An evolution of their popular Ninja 900, the Ninja 1000R was the fastest production motorcycle that Cycle World had ever tested at the time. From their January 1986 review: “One hundred fifty-nine miles an hour! We’re talking fast, here, as in the fastest production streetbike ever. Tucked-in and wrist locked, a Ninja 1000 rider with little regard for his driver’s …
First Ride Review – 2022 Yamaha MT-10 SP
View PostRidden by KRJR – 1996 Yamaha YZR500 OWJ1
We’ve had the pleasure of selling some incredible motorcycles at Iconic Motorbikes – but this one’s right up there with the best of them. This Yamaha YZR500 OWJ1 was ridden by Kenny Roberts, Jr. for Team Marlboro Yamaha (which was managed by his father, Kenny Roberts, Sr.) during the 1996 World Championship. The OWJ1 was the final factory Yamaha that …
CA Title – 2000 Honda Africa Twin RD07
Nowadays it’s easy to spot an Africa Twin on the roads, but back in the early 2000s your only hope to see one was if someone had imported an example through the gray market. Here’s a RD07-generation AT that stands out slightly as it has a California title.
Road Racer – 1982 Honda Ascot FT500
Named after Ascot Park, a former flat-track raceway in Los Angeles, the Honda Ascot (also known as the VT500) was a V-Twin standard that was styled after flat-track bikes. But this one’s been customized to tackle a different form of competition – road racing!
2002 Yoshimura Tornado S1
In 2001, Suzuki unveiled the all-new GSX-R1000, and journalists felt it was the first bike to compete with Yamaha’s revolutionary R1 of 1998 because Suzuki was able to top the R1 with less weight and more power (374 pound dry weight, 160 hp/81 lb-ft at the crank). Yoshimura then took the already-impressive Suzuki to the next level by creating their …
My Old Beater – 1983 Honda XR350R With No Reserve
Back when I hosted the Beater Olympics, I bought three $500 bikes and recruited some friends to join to make sure we had a few teams and the event was a total bust. One of those bikes was a ’83 Honda XR350R which performed admirably, but I’ve been neglecting it and it needs a new home. Do you want to …
No Reserve – 1983 Suzuki XN85 Turbo
Of all the Japanese turbo wonder bikes of the 80s, Suzuki’s effort was the rarest. Just 1,153 examples of the XN85 Turbo were built, and it had the distinction of being the first production motorcycle with a 16″ front wheel. When paired with the Full Floater rear suspension, that resulted in a machine that Motorcyclist magazine described as such: “Nothing …
2022 Yamaha R7 World GP 60th Anniversary Edition with Zero Miles
This year, Yamaha brought back the R7 name – though this time around it’s for a tamer, cheaper way to get into the world of supersports. I had an absolute blast with it at the launch at Atlanta Motorsports Park and it’s high on my list to replace my Ninja 400 as my go-to track bike. For 2022, Yamaha’s offering …
Custom Trike – 1987 Honda Hawk Hondamatic
Here’s an amusing oddball for you – half of an automatic Hawk that’s been grafted to…something crazy.
1973 Kawasaki H2 Mach IV
A couple of days ago I featured an interesting H2 Mach IV custom and the consensus seemed to be that stock was the way to go. Well, here’s that stock bike for you!
1975 Kawasaki H2 750 Restomod
If performance that earns the nickname of “Widowmaker” isn’t enough for you, here’s a wild Kawasaki H2 750 which has a tremendous amount of parts thrown at it, including suspension upgrades and carbon fiber wheels!
1982 Honda CB900F
In the late 70s, Honda offered both a CB750F and a CB900F, but per their marketing department the US only got the 750 and Europe only got the 900. Both markets were upset about this because humans always think the grass is greener on the other side. It took a few years, but Honda eventually satisfied the US by bringing …
Freddie Spencer Paint – 1985 Honda VF1000R
Over on the auction site, we’ve got an interesting VF1000R that’s been painted in a Freddie Spencer tribute livery – a paint job more commonly found on the two-stroke NS400R. What do you think of the end result?
#265 – 1972 Kawasaki Z1
9-6-2022 Update: Four years later, this bike is back up on the auction block. Normally when I share a bike years later and it’s in a different state, it’s because the bike has sold a time or two. But this time it’s in a different country (England) because the owner himself moved! Regardless, this is an incredible example of a …