Whenever I travel outside of the US, I try to snap photos of all the motorcycles I see to enjoy what’s different. Here’s my shots from about 10 days in Costa Rica.
Track Weapon – 2012 Kawasaki ZX-10R Tom Sykes Replica
View PostText Intermission – Rolling Physics Problem
A motorcycle blog by Greg Shamieh, Rolling Physics Problem is an entertaining site billed as “a thinking persons motorcycle site”. Greg has written for Motorcyclist Magazine, Motorcycle Times, and One Wheel Drive – and more importantly, he regularly commutes on a BMW R90S. That’s my kind of guy.
Ex Police – 1977 Honda GL1000
This 1st gen Goldwing used to be a cop bike, and it retains the original cop lights, radio, and siren (though they’ve been disconnected). It’s been recently serviced and has just 6,800 miles on it.
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 …
BikeEXIF Feature – 1984 BMW K100
Built by Jeff Veraldi, this custom BMW K100 cafe racer looks great and served as a bit of therapy for him – unfortunately he burst a vertebrae in an off-road truck race and almost was paralyzed during the build. Finishing this bike became part of his “physical, occupational, and mental therapy”.
Picture Intermission – Nettesheim BMW Museum
View PostFly and Ride – 2014 KTM 1190R
I don’t make it a point to feature modern mass production bikes, but… 1. the 1190R is absurd. 2. this provides an amazing opportunity for a fly and ride for those of you that want to ride up to the top of Alaska.
1990 Honda XL600V Transalp
Though these are common in other countries, the Honda Transalp is a rare bike in the US – it was only sold here between ’89 and ’91. Out of the three color schemes, Fighting Red was the rarest.
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.
1989 BMW R100GS
Alright, you guys are eating up the classic GSes so I’m going to keep hitting you with them.
Restored – 1964 BSA Lightning Rocket
In their seemingly never-ending quest to take over the US market, BSA took their Rocket and then made it faster with a high state of tune. Here’s a ‘completely restored’ example that’s been given some tasteful upgrades.
Reader Ride – 1995 Ural Solo
6-27 Update: 8 months later, it looks like this bike is now available here on Craigslist for $3,450 in Oaks, Pennsylvania. Post-Sale Update: This Ural Solo sold for an unknown amount off of eBay. When I say Ural, it’s difficult not to think of the motorcycle/sidecar combo. But they also offer the motorcycle by itself (called the Ural Solo), and …
Video Intermission – Who Needs to Sit?
View PostKLR Cousin – 1990 Kawasaki Tengai
This Kawasaki Tengai was created as a sister bike to the venerable KLR 650. Magazine tests of the time cited the Tengai as a bit better off-road, and most thought it was better looking due to the extra plastic.