I think the R1200GS is a great bike, but it’s just a little too common for me to feature regularly on Bike-urious. With that said, I’ve made a point in the past of featuring a less unique bike if it’s a smoking deal – and I think this GS fits the bill. It’s been well loved for the last 26,000 …
1948 BMW R35
By the time production had ended, the BMW R35 was the German firm’s most successful motorcycle in history. It was introduced in 1937 and was capable of about 100km/h (60mph).
1970 Maico 501
Post Sale Update: This Maico sold for $9,000 after 11 bids on eBay. One of the most sought-after vintage MX bikes of all time, the Maico 501 was released in 1971 and dropped jaws just because of the displacement. At the time, it was the biggest two-stroke speed junkies could buy.
1962 BMW R69S
Post Listing Update: This BMW was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. The BMW R69S, produced from 1960 to 1969, was BMW’s sportbike of its day. With 42 horsepower, it was by far the most powerful bike BMW made at the time. You had to pay to play ($1,564 in 1966), but that extra money bought you one …
1975.5 Maico 250/5 GP
Here’s a well-modified example of the Maico 250/5 GP, which features a polished aluminum MX tank, powdercoated frame, Pro-Fab boxed swingarm, Works Performance shocks, the magnesium front hub from a Yamaha YZ, and plenty more. This bike has also been kitted with lots of vintage WheelSmith parts, including a titanium bolt kit, pegs, airbox, and a ported cylinder. It’s clearly …
Basketcase – 1965 Volkswagen Apex
Post-Sale Update: Whatever this mystery bike is (probably a re-badged Gilera), it sold for $1,009 after 36 bids on eBay. Alright, you know I try to avoid featuring non-running motorcycles. But I have to make an exception when I encounter something I’ve never heard of before, which is why you now see a Volkswagen Apex in front of you.
1 Owner – 1993 BMW R100GSPD
Post Sale Update: This Paris-Dakar sold for $7,900 after 31 bids on eBay. The BMW R100GSPD (PD stands for Paris-Dakar) is my favorite of the dual-sporting BMW’s – even if this specific example is yet more proof of my theory that in the 80s and early 90s, BMW’s designers had a lot of trouble with color selection.
Candy Cane – 2007 BMW R1200S
The sportiest R-series that the firm had ever made (to be usurped by the HP2), the BMW R1200S was an evolution of the R11S, though this time they focused much more on the first half of the “sport-touring” equation.
1939 Zundapp K800
Zundapp had tremendous success in the 30s with the K series of bikes, the smallest of which was 200cc, and the largest of which was the Zundapp K800.
1980 Kramer 400
Post Listing Update: Despite 23 bids up to $3,050 on eBay, this Kramer did not meet reserve. I always love featuring motorcycles I’ve never heard of before – I get to learn and share at the same time. Here’s another opportunity for me to learn, with the Kramer 400. Adolph Kramer was a dirt bike tuner and builder extraordinaire who …
Not a GS – 1993 BMW R100 Desert Racer
Who needs a GS when you’ve got an imagination and mechanical ability? This BMW R100 has been extensively modified into a desert racer and is now ready for you to tear up some trails with it.
1984 BMW R65LS
Post-Sale Update: This BMW R65LS sold for the BIN of $4,200. The BMW R65 was the baby touring bike in BMW’s lineup, built from 1978 to 1993. A limited run, called the BMW R65LS, was built from just 1983-1985. Less than 6,500 of the LS bikes were built, and it was a very polarizing design. Even to this day, riders …
Restored Rarity – 1978 BMW R100RS Motorsport
Post Sale Update: This Motorsport sold for $6,477 after 29 bids on eBay. A classic in its own right, the BMW R100RS needs no introduction. However, in 1978, BMW released a limited edition – the Motorsport. Just 200 were sold in the United States.
Rare Project – 1958 Zundapp Citation
Post Sale Update: This Citation sold for $8,900 after 24 bids on eBay. The Zundapp Citation is an interesting motorcycle that started as a Horex Imperator. The latter’s 400cc engine had the displacement increased to 452cc, and it was then named after the Triple-Crown winning horse.
16k Miles – 1989 BMW R100 GS
The BMW R100 GS was the bike that broke open the mold for BMW. While the R80GS was the first of this new category of bikes, the R100 updated everything and sold over 34,000 units. The best way to sum up this bike would probably be in the words of my mechanic, who calls it a “pavement-indifferent” touring bike.