Post Listing Update: This Enfield was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. Royal Enfield is a brand steeped in British history that has been given new life thanks to Indian investment. The Continental GT was once Britain’s fastest 250; a title to be proud of. The current model has deviated as little as possible from the formula, remaining …
2011 Triumph Tiger 800
Triumph introduced the mid-sized Tiger in 2011 to very little fanfare. I personally never cared for this bike, but several people I trust in the industry swear by it thanks to its 3/4 size compared to big ADV bikes, excellent ergonomics, and a hell of a triple that owes its existence to Triumph’s famous 675 with longer stroke and less …
1951 Vincent Rapide Series C
Post Listing Update: This Rapide did not meet reserve despite 20 bids up to $49,100 on eBay. The baby brother to the legendary Black Shadow, the Vincent Rapide was sold from 1936-55 in 3 distinct ‘Series’. The final run was the Series C, which commenced in 1949. It offered the Rapide as a base model and the Black Shadow as …
1989 Honda GB500 TT
Post Sale Update: This GB sold for $5,500 after 13 bids on eBay. Every once in a while, for a variety of reasons, a good bike goes unsold. The Honda GB500 Tourist Trophy was a replica of a 60s racers that competed in the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy. It had a 500cc single, gorgeous lines, weighed less than 400lbs, …
1966 Triumph Thunderbird
Post Listing Update: This Thunderbird did not meet reserve despite 4 bids up to $3,100. Foreign manufacturers often have to tweak their models to make them more desirable to the massive American market. I can certainly speak for myself and at least a few other motorcyclists in saying that I would always be happier with “more.” The Triumph Thunderbird, or …
1966 Matchless G15CSR
Post Listing Update: this G15CSR did not meet reserve despite 32 bids up to $8,200 on eBay. The last few years of Associated Motorcycle Corporation can be somewhat confusing as they combined Norton and Matchless parts to build bikes because money was tight. One example was the Matchless G15CSR, which the author of this period review from Cycle World said …
1 of 700 – 1963 Velocette Viceroy
One of Velocette’s least-known creations is a scooter called the Viceroy. It made sense in theory but sales were poor and production ended after just 700 were sold over 4 years (1960-1964). Obviously, they’re now hard to find, especially in the US.
TR7T-Inspired – 1978 Triumph T140E Custom
Post Listing Update: This custom Triumph did not get any interest at the opening bid of $5,000. In 1981, Triumph created a dual-sporter based on the TR7V Tiger in response to BMW’s R80GS. It was called the TR7T Tiger Trail, and it was never officially exported to the US because of emissions regulations. It was an interesting (and very yellow) …
1969 Norton Commando 750
Post Listing Update: This Commando did not get any interest at the opening bid of $11,500. The end of the 60’s was kind of a turning point in the world of motorcycling. British and European bikes were falling behind the Japanese manufacturers in terms of technological and mechanical innovations. In 1967, Norton-Villiers (ex-Associated Motor Cycles) released the mighty Norton Commando …
1954 Matchless G80S
Post Sale Update: This G80S sold for $11,750 after 38 bids on Bring a Trailer in Nashville, Tennessee. In this day and age, there are many similarities we take for granted that allow us to hop on any bike from recent history and go cruising down to the coffee shop. Some people try to stand out with modifications or custom …
1 of 136 – 1972 Rickman Enfield Interceptor
Post Sale Update: This Rickman did not get any interest with the BIN of $18,000. In the early 70s, an aspiring Floyd Clymer (who owned the name of Indian Motorcycles at the time) thought that the 736cc engine from the Mark II Royal Enfield Interceptor was an absolute jewel, and he ordered 200 to use in an hybrid sport-tourer to …
Needs To Be Registered – 1982 Hesketh V1000
9-20-18 Update: Mat G-S notes that this Hesketh is back up for sale with a slightly lower asking price. You can now find it with a BIN of $26,000 here on eBay. Post Listing Update: This Hesketh did not get any action at the BIN of $29,000. By 1981, England was almost irrelevant in the international game of motorcycle production. …
First Factory Custom – 1973 Triumph X-75 Hurricane
The Triumph X-75 is considered by many to be both the first factory custom and the very first cruiser. Designed by famed American fairing guru, Craig Vetter, the X-75 originally started out as a BSA project. After the company bet all its chips on its Bert Hopwood (and Doug Hele)-designed triple, it was left in a bad spot. The design …
1966 Triumph T120TT Special
08-03-2018 Update: Almost four years later, Tim Huber has seen that this TT is back up for sale with a $3,000 discount. You can find it at the Garage Company here on Craigslist for $13,000. A race bike straight from the factory, the Triumph T120TT Special was stripped of weight and had an increase in performance. The model was the …
1931 Sunbeam Lion with Watsonian Sidecar
Sunbeam developed their first OHV motors in the mid 20s, and their 492cc “Longstroke” motor was particularly successful in racing and street trims. The street bike took its name from the motor, and it was known as the Model 6 Longstroke until the early 30s, when the bike was refreshed and renamed to the Lion.