Post Listing Update: This Motograziella did not get any interest at the unmet opening bid of $2,400. I’ve featured all kinds of folding scooters over the years, but this just might be the most stylish of them all. “This” is the Motograziella, a 47cc folding moped built by Carnielli of Vittorio Veneto, Italy. Carnielli was founded in the 1920s, but …
Restomod Italimerican – 1970 Harley-Davidson Sprint SS350
In response to the sales success of smaller Japanese bikes in the 1960’s, Harley-Davidson formed a plan to offer a new small-displacement machine to compete as its own small-engined Hummer model left a lot to be desired. Around this same time Aermacchi was interested in focusing more resources on its aeronautical division and allowed Harley to grab a 50 percent …
1972 Penton Berkshire 100
Post Sale Update: This Penton sold for $4,200 after 43 bids on eBay. John Penton and KTM started their partnership with the 125 ISDT Six Days, and once it became obvious that the two companies had some financial potential, they expanded the lineup to offer multiple displacements. The smallest of the offerings was the 100cc Berkshire.
Restored – 1966 Honda CL77 Scrambler
The seller originally bought this bike to learn how to wrench on bikes and get some quality time in with his son. The project is over and the seller has too many other bikes to keep this around, so now it can be yours.
Nourish Weslake Project – 1974 Norton Commando Custom
Post Listing Update: This Norton only saw one bid at the original ask of $8,000. It did not meet reserve. During the heyday of the Rickman brothers, they asked Harry Weslake to design a 8-valve head for the Triumph Bonneville. In conjunction with a small displacement increase, power was bumped up 20%. That sounds great but the idea was dropped. …
5 Miles – 1983 Yamaha Virago XV500
Today, factory customs are mainstream staples in the motorcycling world, but that wasn’t always the case. Customizing bikes – at least in the manner we know today – was largely unheard of before the 1970’s. Custom choppers did exist, and people would modify bikes for track and racing purposes, but custom street bikes couldn’t have been less embraced by magazines …
Ending Soon – 1975 CCM 500MX
Post Listing Update: Not surprisingly, this CCM did not get any interest at the asking price of $37,500. It’s been relisted but I’ll only feature this bike again if the seller offers a serious discount in the future. In 1971, Alan Clews founded CCM (Clews Competition Machines) by taking advantage of BSA’s decision to shut down their competition department. Clews …
No Reserve – 1970 Yamaha RT1 360
Post Sale Update: This RT1 sold for $6,855 after 32 bids on eBay. Yamaha earned themselves a lot of fans with the release of the 360cc RT1 enduro in 1970. The motorcycling public had high expectations after the smaller DT1/AT1 models, so the big brother was going to be just as good, right? Indeed it was. That’s why they are …
No Reserve – 1954 Moto Guzzi Zigolo 98 Turismo
Post Sale Update: This Zigolo sold for $4,500 after 29 bids on eBay. Introduced in 1953, the Zigolo was Guzzi’s first partially-enclosed motorcycle. It was designed to be cheap transportation for the masses and it featured a 98cc two-stroke engine.
Rare OHC Duck – 1958 Ducati Sport 100
Founded by brothers Adriano and Bruno Cavalieri as well as Marcello Ducati, what we now call “Ducati” first started out as “Societa Scientifica Radio Brevetti Ducati” back in 1926. The Bologna-based company got its start by manufacturing radio components, mostly for the Italian military. Unfortunately this made the company’s factory a target for being bombed in WW2 – something that …
World Record Jumper – 1972 Yamaha 650
Post Listing Update – despite 21 bids on eBay, this Yamaha did not meet reserve at $6,200. John “Cowboy” Hall was a stunt rider in the 70s who earned three world records with this Yamaha 650 that has since been converted to a street legal tracker. His records included jumping 20 cars in Nashville, Tennessee, 16 cars (indoors) in Portland, …
HRC-Framed Magazine Build – 2005 Honda CR250R
M66 Productions is a San Diego-based production company specializing in action sports who are capable of putting together everything from standalone YouTube videos to full DVD releases. In addition to professional video and photography work, M66 appears to dabble in high-performance project builds as well. Their latest project comes in the form of a 2005 Honda CR250R that has supposedly …
1964 Montesa Diablo Cross 175
12-7-17 Update: Over a year later, this rare Montesa is back up for sale. I still can’t find good information on it though reader yrrah added some info in the comments below. It’s got a $1,100 discount over last year’s asking price but that still means the seller is looking for an opening bid of $5,500 here on eBay. The …
1968 Bultaco Metralla
Post Sale Update: This Metralla sold for $6,100 after 46 bids on eBay. One of the definitive Spanish street bikes of all time, the Bultaco Metralla (Spanish for “shrapnel”) was appropriately named as it when it was the world’s fastest production 2-stroke bike when it debuted. In the seller’s words, this example “is the culmination of 7 years of work …
Restored – 1979 Fantic Chopper 125
Post Listing Update: Despite 9 bids on eBay up to $4,600, this Fantic did not meet reserve. In 1971, the Conservative Party in England introduced legislation known as the “Sixteeners Laws” – it banned 16 year olds from riding bikes that were 250cc and up. European and Japanese manufacturers responded with a wave of 50-125cc mopeds that were informally called …