Japan’s first scooter was built in 1946 by Fuji. Called the Rabbit S-1, it was released six months before Vespa’s first model. The Rabbit was the name given to Fuji’s scooter lineup, and it ranged from the top-of-the-line Superflow down to the S-202 which was later introduced as an entry-level offering for those who just needed cheap transportation.
5 Miles – 1986 Bimota DB1
The Bimota DB1 is a critical bike in Bimota’s history – in fact, it’s credited with saving the company from near-certain bankruptcy. Two pieces of curved fiberglass came together to create the distinctive pearl white bodywork surrounding a Ducati 748cc engine.
Restored – 1970 Triumph Tiger TR6R
1970 was the last year before Triumph went with the Oil-In-Frame design, and the single-carb’d 650 twin was available in 4 options: TR6, TR6C (Competition), TR6P (Police), and this TR6R roadster.
Rare Project – 1978 Bultaco Streaker
The Bultaco Streaker was a beautiful little cafe racer that was only produced for 3 years. Rumors suggest that just 28 were imported into the US before the EPA changed emissions regulations in 1979, effectively rendering this bike (and most other two-stroke highway vehicles at the time) illegal.
1966 Triumph Tiger T100 Chopper
Starting as a Tiger T100, this chopper is adorned in a lovely shade of “Sangria”. For more on the base Tiger, check out this profile on Classic British Motorcycles – they call it “the hottest 500 on the market!”
64 Miles – 1974 Honda Monkey Z50J
I was on a big Monkey kick after I got to try the new one, and I’m still always on the lookout for interesting examples. This ’74 model is a JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) example and it’s got just 102 kilometers on the odometer (64 miles).
703 Miles – 1989 Honda XL600V Transalp
When Honda brought the XL600V over from Europe in 1989, America wasn’t ready. The 583cc V-twin adventure bike was more capable than anyone could have imagined. Many news outlets noted its biggest limiting factor was the tires of the time. Twin spark heads and a 450lb weight offered agility on the road, while full fairings looked the part. Meanwhile, long …
Up-Specced and Fullly-Faired – 2005 Suzuki SV650
As a competent and economical platform, Suzuki’s SV650 makes for a solid choice as the base for a wide array of different types of builds. A popular move is turning the mid-sized twin into a sport or track bike, and that’s exactly what we’ve got here; a well-farkled SV that’s been equipped with a myriad of cosmetic and performance modifications/upgrades.
XR650R Custom – 2013 Deus “Boodaak”
Back in 2013/2014, Deus’ Michael “Woolie” Woolaway built a pair of café’d Honda super singles, with the project fittingly dubbed, the “Sibling Rivalry”. Named “Dakdaak” — which was powered by a CRF450X mill — and “Boodaak” — propelled by an HRC Johnny Campbell-spec XR650R engine with oversized valves and a Carrillo rod — the road-legal thumpers’ monikers were derived from …
Factory AMA Superbike – 2012 Pegram Racing BMW S1000RR
4-20-2019 Update: Two years later, the same seller has put this bike back up with a $6k discount. You can now find it for sale still in Palm Coast, Florida with a BIN of $15,000 here on eBay. According to the seller, 2012 was the last year that BMW factory-sponsored a race team in the US. Here’s the A-bike from …
Project with Race History – 1972 Harley-Davidson XR750
Offered with no reserve, this XR750 was raced throughout the 70s and 80s by Mike Boyes, who then sold it to Yoshi of Garage Company. It was then sold to Mike Cheiky, then to New York City Motorcycles, and now it’s with someone in Venice, California who’s looking to pass it on as a piece of history.
2009 Suzuki SV650
The Suzuki SV650 is like the modern day Honda CB750. 700cc standard bikes are common these days, but 10 years ago the choices were limited to the Ducati Monster and the Suzuki SV650. Suzuki’s 645cc V-twin has since been written in trackday folklore, eventually becoming stuck in time itself as the market made their preferences clear. The bike has barely …
1928 BMW R52
Designed to be a tourer, the BMW R52 featured a 486cc boxer twin that generated 12 horsepower. The three-speed transmission had just been redesigned for this model, during a time frame when BMW was constantly making changes. Due to this, BMW switched to pressed-steel frames by the end of 1929, meaning the rare R52 was produced for just two years.
1959 Victoria Avanti
Mecum calls the Victoria Avanti the little sister to the Tin Banana. Victoria’s advertising called it “the ideal light weight motorcycle”. Whatever you call it, the Avanti is a distinctive 50cc moped with some exquisite details.
In Australia – 1976 Moto Guzzi 850 T3 Custom
Built by Max’s Moto Works of southeastern Australia, this custom Guzzi started as a 850 T3. Thanks to custom bodywork and a long list of rebuilt mechanicals, it’s now an interesting one-off cafe racer.