Post Sale Update: After 10 bids on eBay, this little Fizzer sold for $2,800. Officially sold only in Japan, Yamaha’s FZR250R was a little screamer that offered joy to riders that preferred momentum and high entry speeds to face-melting acceleration. The horsepower figure wasn’t bad (45 hp) though the torque was underwhelming (18 lb-ft), but both of those numbers pale …
Fully Restored – 1987 Yamaha YZ250
Yamaha’s YZ series – more than any other bike – has arguably had the most profound impact on American motocross in the last couple decades. The YZ boasts a laundry-list of firsts for production MXers, including reed valves, single-shock suspension, and power valves. To the best of my knowledge, the YZ250 is the longest running production dirt bike. Interestingly, the …
<1,000 Miles - 1978 Honda CB750 Hondamatic
In 1976, Honda introduced the “Hondamatic” variant of the immensely popular CB750. The model was known as the CB750A and it featured a two-speed torque converter that allowed a rider to switch between Low or Drive (shown on the dash as 1 or 2) while stopped. It wasn’t very popular, and after 1978 the model was killed off. Only 1,700 …
Why Buy New? 1989 Yamaha TW200
Post Sale Update: This TW200 sold for $1,526 after 28 bids on eBay. Over the years, Yamaha’s TW200 has barely changed – they just announced the specifications for the 2018 model a couple of months ago and it’s still going to be rocking carbs instead of fuel injection. In fact, over a 30+ year model run Yamaha has only given …
A 30 Year Collection of Bikes For Sale
A seller outside of Reading, Pennsylvania is selling off a collection that he’s taken 30 years to accumulate. There aren’t any steals, but it’s a well curated collection of bikes that savvy motorcycles should appreciate.
#68 of 300 – 1992 Honda NR
Honda has built some amazing motorcycles over the last few decades, but one of the most incredible was the RC40 – but you probably know it as the NR. It was a technological tour-de-force that utilized oval pistons, carbon fiber bodywork, a titanium-tinted screen, and 7 different sensors just to control the fuel injection! Because this bike had more computing …
Phil Nicoletti’s AMA MX Racer – 2013 Yamaha YZ450
Yamaha started what it likes to refer to as the “four-stroke revolution” as they were first to release a 4-stroke motocrosser. From the time Doug Henry piloted that YZ400M to victory in an AMA SX event in Las Vegas, Yamaha’s YZs have won countless high-level racing events and established itself as the go-to 450 for many top riders. The four-stroke …
Honda vs. Kawasaki – 1982 250cc MX Racers
For decades, two-stroke MXers were big business. Production versions of factory competition machines became desirable off-roaders, leading to some of the most iconic quarter-liter off-road racers of all time. Two of those machines are undeniably the Honda CR250R and Kawasaki KX250. Both bikes were “out of the box racers” that were instant classics, receiving various updates over the years in …
All Original Survivor – 1967 Honda P50
First introduced in 1966, the P50 would only have a three year production run before being replaced by its successor: the PC50. The P50 – also known as the P25 or “Little Honda” – was an important bike in Honda’s history. To the best of my knowledge, this little scoot was the first Japanese moped to be imported to UK …
FJR1300 Powered – Home Built Reverse Trike
Motorcycles have the potential of serving as sensible utilitarian vehicles, but reverse trikes like the Can-Am Spyder and Polaris Slingshot epitomize impractical recreational vehicles. While enclosed motorcycle-powered three-wheelers typically cater to a slightly more affluent demographic than standard two-wheelers, this example boasts a far more accessible price tag while still offering much of the raw performance and canyon carving fun …
Old-School Cool – 1974 Kawasaki S3 Mach II 400
The S3 Mach II 400 was a smaller, more tamable version of Kawasaki’s legendary 1970’s triples, though the 400 two-stroke inline-triple still packed enough punch to allow for some legally-questionable riding. After Kawasaki’s enormous success with the release of its H1 Mach III, Mean Green seized on the momentum of its iconic three-cylinder by offering several other bikes powered by …
Original Owner – 1971 Honda CL450 Scrambler
The dual-sport cousin of the Black Bomber, Honda’s CL450 was the best selling of the scramblers of the day. Because of this, you can find one with relative ease even though they haven’t been made in 40+ years. With that said, this one stands out from the rest as it’s impressively being offered by the original owner.
Project Woodstock – Honda Z50 Custom
Winner of Planet Minis’ 2014 Classic Mini of the Year, this is one of the best Z50 builds I’ve ever seen. In the seller’s words, this bike “will eat a Grom for breakfast and laugh at its sillyness.” It could be argued that a bright yellow mini bike isn’t very far on the “sillyness” scale, but this bike is nothing …
All Terrain Cycles – 1986 Yamaha BW200 and Honda TR200
A lot of unconventional motorcycles were built in the 1980’s, especially in Japan. When one manufacturer released an unorthodox scoot, another manufacturer would often follow suit, just in case one of these novel gambles worked. Forced induction is a good example of this, but the factory ATV-wheeled dirt bikes of the new-wave and cocaine-fueled decade may be the best example. …
No Reserve – 1994 Yamaha TZR250RS 3XVA
Post Sale Update: After 25 bids on eBay, this TZR sold for $6,056. Built between 1986 and 1996, Yamaha’s TZR250 was pricey for a 250 but it could compete with much bigger bikes on the track. It was based on Yamaha’s TZ250 race bike and both machines evolved together.