Post Sale Update: This Monza sold for $6,328 after 35 bids on eBay. When Moto Guzzi first released the V50 in the late 70s, they were met with a tepid response from an American market that preferred bigger bikes and expected smaller bikes to be cheaper. To help the model stand out, Guzzi released a sportier version in 1980 called …
1 of 25 – 1985 Can-Am 350 Trials
Bombardier Recreational Products created their motorcycle division (Can-Am) in 1973, but by 1980 they had decided that their resources were better spent in snowmobiles and jet skis. As detailed by Canned Ham, a deal was struck in which CCM/Armstrong took over production and Can-Am sold the machines. During this time, Can-Am experimented with some new models and they expanded into …
Upgraded – 1986 Suzuki GSX-R750
Post Listing Update: This Gixxer 750 was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. Though the model debuted in 1985, Suzuki’s legendary Gixxer line did not make its way to the US until 1986. The changes were minor – better headlights, a revised belly pan, and 25mm longer swingarm, but Americans were probably too busy drooling over the first …
1986 Yamaha SRX600
The Yamaha SRX600 is a cult classic, but it started as a commercial flop. In the US, it sold for just one year, and it was during a time when American riders valued power above everything else. A relatively light weight bike with a 41 horsepower motor just didn’t cut it – but for riders who can appreciate the styling, …
Tracy Bodied – 1975 Honda 450 with Eliminator Kit
Tracy’s Fiberglas Works was a Santa Cruz, California-based bodywork operation that offered a myriad of bodywork kits for a bevy of different makes and models. Tracy bodywork came in a variety of styles and you can check out the entirety of a 1974 company catalog on Chin On The Tank (Jim Phillips did many of the illustrations). Their work covered …
No Reserve – 1983 Kawasaki KZ1000R2 ELR
Post Sale Update: This ELR sold for $20,100 after 46 bids on eBay. A limited edition tribute to Eddie Lawson, just 750 examples of the Kawasaki KZ1000R ELR (Eddie Lawson Replica) were built between 1982 and 1983. With the exception of subpar rear shocks, the press and the public loved this bike and how aggressively it was set up.
Export Model – 1967 Honda P50
Post Sale Update: This P50 sold for $2,200 after 47 bids on eBay. Honda has an extensive history with small displacement scooters and mopeds, but the P50 stands out as it was the last time the firm utilized a motor-wheel design (in which the drivetrain is all housed within the hub of the drive wheel). Most motor-wheel designs across the …
Café’d Classic in Poland – Custom 1987 Suzuki GSX-R750
Suzuki’s early GSX-R750 machines were groundbreaking models when they first appeared on the market, and though they’ve admittedly grown pretty long in the tooth by today’s standards, they’re still relatively high-performing bikes in the grand scheme of things. Plus, thanks to their lack of modern electronics, there’s no bevy of unsightly ancillaries hidden beneath the fairings like that of contemporary …
Supermoto Conversion – 2003 Honda CRF450R
Supermotos make the world go round, and the Honda CRF450R is a great place to start. Honda was never known for outright power, but the chassis was incredibly light and the benefits of reliability in a performance machine cannot be overstated. 2002 was the first year for the CRF, which is now a staple in both motocross and supermoto alike. …
25th Anniversary – 2008 Buell Lightning XB12Scg
Erik Buell is often at the forefront of technology, building bikes we aren’t quite ready for yet. Now he’s building electric bikes, but in the mid-2000s he was doing his best to bring Harley-Davidson into modernity. The Buell XB12S was one of those efforts, with a 1,203cc air/oil cooled V-twin updated in 2008 and churning out a smooth 103hp. The …
Original Owner – 2009 Suzuki Hayabusa
Post Sale Update: This Hayabusa sold for $4,955 after 28 bids on eBay. I don’t feature many Hayabusas, but I recently discussed the model in a “Performance Steals” themed Smart Money in the current issue of Motorcyclist, and it got me thinking about how nice they can be. Normally, modified Hayabusas are either lowered show bikes or lengthened drag racers …
1996 Aprilia RS250 Chesterfield
If you’ve had your heart set on a Aprilia RS250, the ultimate expression of the model might just be the Max Biaggi replica Chesterfield Edition. One of the best-handling bikes ever made, the RS250 was the result of Aprilia working some chassis magic around a tweaked engine from a Suzuki RGV250.
1982 Yamaha Seca Turbo
There is a part of me that would like have to been a bit older in the early 80s, and one of the reasons would have to be all the turbochargers that were being bolted onto motorcycles by OEMs. The theory behind turbocharging is simple: making horsepower out of exhaust. For a short period of time in the 80s, the …
950 Original Miles – 1973 BMW R75/5
No, it’s not restored. The seller of this bike says that it has 950 “original verified miles” and it sure looks the part thanks to an extended stay at a dealership.
1976 Honda CB750K
Post Listing Update: This CB did not meet reserve despite 36 bids up to $6,050 on eBay. The Honda CB750 was successful in ways that the brand could have only dreamed of. Four cylinders have long been known for pushing the boundaries of affordable performance, but that legacy began with the CB750. Its solid platform has remained relevant even today. …