In the 60s, Montgomery Ward’s sold a Benelli-built moped in two variants – the 150-D and 250-D. The latter got all kinds of fancy upgrades, including a speedometer!
Rare Project – 1978 Laverda Montjuic
The seller of this Montjuch took it apart “to make improvements” but some health issues got in the way and after “several years of no progress” he’s letting it go so that someone else can finish the work.
Sitting for 18 Months – 2008 Ducati Desmosedici RR
In their attempt to create the ultimate sportbike, Ducati created 1,500 examples of the Desmosedici D16RR. The RR stands for Racing Replica, and it was a limited production version of the Desmo racebike piloted by Casey Stoner in MotoGP.
Backflip Display Model – 2001 VOR MX 503
Normally, a pristine VOR MX 503 would easily be interesting enough for me to feature by itself, but this example is literally on another level! It’s been converted into a display bike as if it is in the process of completing a backflip thanks to a custom Thor-branded aluminum stand and a fully articulating mannequin adorned in Pastrana 199 Signature …
Land Speed Moped – 1970 Tomos
6-15-2018 Update: Over two years later, Zack B notes that this Tomos is back up for sale. It looks much different now (and not for the better, I’d say). Check out pictures in the listing with an unmet opening bid of $999 in Crawfordsville, Indiana here on eBay. Post-Sale Update: After being relisted, this Tomos sold for a hefty $10,420.69. …
Rare Restoration – 1972 Benelli Panther
Known in other markets as the 125 Cross, this rare model was named the Panther in the US. Parts can be difficult to find, which is why I’m shocked to see that someone has take it upon themselves to give this example a significant restoration.
558 Miles in Canada – 2005 Ducati Multistrada 1000S DS
Introduced in 2003, the Ducati Multistrada 1000 was quickly complemented by a smaller (620) model. Multistrada translates to “many roads’, and the idea was that you’d get ADV comfort for all day riding without the pretensions of going off-road with a heavy beast. The initial run had some teething problems – not in terms of reliability but in terms of …
The Original Italian Power Cruiser – 2012 CR&S Duu
CR&S is a boutique Italian manufacturer that is in many ways comparable to Arch Motorcycle. The two both produce ultra top-shelf, S&S V-Twin-powered, performance-oriented cruisers, but while Arch’s models have received ample public attention and media exposure, CR&S’ offerings are little known in the good ol’ US of A, which is a damn shame considering the Italian marque makes some …
Pre-Motocompo Folder – 1970 Carnielli Motorcycles MotoGraziella
When the subject of “folding scooters” comes up, most people’s minds will wander to Honda’s Motocompo, but there are a number of other collapsable, small-wheeled scoots that predate the Honda by several decades. The “All American Scooter”, the 1960’s Centaur, or Carnielli Motorcycles’ Motograziella.
596 Miles – 1971 Harley-Davidson Sprint SX350
By the time Harley-Davidson introduced the Aermacchi-built SX, it was already outdated from a performance standpoint. They took the SS street bike, gussied it up with a few parts to make it a street scrambler, and the SX was born. Like most of the street scramblers of the day, it had off-road pretensions without real off-road performance. Despite all that, …
1976 Moto Morini 3 1/2 Sport
Post Sale Update: This 3 1/2 sold for $6,500 after 9 bids on eBay. In one of their reviews of the Moto Morini 3 1/2 Sport, Cycle World said, “For the lucky few, the Morini is worth what it costs.” Considering the fact that this bike (with a 39 horsepower, 344cc engine) cost as much as a Honda CB750, it …
Rare Project – 1986 Cagiva Aletta Oro S2
In 1985, you could have won a few bets with the knowledge that after the big four Japanese firms, the largest producer of motorcycles in the world was Cagiva. That spring they introduced a new model called the Aletta Oro (which roughly translates to “little Gold Wing”), and Cycle World called it “the most eagerly anticipated motorcycle in Italy. A …
Spirit of the Seventies Build – 1997 Ducati 600SS Custom
UK-based customs outfit Spirit of the Seventies has produced some of my all-time favorite retro-themed builds. As the shop’s name suggests, SotS specializes in transforming modern machines into retro-styled customs and while this particular Ducati project is one of the shop’s low-end builds, it’s nonetheless a pretty fascinating one; making just a couple major modifications and leaving the majority of …
Well-Modified – 2005 Ducati Monster S2R 800
2018 marks 25 years for the Ducati Monster, and it’s had quite a run during that quarter-decade. In 2005, the model line was updated with a new king – the S4RS Testastretta (999 Superbike motor/Ohlins suspension) and the S2R desmodue (2V Desmo motor). The latter borrowed the styling from the former but it offered similar amounts of joy for a …
1982 Ducati Pantah 600SL
The Ducati Pantah 600SL (actually a 583cc) was the first Ducati to use a hydraulic clutch. Other upgrades included Bosch ignition, Paoli forks, and a tougher gearbox. The engine was good for 57 horsepower at 8,500rpm and it was paired with a 5 speed transmission and Dell’orto carbs. A year later, the Pantah got an even bigger engine and became …