Post Sale Update: After 28 bids on eBay, this Ducati sold for $5,676. The story of Ducati motorcycles can be traced back to a man named Aldo Farinelli, who developed a small motor that could be mounted to a bicycle to help mobilize the people of Italy after World War II. He named the motor “Cucciolo” (Italian for “puppy”) because …
Mandello del Lario Mutt – 1975 Moto Guzzi 1000
View PostNumber 2 – 2009 Bimota DB7
6-24-17 Update: Almost a year later, Tim Huber notes that this bike is back up for sale – you can find it with an asking price of $22,000 here on Craigslist in Henderson, Nevada. Post Listing Update: This DB7 did not reserve with bidding ending up at $16,100. The DB7 was Bimotas first superbike after their rebirth in 2003, and …
1 of 12 – 2009 NCR Ducati Mike Hailwood TT
Post Listing Update: This NCR did not meet reserve at $74,600. 6-21-17 Update: Apparently, that sale fell through as the bike was relisted again in November 2016 for $110,000 with no takers. Half a year later, Tim Huber has noted that this bike is back up for sale, though it’s now in an auction format instead of a Buy-It-Now. Let’s …
1 of 99 – 2006 MV Agusta F4 1000 Veltro Strada
MV has produced quite a few (arguably too many) special editions of the F4 over the years, but one of the most interesting was the Veltro. It was offered in two flavors – Pista (race) or Strada (road). 23 of former were built, while there were 99 examples of the latter. The general consensus among F4 fans seems to be …
Upgraded – 2003 Ducati 999S
The Ducati 999 was a controversial motorcycle and was greeted by mixed reviews upon its being debuted with much of the fuss being over the 999’s appearance, in particular the headlight. Regardless of its aesthetics the V-twin powered triple-nine did achieve its fair share of success in the racing-world with back-to-back WSBK championships in 2003 and 2004 along with a …
Fresh from the Petersen – 1954 Vespa Ape
6-17-17 Update: The former eBay listing says that this was sold on eBay for $25,100 after 42 bids, but it looks like that sale did not go through. Contributor Tim Huber notes that htis is now up for sale here on Craiglist for $30,000, still in Palos Verdes, California. Every once in awhile you get to see something so unique …
Unexpected Custom – Kawasaki KLR with a Ducati V-Twin Motor
It looks like a KLR…but take a second look at that motor. Are you as confused as I am?
2000 Moto Guzzi V11 Sport
Moto Guzzis are an acquired taste. If you’ve ever ridden one, you would immediately know what I mean. Their owners can be a quirky group, but you have to give them credit for their loyalty, and they tend to rack up the miles. The V11 was Guzzi’s attempt to grab a piece of the “sportbike” market in the late 1990’s.
El Diablo – 1981 Moto Guzzi CX100 Custom
Post Sale Update: El Diablo sold for $9,500 on BaT. 6-15-17 Update: A month later, reader Sam P pointed out to me that this bike is now up for bidding at Bring a Trailer. Bidding is up to $3,001 and you can find it here on BaT. Post Listing Update: This CX100 did not meet reserve as bidding stalled at …
In Italy – 2006 Moto Guzzi MGS-01 Corsa
Post Listing Update: 30 bids on eBay got up to $22,300, but that wasn’t enough to meet reserve. Moto Guzzi Sport, Number 1 – that’s what MGS-01 stood for. Doesn’t matter what you called it, it was an unexpected taste of what Guzzi would be capable of if they wanted to rub shoulders with Ducati or Aprilia in the exotic, …
1987 Cagiva Alazzurra SS 650
Post Listing Update: Despite being relisted several times, this Alazzurra could not get interest at the asking price of $4,500. In 1985, Cagiva bought Ducati to jump start their entry into the big bike market. Cagiva immediately took the Pantah and evolved it into the Alazzurra, and in 1986 they released a fully-faired version called the SS 650.
Gentleman’s Tourer – 1985 Moto Guzzi California II
Moto Guzzi is a proud Italian company that has been making motorcycles for close to 100 years. Prior to WWII, they were primarily small-displacement singles and twins, and they have a long history of success in racing, with 14 World GP Championships and 11 TT wins. At the end of the 1960’s, they produced their first transverse twin that powered …
Rare Racer – 1979 Bimota YB3
For most of Bimota’s history, their bread and butter has been taking proven existing power plants (in the YB3’s case the Yamaha TZ350) and dropping them into advanced frames and outfitting them with trick components and bodywork. The YB3 is a rare example of one of the Italian manufacturer’s late-seventies/early-eighties race machines. Different sources made different claims but anywhere from …
Moto Giro Mount – 1962 Wards Riverside (Benelli) Cobra
Back in the 60’s some of the major US department stores sold European small-displacement motorcycles in the American market. Montgomery Wards rebadged Benellis and sold them under the Wards-Riverside name. You could buy them in the store, or from their long-gone catalogs. Here’s an ad for the 4-stroke 250.