For many, the Aprilia Futura was poorly named – the angular design felt more “80s anime” than “bike of the future”. Still, it was a sport-tourer with an emphasis on sport, and it was powered by a motor based on the unit found in Aprilia’s repli-racer RSV Mille. Combine that with a comfortable seat and factory hard bags and you …
Ex-Sakata World Championship-Winning 125 – 1998 Aprilia RSW 125 GP
The Japanese had lots of success in smaller GP classes in the 90s thanks to racers like Noboru Ueda, Tetsuya Harada, Shinya Nakano, and Daijiro Kato. At certain points in the mid-late 90s, more than a quarter of the 125cc field was actually comprised of Japanese riders. One of the land of the rising sun’s rising stars was Kazuto Sakata, …
In Australia – 1976 Moto Guzzi 850 T3 Custom
Post Listing Update: This custom Guzzi did not get any interest at the BIN of $20,000. Built by Max’s Moto Works of southeastern Australia, this custom Guzzi started as a 850 T3. Thanks to custom bodywork and a long list of rebuilt mechanicals, it’s now an interesting one-off cafe racer.
1996 Aprilia Moto 6.5
Phillipe Starck is a well-known French product designer and motorcycle enthusiast. In the mid 90’s, he combined those two facets to design the Aprilia Moto 6.5, an in-town runabout that oozes style – but is it the kind of style you like? They are rare finds as they were never imported to the US, which normally translates to high asking …
1977 Benelli Phantom 2C Elettronica
Post Sale Update: This Phantom sold for $2,750 after 1 bid on eBay. A twin of Moto Guzzi’s 250TS, the Benelli Phantom 2C couldn’t compete with bikes like the Yamaha RD in outright feats of speed, but it countered with Italian style and quality components: Borrani rims, Marzocchi forks, Veglia instrumentation, and twin Dell’orto carbs. They’re rare finds, and this …
Rare Restoration – 1972 Benelli Panther
Post Sale Update: This Panther sold for $1,920 after 2 bids on eBay. 4-6-19 Update: Almost a year later, this bike is now up on eBay with a ~$900 discount. Find it in Trenton, New Jersey with an unmet opening bid of $1,895 here on eBay. Known in other markets as the 125 Cross, this rare model was named the …
Le Mans Fairing – 2004 Moto Guzzi V11 Coppa Italia
Post Sale Update: This Coppa Italia sold for $8,800 after 22 bids on eBay. A very limited edition of the V11, the Coppa Italia was very well spec’d, with Ohlins suspension, Brembo brakes, an optional $2,000 titanium exhaust, and more. I’ve seen estimates between 40 and 50 for the number imported into the US. Every example I’ve seen in the …
319 of 2000 – 2001 Ducati MH900e
Mike Hailwood was a legend. Short story: 9 World Championships, 76 Grand Prix wins, and 14 Isle of Man Victories. The full story, which I can’t recommend enough, can be found here on his official website. At age of 40 (which doesn’t seem as old as it used to) in 1978, he came out of retirement to win the Isle …
1981 Moto Guzzi V50 Monza
Post Sale Update: This Monza sold for $6,328 after 35 bids on eBay. When Moto Guzzi first released the V50 in the late 70s, they were met with a tepid response from an American market that preferred bigger bikes and expected smaller bikes to be cheaper. To help the model stand out, Guzzi released a sportier version in 1980 called …
1996 Aprilia RS250 Chesterfield
If you’ve had your heart set on a Aprilia RS250, the ultimate expression of the model might just be the Max Biaggi replica Chesterfield Edition. One of the best-handling bikes ever made, the RS250 was the result of Aprilia working some chassis magic around a tweaked engine from a Suzuki RGV250.
1972 Harley-Davidson Sprint SS350
One of the many Italian-built Aermacchis with a Harley-Davidson logo on the tank, the Sprint SS350 was introduced in 1969 with a bigger motor (the previous Sprint had a 250) as Harley tried to fight off competition from the Japanese. The Sprint was available in two forms: the SX had some off-road flavor with knobbies, high fenders, and a scrambler …
2018 Husqvarna Svartpilen 401
Post Sale Update: This Svartpilen 401 sold for the BIN of $5,125 on eBay Next week I’ll be at the launch of the Husqvarna Svartpilen 701, but the little brother 401 has been available for some time. I prefer it over the Vitpilen 401, and Nathan agreed in his review of both bikes last year. Here’s one with less than …
Restored – 1963 Harley-Davidson Aermacchi 250 Sprint H
Post Sale Update: This Sprint sold for $3,500 after 27 bids on eBay. The Harley-Davidson Sprint H is a classic moto built from the Italian-American partnership of HD and Aermacchi. The H was a sport model that was introduced in 1963 with a small amount of additional off-road capability thanks to 18″ wheels and a bigger air filter. An increase …
Brutale-Based 1 of 10 – 2014 Walt Siegl Motorcycles Bol d’Or
Walt Siegl came of age during MV Agusta’s reign of Grand Prix supremacy, so fast forward a few dozen years to where Walt has established himself as one of the premier custom builders in the world, and it makes sense that the Austrian would want to build a bike (or ten) celebrating MV’s rich racing heritage.
In Italy – 1954 MV Agusta CSS Disco Volante
The MV Agusta Disco Volante (Italian for Flying Saucer, affectionately named due to the distinctive tank) was formally known as the 175 CSS. It was a popular “Super Sport” that’s a perfect candidate for your local Giro.