“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 …
1911 Harley-Davidson Model 7
1911 was a very big year in the history of Harley Davidson. The motor company expanded from 150 employees in 1910 to 550 at the end of 1911. They put out a stunning 5,625 units, more than double the 1910 production. All were model 7, and most were the 30 CID single cylinder but the Model 7 D featured a …
1970 Rupp Enduro
In the 70s, Rupp was one of the leading producers of minibikes in the US. They introduced the Enduro in 1970 along with a company-wide new design for the frame and carb.
In Denmark – Wrenchmonkees Monkee AW16
The Wrenchmonkees are one of Europe’s best-known motorcycle customizers, and they have quite a prolific portfolio of builds. This is the 69th motorcycle they have built, and after taking it around Europe on exhibits through 2016 they’re now looking to pass it off to a private owner.
Serial #1 – 1982 Cub Commuter Microcar Project
Built by Convenient Machines, the Cub Commuter was one of several efforts in the 80s to produce a cheap mode of personal transport for Americans. A seller in Vermont has two projects available. They’ll both need a lot of work, but one of them is the first example off the production line.
Ending Soon – 1968 Harley-Davidson FLH Electra Glide
1968 was not a particularly good year in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Electra Glide had debuted as a 1965 model and 1966 saw the brand new Shovelhead motor for the big twins. The Shovelhead made roughly 10% more power than the Panhead which more than made up for the added weight associated with electric start and rear suspension. That part was …
1912 Indian V-Twin
1912 was a very good year for Hendee Manufacturing Company of Springfield, Massachusetts. So good that the Indian brand would sell 32,000 units in 1913 to make them the largest manufacturer of motorcycles on the planet with 42% of the US market. The company didn’t officially change it’s name until 1923 when it became the Indian Motocycle (no r) Company.
One Off – Steam Powered Hensel Trike
Post Sale Update: This oddball trike sold for $8,361.96 after 51 bids on eBay. I wonder what will happen to it… Decades ago, a Californian aviation mechanic named Fred Hensel built this three wheeled steam powered vehicle. It was registered in California as a motorcycle, so I’m going to share it!
Twin Engined – Custom 2x150cc Baja Trike
When reader Christian E sent this over to me, he said it was most definitely “Bi” and “Curious.” How could I not feature it?
A Weekend With the AWD Rev’It #95!
It’s Sunday morning, and I’ve been working up the courage to try this for hours. It’s finally time to forget my instincts and see what happens when I hold a slide around a corner and then whack the throttle open. On a normal big enduro, that’s an easy way to turn a slide into a lowside. But this is no …
Super 8 – 1971 El Burro Minibike
The full name of this little scoot is actually “El Burro Sand n Sno Bike.” Obviously it would handle pavement with no problems, but the idea was that you could air down the tires to 1-2 psi and the 12-inch wide tires would create enough of a footprint to get around in sand or even on snow.