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Vintage Racer in Canada – 1976 Yamaha TZ250C

In Japan, Race by AbhiLeave a Comment

Post Listing Update: After 6 bids on eBay, this TZ did not meet reserve at $4,363.24. Introduced in 1973, Yamaha’s TZ250 was instantly competitive in club racing and was even able to make a dent at the GP level with a few modifications. Thanks to the aftermarket, it stayed competitive for 3 decades. The “C” model was the first major …

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Gooichi Motorsports Showbike – 2008 Honda CBR 1000RR

In Custom, Japan by Tim HuberLeave a Comment

Modern sport bikes are hands-down my favorite kind of motorcycle, but I’ve never been a fan of the heavily-customized Japanese liter bike-builds with custom paint, massive rear wheels, and single-sided swing-arm kits. This style makes a little more sense to me on already non-agile models – like the ZX-14R or Busa – than it does on a GSXR1K, but in …

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Ex-Lightweight TT Racer – 2006+ Kawasaki Ninja 650R

In Japan, Race by Tim HuberLeave a Comment

Kawasaki knew it had something special with its mid-sized parallel twin motor – this engine has been used to power a handful of different bikes from different classes and has even been utilized as an increasingly popular flat-track weapon. The 650cc eight-valve four-stroke DOHC twin boasts digital fuel-injection with dual 38mm Keihin throttle-bodies, producing fun yet practical power for the …

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Restored and Enjoyed – 1971 Suzuki T500 Titan

In Japan, Standard by AbhiLeave a Comment

Post Sale Update: After 33 bids on eBay, this Titan sold for $6,200. Though it was always in the shadow of Honda’s CB450, the Suzuki T500 (also known as the Titan) was one of the best bikes the firm had made to date. Thanks to the intellectual theft of 2-stroke technology from MZ as detailed in Stealing Speed, Suzuki was …

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#405 – 1969 Honda CB750

In Japan, Standard by AbhiLeave a Comment

Post Listing Update: This CB750 got no interest at the asking price of $49,000. Vic World has earned himself the nickname of “Mr. CB750” thanks to decades of expertise and restorations of sandcast motors. In his words, “we take those parts and assemble a dream. The restored bike will look, run, and feel virtually identical to the legendary machines that …

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1 of 7 – 1985 Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R750 XR51

In Japan, Race by Tim HuberLeave a Comment

Hideo “Pops” Yoshimura undeniably played a pivotal role in the evolution of modern sport bikes. The motorcycle tuner and race team owner is a legend in the racing world and the machines that he built are some of the most sought after historic Japanese racers of all time. In the early 1980s, Pops would revolutionize the world of two-wheeled racing …

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JGR-Upgraded – 2015 Yamaha YZ250F

In Japan, Off-Road, Race by Tim HuberLeave a Comment

JGRMX builds professional factory level parts and bikes for anyone willing to shell out the immense amount that it costs to have the absolute very best in motocross-machinery. Joe Jackson Gibbs served as the head coach for the Washington Redskins from ’81-’92, and then again from ’04-’07 prior to starting “Joe Gibbs Racing” (or JGR) as a NASCAR effort, first …

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Fighting the CT-70 – 1976 Yamaha Champ

In Japan, Less than 5k, Scooter, Small Displacement by Tim HuberLeave a Comment

In 1976, Yamaha brought out its answer to Honda’s wildly popular CT-70 in the form of the 80cc “Champ”, (not to be confused with the Yamaha Chappy or 50cc LC50 Champ moped). The mini was powered by a 72cc oil-injected LB80-3D two-stroke engine (with four-petal reeds), married to an automatic transmission with two-speed centrifugal clutch. The tiny Yammy can reportedly …

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No Reserve – 1980 Suzuki GS1000S Wes Cooley Replica

In Japan, Sport by Tim HuberLeave a Comment

Post Sale Update: This Wes Cooley rep sold for $5,300 after 31 bids on eBay. The Suzuki GS1000S – unofficial “Wes Cooley Replica” – is recognized as one of the Hamamatsu-based manufacturer’s many legendary machines. The GS1KS saw success in AMA competition nearly right from the start and was the predecessor to the now iconic GSX(R) machines. Wes Cooley would …

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Diesel Power – 2009 Kawasaki M1030M1

In America, Dual-Sport, Japan by AbhiLeave a Comment

Post Listing Update: The seller lowered the asking price to $14,000 from the original $30k but that still wasn’t enough to attract any attention. KLR fans, take a close look at that motor. If it looks different than what you’re used to, it’s because this is a diesel-powered Kawasaki built by Hayes Diversified Technologies for the US Marine Corps. Hayes …

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Pristine AHRMA Two-Stroke – Yamaha RD400 Racer

In Japan, Race by Tim HuberLeave a Comment

Building on the success of its popular 200, 250, and 350 RD series machines, Yamaha introduced the RD400 in 1976, continuing to produce variants of the model until 1980. The Japanese air-cooled two-stroke wasn’t just a favorite on the street, but the RD400 was a go-to choice for many when searching for a race platform. The 398cc Yamaha was seriously …

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1 of 11 – 1974 Moto Carrera Del Mar Yamaha RD350 Street Tracker

In Custom, Japan, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

Based out of North Hollywood, California, Moto Carrera was a specialty shop for 2-stroke sportbikes. They were probably best known for the development of some aftermarket parts (especially for Yamaha RDs) like their rearsets and Millenium GP exhausts, but their most significant accomplishment was the creation of the “Del Mar”, a limited production run of RD350-based street trackers. 11 were …