The Scott Motorcycle Company started producing the Flying Squirrel in 1925 and continued right through to the last one produced in 1949. It was originally offered with a 498 cc or a 596 cc water cooled 2 stroke twin.
In England – 1978 Yamaha SR500 Custom
The English Electric Lightning was a Cold War era jet fighter known for having an incredible rate of climb – pilots said flying it was like “being saddled to a skyrocket.” That plane was the inspiration for this Yamaha custom built by Old Empire Motorcycles – a SR500 dubbed “Lightning.”
1967 Matchless Hybrid
1967 was very nearly the end of the line for Matchless and Norton Villers (the parent company) Leftover 1968 models were sold as 1969s but 1967 was really the last year for regular production. In the early and mid 60s Matchless had seen some serious engine problems to the point where the parent company combined the factories and started putting …
New in Crate – 2009 Triumph Bonneville 50th Anniversary
Post Sale Update: This special Bonnie sold for $11,253.53 after 25 bids on eBay. The Bonneville has been around since 1959, and since that time there have been a few limited edition runs like the Silver Jubilee I’ve previously featured. In 2009, Triumph released 650 examples of a 50th Anniversary bike, and this one stands out as it’s still in …
1951 Ambassador Supreme
With model names like Popular, Courier, Embassy, and Supreme, you could probably guess that Ambassador Motorcycles was based out of England. The firm was founded in 1946 by Irish motorcycle racer Kaye Don, and they used Villiers engines until the company went under in 1964. The brand had some success with exports to Australia and New Zealand, but they’re hard …
1999 Royal Enfield/Buell Custom
Post Sale Update: This crazy custom sold for $3,050 after 15 bids. Yes, it’s another Robert “Doc” Harms build – I will never not feature one of these! This time around we’ve got a turbocharged Buell single in a Royal Enfield frame, and it’s probably my favorite of the offered builds so far.
1962 BSA Spitfire Scrambler
Post Sale Update: After being relisted, this Spitfire Scrambler sold for $8,500 after 27 bids on eBay. Also known as the Rocket Gold Star Scrambler, the Spitfire Scrambler is one of the rarest variations of BSA’s A10 model line up. It was an export-only bike that was primarily sold in the US and it was designed as an scrambles/desert racer …
Beautiful Survivor – 1972 BSA B50MX
Post Sale Update – After 12 bids on eBay, this BSA sold for $7,101 on eBay. BSA made 3 different versions of the B50 – you can probably guess what the B50MX was for. It was offered starting in 1971 for off-road competition, but within a couple of years BSA was dead and some remaining stock was sold off as …
Rectangle Eight – Dual Engined 1956 Ariel Square Four Custom
Here’s something you don’t see every day – two Ariel Square Four engines in a custom frame all wrapped in Suzuki bodywork. The photos aren’t great and there isn’t much information…but did I mention that it’s got two Square Four engines?
Dunstall Kit – 1974 Norton Commando 850
By the 1970s, Paul Dunstall’s business had grown to the point that he was shipping entire bikes directly to dealers in the US, in addition to producing kits for specific models. Though by this point in his career he nearly had a 50/50 split of output between Honda and Norton, he’s much more famous for his work with the latter. …
A Birthday Wish – 1951 Vincent Black Shadow
Editor’s Note: Tom Wacker is back sharing cool finds on Bike-urious, and this time around he’s got a bit of a birthday wish…
More of Doc’s Crazy Customs – BSA and Indian
View PostStart Your Collection – 1950 Ariel Square Four
One of the most desirable bikes on the planet is the Ariel Square Four. It’s named for the absolutely unique engine design which is basically two parallel twins in the same engine case. The flywheels for both twins were directly geared together which made for some complex plumbing and mechanicals.
1973 BSA B50MX
This bike was the end of the line for BSA Singles. They had offered 250’s, 350’s the famous 441 and finally the 500cc B50. B50’s had an extensive racing history, setting records at the Isle of Man, and winning endurance races in the UK at Thruxton and Mallory Park and in Spain at the Monjuic race in Barcelona. This is …
Not That Metisse – 2014 Metisse Triumph CR900
Obviously, hearing the Metisse name should make you think of the Rickman brothers and their legendary work with the off-road frame that could accept a variety of engines. Well, turns out there’s a German company named Team Metisse that’s also in the business of upgrading motorcycles, and they’ve created a cafe kit called the CR900 for previous-generation Bonnies and Thruxtons. …