Bad markets make for great innovations. In the late 1960’s, the motorcycle market was in a bit of a slump. This forced the innovative companies to dig in and find where there is a market. Yamaha realized that although street bike sales were down, there was still a largely untapped and thriving off-road market available in the United States. Most …
1988 Yamaha YSR50
Post Listing Update: This baby YSR did not meet reserve despite 19 bids up to $2,900 on eBay in Longboat Key, Florida. Built to look like a mini RZ500, the YSR50 also featured mini performance. The 49.3cc two-stroke engine was capable of pushing the bike up to 38 miles per hour, but companies like Team Calamari have been making stock …
3 Decade Nap – 1968 Wards Riverside Scrambler 250
Post Listing Update: This Scrambler did not get any interest at the opening bid of $1,500. Friend of Bike-urious Dan D recently acquired a mini collection of British bikes he wanted and a Wards Riverside Scrambler that needs a new owner.
1992 BMW R100R
Post Listing Update: This R100R did not get any interest at the BIN of $4,400. Between 1991 and 1995, BMW produced 20,898 examples of the R100R – one of the last airhead boxers to ever wear a roundel on the tank. Basic specifications include a 980cc air-cooled twin with an oil cooler, Brembo brakes, a 5-speed transmission, and shaft drive.
Cafe’d Cult Classic – 1990 Honda Hawk GT NT650
Designed by Toshiaki Kishi (who would later go on to pen the VFR1200 and CBR1000RR), the Honda Hawk GT (NT650) was a naked V-Twin-powered sport bike that was ahead of its time. Released several years prior to Ducati’s iconic Monster, the NT650 was a solid bike, but the fact a few hundred more dollars got you the even sportier (and …
R100 Motor – 1982 BMW R65LS
The R65LS gets more attention than it probably deserves thanks to the striking Hans Muth-designed fairing, but one of the common complaints was that the ~45 horsepower twin didn’t back up the futuristic-in-the-80s looks. A previous owner of this machine apparently agreed, as it’s been given the heart of a R100. It’s not clear which form of the R100 motor …
1971 BMW R75/5 Custom
Post Listing Update: This BMW did not meet reserve despite 38 bids on eBay up to $8,700 in Richmond, Virginia. This BMW R75/5 was just completed for this year’s show season, and it features a rebuilt motor with a Siebenrock 1000cc kit and plenty of custom touches. What do you think about it?
Unexpected Custom Ending Soon – 1986 Yamaha SDR200
Post Sale Update: This SDR sold for $5,100 after 20 bids on eBay in San Jacinto, California…to reader Jim A! Originally built just for the Japanese market, the SDR200 was a small cafe racer that predated the Ducati Monster with a trellis frame, naked styling, and the three-spoke wheels. It was only offered for one year, and a tiny amount …
Never Run – 1970 Sprite 405 Talon
Founded by Frank Hipkin in the mid ’60s, Sprite Motor Cycles (later known as Sprite Developments) as a small British off-road motorcycle company that built trials bikes and scramblers, usually as a kit. One of their bigger efforts was the 405 Talon, and it was exported to several countries under different names: the BVM 405 in Belgium, Alron 405 in …
Needs Some Work – 1963 IWL Troll
First founded in 1936 by the Daimler-Benz Company for the purpose of producing military aircraft engines, Industriewerke Ludwigsfelde — or IWL — was a German manufacturing firm based just outside of Berlin. Because IWL was making engines for the Luftwaffe, its factory was targeted and bombed during WW2. After the war, the Soviets came and stripped most of the remaining …
Custom Café – 1973 Honda CB750K2
It may feel to some, as it does to me, that the café bike trend has had a resurgence of late. That since about the turn of the millennium, there has been a steady uptick of interest in the bikes, and subculture. We can certainly agree that when Triumph released the Thruxton in 2004, and a couple of years later …
1 Owner – 1983 Suzuki SP500
“Tough. Gutsy. Fun on the road. Even more fun off.” That’s how Suzuki introduced the new-for-1981 SP500. It was durable but a little overweight, and nowadays it’s tough to find a clean survivor.
Bender – 1982 Yamaha Virago XV750 Cafe Racer
Post Sale Update: Bender sold for $6,100 after 32 bids on eBay in Brentwood, California. Named Bender, this Virago was rebuilt as a custom cafe racer that was on display at the 2018 Handbuilt Show and 2019 Mama Tried Show.
Left Side Shift – 1976 Triumph Bonneville 750
In 1976, Triumph swapped sides for the shifter and rear brake pedals to comply with new US regulations that required the shifter on the left. While they were at it, they also installed new petcocks with ON and OFF markings (again, a new US requirement) and swapped out the rear drum brake for a disc.
Eastern Fabrications’ “Red Asphalt” – 2018 Motus MST-R Custom
Built by Lock Baker of Eastern Fabrications (and the man behind Lockhart Knives), this all-American custom took approximately two years to painstakingly piece together. At the heart of the build is the 180hp, 100ci pushrod V4 engine borrowed from the now-defunct Motus MST-R. Wrapped around the mill is a one-off frame paired with a custom swing-arm. Running gear is all …