Post-Listing Update: The opening bid on this 999R was reduced to $15,000 but it still got no action. Designed by Pierre Terblanche, the Ducati 999R (and the regular 999 it was based on) was met with mixed reviews with regards to the exterior styling when it was first released. But no one can deny the success that Ducati had in …
1988 Ducati Paso
11-14 Update: 7 months later, this bike is back up for sale here on Craigslist. Might be time to lowball the seller… Released in 1986 and named after racer Renzo Pasolini, the Ducati Paso was a bike created from odd beginnings. Built during the tumultuous years when Ducati was owned by Cagiva, this bike was designed to compete with the …
2000 Moto Guzzi Jackal
Post-Sale Update: This Moto Guzzi Jackal was removed from ADVRider after selling for an unknown final price. Here’s one you don’t see every day – a Moto Guzzi Jackal. Built as the sportier, Italian alternative to the cruisers that America loves, it was based on the California engine and chassis. Performance only came down low in the rpm range, but …
1 of 50: 1988 Ducati 750 Paso Limited Edition
Post-Sale Update: After 14 bids on eBay, this Ducati Paso 750 Limited Edition sold for $2,550. Released in 1986 and named after racer Renzo Pasolini, the Ducati Paso was a bike created from odd beginnings. Built during the tumultuous years when Ducati was owned by Cagiva, this bike was designed to compete with the up and coming Japanese superbikes of …
1 of 29 – 2008 Bimota Tesi 3D Limited Edition Concept
Post-Sale Update: After 19 bids, this Bimota Tesi 3D Limited Edition Concept did not meet reserve at $25,501. 11-7 Update: Despite an ending bid of $28,600, this Bimota Tesi 3D has been relisted. Find it here on eBay with bidding back up to $21,100 and the reserve not yet met. We’ve been waiting a while to featured the Bimota Tesi …
2006 Ducati Paul Smart 1000LE
Post-Sale Update: After 9 bids on eBay, this Ducati Paul Smart 1000LE sold for $16,920. One of this generation’s instant classics, the Ducati Paul Smart was a limited edition inspired by the Ducati race bikes of the 1970s – one of which was piloted by Paul Smart to a win at the Imola 200 in 1972. Limited to only 2,000 …
Rare in the US – 2002 Mondial Piega 1000
We have no idea how this got into the country, or if you can even make it legal, but we definitely wanted our loyal readers to see it! A niche Italian manufacturer that specialized in high performance, small displacement bikes between the 40s and the 70s, Mondial made their name with World Championship road racers in the 50s, and motorcycles …
1999 Bimota DB4
The Bimota DB4 followed the Italian firm’s modus operandi of taking a well established engine from another manufacturer and surrounding it with beautiful Italian bodywork. Using a frame similar to the Bimota Mantra, this successor wasn’t much of a technological advancement. Think of it instead as a moving piece of art.
Hoon’s Favorite: 2010 Aprilia SXV550
The Aprilia SXV550 is an absolute monster that epitomizes what supermotos should be about – immediate thrust, and minimal weight. With 70hp and less than 320 pounds of curb weight, this bike definitely checks the right boxes. Hooligans unite – this is one of the bikes you’ve been waiting for.
The True Senna – 1995 Ducati 916 Senna
Just a couple of days after we featured a ‘semi-Senna’ Ducati, reader Paul Z. found us one of the real ones! Ducati’s 916 was an instant classic as soon as it was shown to the world. Built for 5 years before evolving into the 996, this bike was one of Massimo Tamburini’s crowning achievements. Though it produced less horsepower than …
“Senna” – Ducati Monster 750 Si.e.
In the late 1990’s, Ducati released a limited edition of the 916, called the Senna. Built to honor the late Ayrton Senna, only 300 were produced in a distinctive gray with red wheels paint scheme. Though Ducati has never officially brought the Senna name back for a bike sold in the US, they have done so for other countries – …
Italian Spec Racer – 1980 Aspes Yuma
Post-Listing Update: Unfortunately, this Aspes Yuma did not attract any bidding at the $9,900 opening price. Aspes was a small Italian manufacturer that produced bikes from ’61-’82, though they were recently brought back to life in 2008. As they never imported bikes to the US, very few Americans have even heard of the firm, let alone seen their lovely creations. …
2003 Benelli Tornado Tre 900 Limited Edition
10-23 Update: Wow, that was quick! This bike has already sold, at the much lower price of $8,200. So much for the 25k asking price. Benelli was one of the many companies that struggled to survive the onslaught of Japanese competition, starting all the way back in the 60s. As years passed, Benelli was bought and sold several times until …
The Original Italian Cruiser – 1987 Ducati Indiana 650
Post-Sale Update: After 14 bids, this Ducati Indiana sold for $2,425 on eBay. Ducati has recently made waves with their power cruiser, the Diavel. But the Italians tried their hand at a cruiser over 20 years before, with the Ducati Indiana. Like most of the featured bikes on Bike-urious, the Indiana was an incredibly interesting motorcycle that ended up as …
1955 Motobi Ardizio
Motobi was a cottage Italian manufacturer that lasted for 27 years after being founded in 1950. The initial name was actually Moto ‘B’ Pesaro, which was shortened to Motobi. In ’53, Motobi developed a 200cc horizontal two-stroke engine known affectionately as the ‘egg’ – note the shape in these photos. This cylinder layout and the pressed steel frame became the …