5-26 Update: This Kenny Dreer Norton VR880 Commando Sprint Special is back up for sale. Bidding is up to $13,951 here on eBay. Post-Listing Update: Despite 53 bids up to $26,900, this Kenny Dreer Norton VR880 Commando Sprint Special did not meet reserve on eBay. Kenny Dreer, the man who almost brought Norton back from the grave several years ago, …
1954 AJS 18CS
I’ve featured a 18S before, but the AJS 18CS was a more aggressive long-stroke version. The C stood for Competition (as a scrambler bike), and the S stood for the fact that it had a suspension as opposed to a rigid rear frame. This particular example has been slightly customized to emphasize the “Competition” aspect.
1977 Triumph Bonneville Silver Jubilee
The Triumph Bonneville Silver Jubilee was a limited edition of the Bonneville. Only made for the 1977 year, 1,000 models were released in the United States to commemorate…the Silver Jubilee (25th anniversary) of Elizabeth’s rise to Queen, even though Triumph had nothing to do with it. How quaint.
974 Miles – 1975 John Player Norton Commando
The Norton Commando was a bike that spawned many variants just based on cosmetic differences. The most collectible of these models was the John Player Norton Commando, a distinctive endurance-inspired Norton with unique bodywork surrounding a completely stock Mark 2A Commando. We’ve never thought the dual headlights upfront were very attractive, but they caught they eyes of many fans who …
2003 Triumph Speed Four
The Speed Triple has been a commercial success for two decades, but between 2002-2006 it had an inline 4 cylinder brother, the Triumph Speed Four. The naked variant of the TT600 sport bike, the Speed Four had the fuel injection problems fixed. The 599cc engine yielded 97 horsepower, good for a top speed of 155 mph and a 3.5 second …
Triple Threat – 2006 Triumph Rocket III Custom
The Triumph Rocket III made quite the stir when it first came out in 2004, as it had the largest displacement engine fitted to mass production motorcycle – a whopping 2.3L that put out 140 hp. Fun fact: the STARTER motor on this bike makes as much power as Triumph’s first-ever motorcycle – just about 1.75 horses. The bike was …
1966 BSA Hornet
Post Sale Update: This Hornet sold for $7,499 after 10 bids on eBay. In the 60s, the US was clamoring for desert racers, and fans of the BSA Lightning were hoping for a stripped down version from the British firm. Enter the BSA Hornet, a 650cc stripper-spec without lighting.
Bad News – 1969 Triumph TR6R Custom
Post-Sale Update: After 30 bids on eBay, “Bad News” sold for $9,000. This lovely Triumph TR6R Custom, named “Bad News”, was built by Jeremy Hoyer and shown at Chopperfest. Now that it’s been previously featured on websites like BikeEXIF, this beauty is up for grabs to the highest bidder.
1955 AJS 18S
The twin of the Matchless G80, this AJS 18S was a big, beautiful 500 single that was a great choice for riders who do their own work. Parts were designed to be rebuilt instead of replaced, and of the classic singles, this bike is probably the best supported of them all.
Wedge Tank – 1927 BSA S27
In the late 20’s, Britain’s motorcycle industry was rapidly expanding. This was partly due to price cutting started by Triumph’s Model P, which sold for less than 43 pounds in 1925. The BSA S27 was built to help compete at low prices, thanks to a MSRP of 45 pounds. However, the fact that they were ‘basic’ means that many were …
450 Miles – 1972 Rickman Zundapp 125
Established in 1960, Rickman motorcycles initially supplied frame kits built for many British bikes, as companies would not sell engines to them. At the start of the 70s, Rickman got access to engines from all around the world, and started exporting several small-displacement motocross bikes, many to the United States. Ranging from 100cc to 250cc in displacement, today we look …
1963 Norton Atlas 750
Named after the ICBM, the Norton Atlas was released in 1962, earning a so-so reputation before being replaced by the classic Commando. Built to appeal to American aesthetic preferences, it was initially only produced for export. The Atlas produced 55 horsepower, with plenty of torque available low in the rev range. Utilizing Norton’s famous Featherbed frame, the bike weighed about …
1960 Royal Enfield Constellation
A higher peformance bike from Royal Enfield, the Constellation was a 700cc with an engine based on the Super Meteor powerplant. Affectionately known as the Connie, this bike produced 51 horsepower thanks to a TT carb and siameze exhaust. The bike also got a new frame to handle the 700cc engine and its new-fangled power. Find this Royal Enfield Constellation …
1970 Norton Commando Production Racer
Post-Sale Update: After 23 bids on eBay, this Norton Commando Production Racer sold for $14,100 Arguably the most collectable of Commandos, the Norton Commando Production Racer (affectionately known as the Yellow Peril) was a street-legal factory racer made available to privateers for a princely sum. At a time when you could buy an Austin Mini for less than $1,500, the …
48 Miles – 1967 Triumph Bonneville
Post-Sale Update: After 38 bids on eBay, this Triumph Bonneville sold for $14,805 – or $308/mile! The Triumph Bonneville is a legend in the motorcycling world, so I won’t bother you with an introduction to this post. But this one stands out because it has just 48 miles on it – and the seller is including 650 spares!