The Art Director of Hot Bike (which, sadly, was recently killed off) is selling off his little Sporty, and it’s one of the better-modified examples I’ve ever seen.
1977 Penton/KTM MC5 250
KTM’s early success in the US was due to John Penton, which is why Penton’s name could be found on US-sold KTMs through 1977. Here’s one of the last bikes with John’s name on the tank, and it’s just gone through a restoration.
Rare Project – 1983 Honda Gyro X
Post Sale Update: This Gyro X sold for $1,894.13 after 21 bids on eBay. I’ve featured several examples of Honda’s quirky 3-wheeler called the GYRO (which is apparently an acronym for “Great Your Recreation Original.”) The US only got one of the versions, a “S” model that was focused on just carrying a rider around. But Japan got multiple variants …
1982 Honda XL500R
Post Sale Update: This XL500R sold for $1,750 after 29 bids on eBay. 1982 was the last year of the XL500R, before Honda replaced it with the 600. It was a dual-sport that was well-suited for the street and for light off-road work. Dual-counterbalancers kept vibrations in check so that you would be relatively comfortable while riding on pavement out …
Leon Haslam Pit Bike Replica – 2004 Italjet Dragster 50
In 2004, Leon Haslam earned Rookie of the Year honors while competing in World Superbike with the Renegade team with Noriyuki Haga. Leon’s best finish was 3rd, and he finished the season in 8th place. Italjet released a limited edition replica of his pit bike with a special cosmetic package that replicated what Leon would occasionally putt around on.
In Holland – 1993 Kawasaki ZXR750R M
Towards the end of the 1980’s, Kawasaki was looking for a new formula for success on the race track. Several ideas were proposed but the concept that won out involved taking a massaged version of Team Green’s existing liquid-cooled, three-quarter-liter, 16-valve, inline-four (from the GPX750) and dropping it into a newly designed twin spar aluminum alloy frame. Just before the …
Team Green’s Indian Tribute – 2000 Kawasaki Drifter 1500
Nowadays there are plenty retro-inspired bikes with modern performance and reliability: Triumph Bonnevilles, Ducati Scramblers, BMW R9T’s, etc. But two decades ago, Kawasaki took this now-popular recipe and ran with it in an unusual direction, leading to the birth of the Kawasaki Drifter 1500.
300 Miles – 2016 Moto Guzzi V7 Stornello Scrambler
Post Sale Update: This Stornello sold for $5,600 after 2 bids on eBay. The “Scrambler” movement is back again, though most OEMs now offer models that typically emphasize style over substance. I always thought the prettiest of the reborn scramblers was the Moto Guzzi V7 Stornello, a limited edition (1,000) model that came with cosmetic changes and a high Arrow …
Model 13 – 1966 Bultaco Mercurio 175
Post Listing Update: This Mercurio did not meet reserve despite 8 bids up to $2,550 on eBay. The Bultaco Mercurio (Mercury) debuted in 1960 as a 125cc, though by ’64 it had grown to a 175 for the Model 13, a motorcycle that was exclusively sold as an export to the US.
Never Started – 1968 Sears Campus 50
The Campus was one of several Sears-branded two-wheelers that were built by Puch for the American market. The moped featured a 2.6 horsepower 49cc engine, and the whole package weighed about 115 pounds ready to ride.
388/400 – 2002 Ducati 998S Troy Bayliss Replica
Post Listing Update: This Bayliss rep did not meet reserve despite 22 bids up to $12,100 on eBay. In 2002, Ducati released two race replicas based on the 998S – one of Ben Bostrom’s bike, and one of Troy Bayliss’. 400 examples were built of the latter, which commemorated Troy’s 2001 WSBK championship.
No Reserve – 1979 Kawasaki KZ1000 MkII
Post Sale Update: This KZ sold for $17,750 after 26 bids on eBay. An evolution of the KAZ900, the KZ1000 was the fastest production bike when it was released in 1976 (as a ’77 model) thanks to its 83 horsepower, 1,015cc inline four motor. The bike might be most famous for the police variant, which gained popularity on the show …
Little American Enduro – 1972 Indian ME100
Though utterance of the Indian Motorcycle name typically conjures up images of big-bore American-style V-Twin baggers and cruisers, the now Polaris-owned outfit for a time produced a decent number of small and micro-displacement dual-sports, mini and dirt bikes. Primarily produced in the late 60s and 70s, Indian’s range of off-road-oriented tiddlers included some very cool offerings such as the Boy …
2013 Ducati 1199R
If you’re a fan of racing, Ducati’s ‘R’ models hold a special place in your heart. Often designated for superbike homologation builds, ‘R’ models raise the bar for what is possible on the street. Ducati has had several R models to satisfy WSBK regulations over the years, each one more savage than the last. The 1199R offers titanium engine internals …
Naked Panigale V4 Custom – Officine GP Design’s “Penta V4”
When Ducati first unveiled the Panigale, many thought it wouldn’t be long before the Bologna-based brand pulls the cover off a naked version of the full-faired flagship L-Twin. To the dismay of many a Ducatista, the Italian marque never opted to release a production Panigale Streetfighter…though rumors have been swirling that we may be treated to a naked version of …