In the wreckage of post WWII Italy the aircraft and maker Piaggio decided that Italy desperately needed cheap and reliable transportation. They patented their first effort in April, 1946 and had a 1947 model in production. Their aircraft heritage clearly showed in the bodywork of the newly named Vespa. By the early 1960s Vespa was being made under license in …
Never Started in England – 1987 Benelli 304
30 years ago, this Benelli was unpacked and put on display. That’s pretty much where it has stayed since, which is why the seller says it’s basically new.
5 Rarities in Italy
A elderly gentleman in Carini, Italy has a collection of bikes, most of which he has owned for over 30 years. Unfortunately, he is getting old and needs to sell some motorcycles, so a group of his friends are helping out. They’ve currently got 5 bikes up on eBay, and all are said to be “in beautiful restored condition” and …
Entry Level Harley? 1967 Harley-Davidson M65 Sport
In the 1960’s Harley Davidson realized it had nothing to compete with the small, entry level motorcycles that were flooding into the US from the Far East. As a result, it teamed with Aermacchi in Italy to produce Harley-badged models for the US market. The first to appear in the US was the Sprint 250, and later this model, labelled …
1954 Bianchi Cervino
All I’ve been able to figure out about the Cervino is that it has a 175cc 2-stroke. I’m familiar with other Bianchi models like the Tonale, but I don’t know about this bike and my usual attempts at internet sleuthing aren’t helpful. Do any of you have experience with or knowledge of the Cervino?
1978 Ducati 900SS Replica
The fine folks at Austin Vintage Cycle (they have the good sense to support Bike-urious, so check ’em out!) are selling a replica of a 900SS – if you’re not a stickler for authenticity, you may find that this is a much cheaper way to enjoy similar riding dynamics.
LSR Potential – 1967 Harley-Davidson Sprint
“You are never truly fast unless you are the fastest.” – Don McBride. My friend McBride held the Land Speed Record for 1000 CC (4 wheels) off and on for several years during the 90s. At one point he held 1k natural aspirated gas and fuel AND 1k supercharged gas and fuel at the same time. Land Speed Racing is …
RM Sotheby’s in Paris – 1932 Rudge 500 TT
View PostRare Trials – 1982 SWM TL320
SWM started building the Rotax-powered TL320 in 1977. Incremental upgrades were put into play until the bike was killed off in 1984, but the highlight of the model run was right about when this specific bike was built – in 1981, Gilles Burgat won the FIM World Trials Championship. This example has been restored so you can do your best …
1998 Bimota 500 V-Due
1-17-17 Update: This bike was pulled off eBay, and reader Henry V notes that it is now back up for sale with an asking price of $35,000 here on Craigslist. The V-Due is one of the most interesting things that ever came out of Bimota. It came out to tremendous fan-fare as the first two-stroke with fuel injection – yielding …
1958 Zundapp Bella
Zundapp was able to sell about 130,000 examples of the Bella scooter between 1953 and 1964. Engine options were a 150 (146) or 200 (198) – here’s an original example of the latter.
2000 MV Agusta F4 750
When an Italian superbike manufacturer wants to return to the international limelight it behooves them to do so with a calculated blend of panache and ferocity, as only the Italians can. In 1998 MV Agusta unveiled the F4 750, and began production for the 1999 model year with the Serie Oro (“Gold”) along with the more pedestrian “S” model, which …
1966 Benelli 250
At the time this Benelli was produced, most of their bikes were being imported into the US through Montgomery Ward under the brand name of Riverside – but this beautiful blue example is proudly displaying the Benelli logo on the tank. Ignore the MW references on the engine case and the seat that remind you that this bike was originally …
1974 Laverda 750 SFC
Post Listing Update: Despite 7 bids up to $35,000, this SFC did not meet reserve. Laverda’s 750 SFC is one of the legends of Italian motorcycles, and this one stands out thanks to a documented history and a Falloon Report from none other than Ian Falloon.
1973 Ducati 750GT
The 750GT was Ducati’s first entry into the larger-displacement category. For years they had been building very successful single-cyclinder, small displacement street, scrambler and racing bikes. The 750GT was a 90 degree twin, with bevel-driven, rather than pushrod or chain-driven cams. It did not have the famous Desmodromic valve actuation system, as it was initially designed as a touring bike …