but it starts with the story of an incredibly passionate and talented guy who grew up in India, heard the intoxicating sound of a Harley-Davidson V-Twin, and resolved to replicate that noise with what he had access to – Royal Enfield singles. Several years later he was in the US with a …
1968 Norton Mercury
Introduced in October 1968 (and produced only until February of 1970), the Norton Mercury was considered by some to be a ‘parts bin’ bike when it was released. History has been a bit kinder to it – only about 750 were ever sold and it was the last of the Dominator twins.
1948 Ariel Deluxe KG 500
A model built for just 3 years, the Deluxe KG was Ariel’s lower level trim of their 500cc twin (you may be familiar with the higher spec Red Hunter KH).
1972 AJS 250 Stormer Y4
Post Sale Update: After being relisted, this Stormer sold for $2,202 after 10 bids on eBay. Last time I featured a AJS Stormer, it was an example that was 40 years new. There was a valid concern that it would lose all value once a mile was put on the odometer….so here’s a good looking example that you shouldn’t have …
1958 Ariel Cyclone
A 650cc high-compression variant of the Huntmaster, the Ariel Cyclone was a very rare bike. It seems that the list of documented Cyclones is 174 over two years of production. Ariel called it their “Super Sports Twin”, thanks to a 40 horsepower engine that was an option on the Huntmaster.