Though Kenny Dreer wasn’t able to Norton back to life, he did create a small batch of Commandos called the VR880. If the general shape looks familiar, it’s because Stuart Garner acquired the rights to the Norton name and Dreer’s prototypes in 2008 – and he’s been rolling since. Heard about their upcoming 200 horsepower V4 superbike? Or the plans …
Flathead V8 Power – 1973 Honest Charley
Post Sale Update: This Honest Charley sold for the opening bid of $14,500. Want 8 cylinder power in a cruiser but think that Boss Hoss bikes are ostentatious and ridiculous? Check out this Honest Charley-branded bike, which features a 60 horsepower Ford flathead! Honest Charley was one of the original speed shops – older readers may remember seeing ads for …
Early Laverda – 1969 American Eagle 750S
Post Sale Update: This American Eagle sold for $10,400 after 32 bids on eBay. Laverda was introduced to the American market via two models called the 750S and the 750GT. The catch is that the bikes were not officially Laverdas – they were American Eagles, the brainchild of Jack McCormack. Jack had helped Honda and Suzuki break into the US, …
1941 Indian Scout 741
Indian produced 3 military Scout models during WWII. The 641, the 741 and the 841. The 641 and 741 used the standard 30.5 CID (500 CC) Indian V twin, the 841 turned the motor 90 degrees and fitted a shaft drive. Though they sold over 40,000 units to various militaries a good many left over units were sold to civilians …
In England – Deus Grievous Angel – Yamaha SR400
Deus calls this bike their “signature SR build“, and it’s a very pretty example of what a street tracker can look like. It’s not every day that a Deus build goes up for sale in the second hand market, so it’s always nice to see what the asking prices (and selling prices) are.
1921 Harley Davidson Model J Solo
The HD model J was introduced in 1915 with the 61 CID flathead V-twin. By 1921 there were two model J’s and two JD’s (Solo and Sidecar). The JD used a 74 CID motor and there were three variants of that motor offered: A=High Speed Police, B=High Compression for high altitude use, and E=Special Racing Motor. The J and J …
Price Unknown – Veteran Salt Flat Racer with 4 Harley Engines
I really try to avoid featuring bikes that don’t have for sale prices clearly listed, but I had to make an exception for this fantastically cool land speed racer.
“ADV Cafe Scrambler Tracker” – 1984 Honda VFR700
Built to mock the stereotypes of biker builds that have taken over in some circles, this ridiculous Honda allows you to “grab your flannel, beard oil and PBR and get a taste of the NW moto scene astride one of the most unique and tastefully constructed steeds you will ever lay your eyes on.” Ever ridden a bike with a …
1977 Harley-Davidson XLCR 1000
When it was released, the Harley-Davidson XLCR (CR stood for Cafe Racer) was supposed to be an instant success powered by Harley’s most powerful production engine to date. It was a jet black departure from HD’s usual chrome fare. It didn’t sell well at all, and now it’s a cult classic.
1955 Mustang Stallion (Model 8)
Mustang Motorcycle was a division of Gladden Products. They started developing motorcycles during WWII and shortly after bought Busy Bee Company to guarantee the supply of motors for their motorcycle division. The 1947 Mustang Model 2 is said to be the first motorcycle manufactured in the US with a telescopic front fork. The Model 2 was the basis for almost …
1916 Harley-Davidson Model J Twin
The 1916 Model J brought about a couple of moderate changes for Harley-Davidson. It was the first year they got rid of the bicycle pedals and featured a kickstarter, plus the styling of the tank took on a rounder aesthetic. This was also the last year Harley painted their bikes in grey before they switched to the also-iconic Olive Drab.
1957 Cushman Eagle
Introduced in 1949, the Cushman Eagle was an attempt to copy ‘real’ motorcycle styling, and it obviously worked. The Eagle was by far Cushman’s most successful model, the flagship of the venerable company.
1969 Indian Boy Racer
In 1968 Floyd Clymer bought the Indian Motorcycle name and some of the tooling with the idea of resurrecting the legendary marquee. Clymer was a legend in the motorcycle world before he bought Indian as a publisher of books and magazines, including Cycle. He was a car dealer, a motorcycle dealer and distributor, and mostly successful at all of them. …
Ending Soon – The Last Indian 1953 Chief
By 1953 Indian had expired. All that was left was to put out the last Chief and close the doors. The Chief was introduced in 1922 and was the staple of the Indian line until the very end. There can be little doubt that the 1953 Chief was the finest motorcycle that Indian built, but it wasn’t enough to save …
2013 Cleveland CycleWerks Ace
There are two quotes that I always remember when I see small displacement, lightweight bikes. 1. “Simplify, then add lightness” – Colin Chapman 2. “It’s more fun to drive a slow car fast than drive a fast car slow” – Abner Perney These quotes were directed by car people at car people but in reality, apply just as perfectly to …