When Kawasaki bumped up displacement of their 600cc class sportbike to 636, street riders rejoice. But spec racers found themselves in a predicament as the new bike was no longer allowed in their classes. Kawi took care of their racing customers by offering an extra “R” with the limited-production ZX-6RR. Though it gave up displacement and a small amount of …
Yvon Duhamel Tribute – 1970 Kawasaki H1R Racer
Post Listing Update: This H1R was pulled off of eBay because there “was an error in the listing.” Based on the H1, Kawasaki created the H1R for competition in the big dog 500cc class of Grand Prix racing. In 1970, Kawi placed second in the constructors championship, thanks mostly to Ginger Molloy, who came in second over the season. This …
1967 Yamaha Big Bear 305 Scrambler
Yamaha named this motorcycle after the Big Bear race, though they never actually won it themselves. That didn’t stop them from slapping the alliterative name onto a range of scramblers displacing 125, 250c, and 350ccs. I don’t have any personal experience with the Big Bear, so I’ll leave you with this critical quote from Matt Cuddy of Superhunky, who said …
950 Miles – 1968 Kawasaki C2TR
Introduced in 1964, the C2TR was a 120cc trail bike with enough equipment to be street legal if the rider desired. It was also known as the RoadRunner, but this example hasn’t lived up to its name yet as it has just 950 miles on the odometer.
Unexpected Custom – Honda ST1100
I never really thought I’d write the words “custom” and “ST1100” together in the same sentence, but here’s one that’s surprisingly been turned into a…well, I don’t really know. A cafe racer, I guess?
Chopped – 1979 Yamaha SR500
Built by Iron Cobras Fabrication of Long Beach, California, this SR500 has been chopped and given larger wheels – 21″ in the rear and 23″ in the front. What do you think about it?
Almost Done – 1977 Kawasaki KZ650 with Turbocharged GSX-R 750 Motor
There’s only one picture, and the seller says it’s tuned and rideable but it still needs a little work. I say whoever BUYS this needs a little work, but it’s so bonkers that I have to share.
Champion Framed – Yamaha DT250 Flat Tracker
Champion racing frames were the highly sought after handiwork of Californian Doug Schwerma. He built frames in the late sixties and early seventies that were highly desired by flat track racers – “champions” like Don Vesco, Steve Baker, and Kenny Roberts could be seen riding Champion frames. After Schwerma passed away, the Champion frame design and name went to another …
Ending Soon – 1975 Honda CB500T Cafe Racer
The T in CB500T meant that the 498cc engine was a parallel twin which produced 34 horsepower. Journalists considered the bike fairly bland and not a standout. Depending on your perspective, that either makes it an excellent or a terrible choice for customization like what’s happened with this example that’s for sale.
Cheapest I’ve Seen – 1982 Yamaha Seca Turbo
Two years ago, I featured a Seca Turbo for $1,800, and I called it the “Cheapest I’ve Seen.”. Now thanks to reader Larry R, we’ve got a new champion.
Original Owner – 1985 Yamaha RZ350 with Spec II Bodywork
I’ve featured plenty of RZ350s over the years – they’re great bikes though they’re not exactly rare. With that said, this example stands out as it was brought back to life in 2014 and it features a full front fairing and rear tail from Spec II.
Thailand Spec – 2004 Honda CBR150R Repsol
Honda never sold the CBR150R in the US, but at least two examples have somehow made its way to the States. This one has just 2 miles and it’s currently on display on the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa.
Silver Surfer – 1992 Honda NX650
Another day, another NX650 custom! Yesterday I featured the “Growler”, a minimalist take on Honda’s dual-sport that was slightly more street-oriented than the XR650. Today we’ve got the “Silver Surfer”, built by Jeffrey Wardenaar at Motogadgets.
Time Capsule – 1984 Honda V65 Sabre With 681 Miles
In America, more is better. So, if Honda’s successful VF750 Magna and Sabre were good, then a big block version would be better, right?
741 Miles – 1989 Yamaha FZR750R OWO1
If a Honda RC30 is just too commonplace for you, then the Yamaha OWO1 might be right up your alley. Just 500 were made, and the MSRP was a healthy $5,000 more than the Honda as well. My many accounts, this was as close as a member of the public could get to owning a street legal racebike. This example …