Rokon was founded in the early 60s with the intent of developing a “moto-tractor” that featured two wheel drive. This task was achieved with a combination of shaft, chain, and belt drives, and it enabled riders to go nearly anywhere – as long as they weren’t in a rush!
1951 Indian Brave
Did you know that you have 11 choices to describe your personal relationship on Facebook? And that one of them is “It’s complicated”? I’d really like to give you a background and lineage on this Indian Brave but, well, it’s complicated. If anybody has a definitive history of the Indian Brave, I’d love to know. I’ll tell you what I …
1972 Harley Davidson Shortster
Post Sale Update: This Shortster sold for $1,750. In 1972 Harley (Aermacchi) introduced the 65 CC Shortster minibike. It was an apparent attempt by Harley to get kids on a HD and get them dreaming of the big bike. One advertisement showed a youngster standing with his minibike by a pond. The reflection in the water was a Sportster. The …
1976 TriVette
During the 1970s, America was suffering through an oil embargo. Lots of small companies tried to enter the automotive market by focusing on gas mileage. Bob Keyes of Ventura, California looked at a study that found “93% of the vehicles on the freeways in Southern California were being driven with only a single occupant, the driver.” His thought that having …
Yamaha Engine – 1949 Harley-Davidson Hummer Racer
I’d love to know what the builder was thinking when he put this together. Starting with a ’49 Harley-Davidson Hummer, he added a ’53 Teleglide front end and…the motor from a ’87 Yamaha YZ125!
Custom Thunderbolt – 1996 Buell ST2
Motorcycle.com called the Buell ST2 Thunderbolt a touring sport bike (rather than the usual sport-touring nomenclature) because they felt Buell gave you a sport bike that had some touring features. This custom build keeps the ST2 name and motor…but not much else. What do you think about it?
1953 Harley-Davidson ST165
Part of the immediate aftermath of WWII was the Allies seizing and using certain German patents to boost their own civilian production. Among these was the DKW 125 that was copied in England by BSA (Bantam), in Russia (Mockba M1A), in Japan (Yamaha YA1) and Harley Davidson’s S125. Harley brought out the S125 in 1948 with it’s two stroke 125CC …
1947 Cushman Ice Cream Vendor
It was a softer, gentler time. People were mostly polite to one another, and life moved at a slower pace. Even the ice cream man didn’t have a shrieking PA sound system to announce his proximity. The vendor had a polite and pleasant bell system to alert customers. Based on the 50 series scooter, Cushman made a front box three …
Entry Level Harley? 1967 Harley-Davidson M65 Sport
In the 1960’s Harley Davidson realized it had nothing to compete with the small, entry level motorcycles that were flooding into the US from the Far East. As a result, it teamed with Aermacchi in Italy to produce Harley-badged models for the US market. The first to appear in the US was the Sprint 250, and later this model, labelled …
1936 Indian Dispatch Tow
Post Listing Update: Unfortunately this listing was quickly pulled off of eBay, the seller says “there was an error in the listing.” I’m assuming that’s a lie, but it doesn’t matter at this point.
LSR Potential – 1967 Harley-Davidson Sprint
“You are never truly fast unless you are the fastest.” – Don McBride. My friend McBride held the Land Speed Record for 1000 CC (4 wheels) off and on for several years during the 90s. At one point he held 1k natural aspirated gas and fuel AND 1k supercharged gas and fuel at the same time. Land Speed Racing is …
Sonic Weld Frame – 1966 Triumph 650
Sonic Weld was another of those companies that built custom frames for racing. Think along the lines of Trackmaster, Rickman, Cheney or Champion. It was common in the 70’s and 80’s to take an engine from a stock Bultaco, Ossa, Triumph, Yamaha, etc, and put it into a custom frame for racing. The factory frames were not up to the …
Bookends – Harley Davidson VLs: 1930 and 1936
The Great Depression ravaged the entire economy of the United States, and Harley Davidson was no exception. Total production plummeted and dealers and the company struggled to survive. The 1930 model year saw the introduction of a brand new 74 CID V-Twin motor. Sidevalve design it would become known as ‘the Flathead’ in the HD lexicon. It offered a huge …
One Year Only – 1936 Harley-Davidson VLH with Sidecar
A one year only model, the VLH was arguably Harley’s ultimate flathead. This example stands out as it was ordered with several choice options: the 80 ci engine, 4-speed transmission (a $15 option), 19″ wheels/tires, speedometer, and a sidecar. It has been sitting for 3 decades but it runs and rides!
1949 Harley-Davidson Hydra Glide
1948 was the first year for the PanHead motor which featured alloy heads and hydraulic valve adjustment. In 1949 Harley Davidson introduced hydraulic telescopic fork front suspension to their big twins. The combination put a dagger in Indian’s heart. Harley had become the technology leader by a large margin. Hydra Glide. Doesn’t seem like much today, but the Hydra Glide …