Decades before Polaris Industries acquired Indian Motorcycle, the manufacturer traded hands numerous times, giving rise to a number of very…non-Indian Indians. For a time Brockhouse Engineering sold rebadged and slightly modified Royal Enfields under the Indian name. The company was later sold off again, this time to AMC, which proceeded to sell rebadged AJS and Matchless bikes as Indians, though …
2003 Kawasaki ZRX1200R
Eddie Lawson is a famous American motorcycle road racer that won multiple world championship, including the 500cc AMA Superbike Series in 1981 and 1982 – these two 500cc titles are two of the four he won in the 80’s. Eddie was nicknamed “Steady Eddie” thanks to his capacity to consistently finish races, avoid crashing, and often ending on the podium …
Wood Rotax 560 Four-Stroke – 1984 KTM 504 MX
At the dawn of the 1980s, a myriad of manufacturers were experimenting with producing a competitive four-stroke motocrosser, though dethroning the mighty two-stroke was a major uphill battle. Quite a few marques put their faith in Rotax, who had then recently debuted an impressive 498cc four-stroke single. Seeing the potential of the half-liter thumper, KTM worked out a deal with …
1990 Honda Transalp XL600V
Following the release of the R80GS by BMW and the birth of one of the greatest races of all time (the Paris Dakar), manufacturers started to add a new kind of bike to their product range. These new “adventure” bikes were road legal adaptations of off road racing motorcycles used primarily for the P-D. During the 80’s, Honda won the …
Moto2 Tailed – Liberty Motorcycles 1986 BMW R80 Cafe Racer
BMW’s R80 platform isn’t a particularly exceptional machine in any one department, however it’s nonetheless praised for being a generally well-balanced and versatile model. The bike was powered by an air-cooled, 797cc, four-stroke, OHV, Boxer twin that reportedly made around 50 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 42.78 ft-lbs of torque at 4,000 rpm. Introduced as the successor to the R75/7, …
2006 Honda Big Ruckus PS250
Post Sale Update: This Big Ruckus sold for $3,000 after 43 bids on eBay. The Ruckus was a surprising hit for Honda, due almost entirely to the aftermarket customization that has skyrocketed around the 50cc scooter. What many people don’t know is that Honda offered a ‘full-size’ version called the Honda Big Ruckus for 4 years in Japan and 2 …
1984 Honda Nighthawk 700SC
Post Listing Update: This Nighthawk did not get any interest at the BIN of $2,700. The 80’s were a fascinating decade for motorcycles, and I appreciate the products of that era nowadays as they are basically classic bikes with newer designs. Or recent bikes with older design, depending on how you see it! In the US, lots of these 80’s …
Wacky Kwacky – 1995 Kawasaki KLR250
In 1984, Kawasaki debuted a pair of new dual-sport models that quickly proved to be major hits with the motorcycling world. The larger of the models was the KLR600, which was bumped up to 650ccs, where it remains to this day as one of Kawa’s best-selling models, and (as of 2015) the best-selling dual-sport period. The smaller of the two …
Nice Price – 2017 KTM 1090 Adventure
Nick Livingston of WideOpenADV is letting go of his well-prepped 1090 Adventure, and his asking price is more than fair considering the extras he’s added. The circumstances are unfortunate (his wife is very sick and he’s focused on her) so hopefully you can help him out with some cash and get a hell of a dual-sport in the process.
Baby Sidecar Crosser – 1995 Rokon Scout
The history of the Rokon Company is riddled with rumors and falsehoods involving a particularly clever gas station attendant and a few hunting trips to Kenya that never actually happened. In a nutshell, the real story is that the original machine was invented by one Charlie Fehn in Southern California. Fehn’s bike, dubbed the Trail-Breaker, boasted two particularly nifty features, …
Bevel Drive Single – 1965 Ducati 160 Monza Junior
Brothers Joseph and Michael Berliner played a highly influential role in the motorcycle industry for several decades starting in the 1950s. Their company, the Berliner Motor Corporation, was the US distributor for a number of European marques such as Norton, Moto Guzzi, Zundapp, and Ducati. With the American moto market being one of the world’s biggest purchasers of bikes, the …
RSD X Buffalo Chip Moto Stampede – Indian Scout Sixty Custom
7-11-18 Update: Two months later, Tim Huber notes that this bike is back up for sale with a ~50% discount. Find it here on Craigslist in Sacramento, California for $18,000 (down from the original ask of $35,000). Built by Roland Sands, this was the very bike he used to compete at the Hooligan Race at the 2017 Buffalo Chip. It …
Thersby Special – Ducati TT2 Tribute
Post Listing Update: This Thersby build did not meet reserve with 15 bids up to $8,500. It was later relisted at a lower price of $17,500 but it did not sell. Built by Scot Wilson of Italian Iron Classics, this custom Ducati combines a Roy Thersby frame, Tom Hull motor, and a drool-worthy set of Hella lights (among other excellent …
1981 BMW R80G/S Paris Dakar
Post Listing Update: This GS did not get any interest at the asking price of $14,979. In 1978, a French man named Thierry Sabine created one of the toughest and rally raids in the world: the Paris-Dakar. Racers have to find their way in arid and sandy deserts, making repairs when necessary. It is a test not just of pilot …
Vance & Hines Supersport Replica – 1992 Yamaha FZR 600
In 1992, Yamaha offered 600 examples of a limited edition replica of their Vance & Hines AMA Supersport bike. This is #505, and it’s nicest example I’ve seen offered of a model that rarely comes up for sale.