This beautiful VTR build is what I consider to be a top-shelf build with its extensive masterfully fabricated custom work and its array of borrow components off of high-end European machines. Parts such as the chromoly hardtail frame, tank, and fender were all handmade, as was the custom bobber-style seat.
Cafe or Scrambler? 2002 Suzuki Freewind Custom
This custom build project entitled “Lady O.” may appear to be just one more drop in the cafe racer bucket but upon closer inspection this one-off Suzuki is all kinds of unique. Beginning with the fact this bike started its life as a XF650 Freewind from 2002 which was the last year it saw production. The Freewind was essentially a …
Daytona 200 History – 1974 Yamaha TZ750A
Post Listing Update: This TZ750 did not meet reserve at $40,000. Yamaha’s TZ750 is one of the legends of factory and privateer motorcycle racing. Cycle World called it one of the six greatest motorcycles of all time, and part of that honor came from the fact that a TZ750 won the Daytona 200 nine years in a row. Now, not …
Savage Scrambler – 2000 Suzuki LS650 Custom
The Suzuki LS650, also known as a Savage, used to roll off the factory floor as a simple entry-level cruiser (it’s since been replaced by the S40 Boulevard). But it’s proven to be an interesting platform for cafe racers, as shown by companies like Ryca, as well as a starting point for scrambler builds, like today’s featured example from Droog …
Ex-Factory Racer – Malcom Stewart’s 2014 Honda CRF450
Factory race machines are the pinnacle of production-based two-wheelers. As their name suggests, these bikes come straight from the manufacturer who is giving it all they have in hopes that their bike will win its respective championship which will hopefully translate to satisfactory sales numbers and steer buyers towards their offering over the competition. Well, this 2014 CRF450 is no …
Three Wheeler – 1984 Honda ATC 200S
Honda brought the 3-wheeler to the US thanks to an engineer named Osamu Takeuchi. Osamu was simply trying to create a product that could bolster motorcycle sales during winter months, but by the time it was all over he had created something so prone to causing injury that the US Justice Department banned them entirely. The model line started with …
End of the Road – 2017 Honda Z50 50th Anniversary
View PostPike’s Peak Winner – Shelbourne Formula 2 Sidecar Racer
6-20-17 Update: Tim Huber notes that this bike is still for sale, but now with a $1,500 discount. Find it here on Craigslist, still in San Francisco, California. The last time this race rig competed, it won the sidecar class of this year’s Pike’s Peak Hillclimb. Previously in 2016, it competed in 4 other races and it has placed either …
Unexpected Custom – 1993 Suzuki GN125
View PostRestored – 1975 Honda CB550
After a twenty year slumber, this CB550 Four was recently brought back to life with a down to the frame restoration.
Double the Displacement – 1979 Honda CT70 Custom
There’s something special about micro-displacement trail bikes. So many of us have a sentimental attachment to these little machines as a lot of riders spent time romping around on these as kids, for a lot of people this was their first experience on a motorcycle. Restored examples of these machines aren’t very common and the direction this CT70’s builder took …
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?
Ending Soon – 1986 Suzuki RG500 Walter Wolf
There are a few iconic race/sport-oriented motorcycles that have stood the test of time far better than the majority of two wheelers and the Suzuki RG500 Gamma is a prime example of this. To this day, the RG500 retains its off-the-charts “cool-factor” with its fascinating bodywork and design, not that it wasn’t impressive from a mechanical or engineering standpoint for …
Turnkey RaceTeam: Pro 2015 Yamaha R3s
I recently sat down with Axcess Racing Team owner Dr. Laura Ellis for an interview about starting her team (that won the championship its first year!) and other race-related topics. It became increasingly clear to me that starting up a racing team, even one using “entry-level” production bikes is beyond taxing. It’s for this reason that makes coming across a …
YZ426 Motor, CRF250R Frame – BBR 426 Hybrid
One of only three ever made, this Brown Brothers Racing “YZ426S” is a truly fascinating hybrid motocrosser. Marrying the lightweight aluminum-frame from the (early-2000’s) nimble Honda CR250R with the Yamaha YZ426F’s proven power plant to deliver this high-performance made-to-order dirt-goer that sold for $20k back in the early 2000’s. Combining the best of both worlds, it’s not hard to see …