Post Sale Update: This RC51 sold for $5,000 after 1 bid on eBay. The RC51 combined Honda reliability with the joy of a V-Twin engine, beating Ducati at its own game with multiple World Superbike Championships and a AMA Championship. In 2002, Honda made some revisions to create the SP2 variant.
Serial #1 in Canada – 1990 Yamaha TDR250
Post Listing Update: This TDR was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. With a retuned TZR250 two-stroke motor good for nearly 50 horsepower in a dual-sport frame, Yamaha’s TDR250 was unlike anything available in the US at the time – especially because Yamaha never officially sold it here! A few were sold to our northerly neighbor of Canada, …
Silent Video Intermission – Manufacturing the Rover Imperial
Rover was best known for cars and trucks (such as the Land Rover), but the company started with bicycles and motorcycles. In 1902, they introduced the Imperial, and they would go on to build over 10,000 bikes from 1903-1924. Here’s a delightful video showing how an Imperial was put together, along with some bonus footage of test riders at the …
Coast to Coast in 50 Hours – Day 1
My father likes to say that there are three kinds of people: those who learn from their own mistakes, those who can learn from the mistakes of others, and those hopeless souls who don’t even learn from their own mistakes. As I found myself starting yet another road trip behind schedule, I tried to quantify how disappointed he’d be in …
October 2018 Result Highlights
View Post1 of 101 – 1999 Ducati Monster Cromo
In 1999, Ducati released a special edition of the Monster. They called it the Cromo, and it was obviously named due to the distinctive tank, which was complemented by a carbon fiber rear seat cover and rear fender. It also got adjustable front forks and the high-po 74 horsepower engine. The next year, Ducati added fuel injection to the Monster …
Replica Frame, Original Motor – 1911 Pierce Four
Post Listing Update: This Pierce did not meet reserve despite 15 bids up to $44,667. The first four-cylinder motorcycle built in the US, the Pierce Four showed up other American brands that still looked like bicycles with motors. The Four emphasized the “motor” in motorcycle with a 696cc engine that pushed 7 horsepower through a 2-speed transmission. The hefty frame …
Story Intermission – American Flat Track on NPR
Motorcycles don’t get enough coverage in mainstream publications, so I was pleasantly surprised to find this NPR article on how American Flat Track is mounting a comeback. I know that, and YOU know that, but if we want non-riders to learn about this kind of stuff then stories like this are paramount.
1987 Yamaha SDR 200
Originally sold only in the Japanese Domestic Market, Yamaha’s SDR200 can now occasionally be found in Europe and the US thanks to the grey-market. Reminiscent of a tiny Ducati monster, the SDR features a distinctive trellis frame.
1994 Honda XR650L
Introduced as a 1993 model, the XR650L was a revelation that was considered by many to be the best dual-sport ever. Impressively (or depressingly, depending on your outlook), the bike has just about stayed the same as it’s still offered new from Honda with the tagline of “Post-Apocalyptic Reliability“. It’s still a capable explorer – Nathan did LA-Barstow-Vegas on one …
Pair of Last Editions – 1984 BMW R100CS and R100RS
A seller in New Hampshire has two examples of BMW’s “Last Edition” bikes from 1984. It was a model name that did not age well! Back in 1984, BMW sold a limited run of bikes which were supposed to signify the end of the 1,000cc boxer engine bikes in the US – this is back when BMW though the K-bike/Flying …
Pipeburn Featured in Canada – 2004 Buell XB12R Firebolt Custom
Post Listing Update: This custom Buell did not get any interest at the asking price of $12,000. Built by Sylvain Carignan, this Buell Firebolt started as a project with a broken transmission and it evolved into a cafe racer that’s dripping with carbon fiber.
1969 Suzuki AC100 Wolf
Suzuki’s little bike lineup in the late 60s consisted of the 125cc street-based Stinger, the 120cc off-road Trail Cat, and the dual-purpose 100cc Wolf.
Picture Intermission – 39th Annual Hansen Dam Rally
View PostSwiss Army – 1975 Condor A350
A bike built for the Swiss Army, the Condor A350 was produced between ’73 and ’79. 3,000 were produced, and the military only started releasing them to the public about 15 years ago.