Contributor David N continues his tour of local events with a visit to the 26th annual Triumph National Rally! Greetings from the 26th annual National Triumph Rally held last week at the fairgrounds in Oley, Pennsylvania, the same site as the AMCA Spring National Meet. With the Reading Motorcycle Club drag strip just down the road, Oley is quite the …
Never Run – 1970 Sprite 405 Talon
Founded by Frank Hipkin in the mid ’60s, Sprite Motor Cycles (later known as Sprite Developments) as a small British off-road motorcycle company that built trials bikes and scramblers, usually as a kit. One of their bigger efforts was the 405 Talon, and it was exported to several countries under different names: the BVM 405 in Belgium, Alron 405 in …
Gift Intermission – Honda CA160 Engine Beer Tap
After you ride your classic Honda, now you can enjoy a beer poured out of a classic Honda motor!
June 2019 Result Highlights
View PostNeeds Some Work – 1963 IWL Troll
First founded in 1936 by the Daimler-Benz Company for the purpose of producing military aircraft engines, Industriewerke Ludwigsfelde — or IWL — was a German manufacturing firm based just outside of Berlin. Because IWL was making engines for the Luftwaffe, its factory was targeted and bombed during WW2. After the war, the Soviets came and stripped most of the remaining …
Custom Café – 1973 Honda CB750K2
It may feel to some, as it does to me, that the café bike trend has had a resurgence of late. That since about the turn of the millennium, there has been a steady uptick of interest in the bikes, and subculture. We can certainly agree that when Triumph released the Thruxton in 2004, and a couple of years later …
Made in Portugal – 2018 AJP PR7 Rally
Founded by Antonio J Pinto in 1987, AJP is a Portuguese motorcycle manufacturer that found quick success with national enduro championships. They’re barely known in the US, but nowadays they offer some price competitive enduros that combine Chinese motors with impressive components that include Sachs suspension, DOMA exhaust, billet bar mounts/footpegs/triple clamps, and even an Android tablet for navigation/gauges.
1 Owner – 1983 Suzuki SP500
“Tough. Gutsy. Fun on the road. Even more fun off.” That’s how Suzuki introduced the new-for-1981 SP500. It was durable but a little overweight, and nowadays it’s tough to find a clean survivor.
Unexpected Sidecar – 1995 Yamaha TW200
The seller calls this Tee Dub the “ultimate bugout vehicle, which seems appropriate as it’s a TW and it’ll be capable of going just about anywhere on or off road (albeit slowly). On top of that, it’s got a sidecar and the requisite army green paint.
Bender – 1982 Yamaha Virago XV750 Cafe Racer
Post Sale Update: Bender sold for $6,100 after 32 bids on eBay in Brentwood, California. Named Bender, this Virago was rebuilt as a custom cafe racer that was on display at the 2018 Handbuilt Show and 2019 Mama Tried Show.
Bikers Helping Bikers – Carlin Dunne Memorial Fund
By now you’ve most likely heard about the tragic news about Carlin Dunne and his accident at the 2019 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. He was en route to setting a new motorcycle record at approximately 9 minutes and 32 seconds when he crashed less than a quarter mile from the finish line. Ducati North America and PPIHC have created …
Left Side Shift – 1976 Triumph Bonneville 750
In 1976, Triumph swapped sides for the shifter and rear brake pedals to comply with new US regulations that required the shifter on the left. While they were at it, they also installed new petcocks with ON and OFF markings (again, a new US requirement) and swapped out the rear drum brake for a disc.
Eastern Fabrications’ “Red Asphalt” – 2018 Motus MST-R Custom
Built by Lock Baker of Eastern Fabrications (and the man behind Lockhart Knives), this all-American custom took approximately two years to painstakingly piece together. At the heart of the build is the 180hp, 100ci pushrod V4 engine borrowed from the now-defunct Motus MST-R. Wrapped around the mill is a one-off frame paired with a custom swing-arm. Running gear is all …
1954 BMW R25/3
The seller of this beautiful R25 has “traced its lineage/owners back as far as 1968,” noting that he’s got a “reasonably accurate history, down to the Swiss ammo pouch that belonged to Dieter Drews who mounted it on the luggage rack circa 1983, exactly where it resides to this day.”
Rare Pre-Tuono – 2001 Aprilia Falco w/ Factory Streetfighter Kit
Prior to the release of the popular sport naked Tuono, Aprilia offered a factory streetfighter kit for its Falco (or SL1000) model. On top of the Falco’s $10,999 MSRP, owners could opt to shell out an additional $2K for a slick street fighter package.