Hillclimbers are some of the most interesting historically significant motorcycles out there. As high-dollar auctions like Bonham’s and Mecum have demonstrated, the right hillclimber in good condition can be worth a literal fortune. One of my favorites is the 1928 Excelsior Big Bertha Hillclimber that sold at a Vegas Mecum auction earlier this year for $117,500. This 1923 H-D Twin-Cam …
XRV750 – 1990 Honda Africa Twin
If that lead photo doesn’t make you want to buy this bike and travel, something might be wrong with you. The seller is a bit of an Africa Twin nut – I featured another one of his ATs for sale a couple of weeks ago. It’s been modified to better suit taller riders, it has relatively low mileage for this …
Ural Destroyer – 2014 Yamaha Bolt w/ Ural Hack
People don’t buy side cars the way they used to. As a result, manufacturers aren’t inclined to allocate resources to better develop these passenger-friendly scoots, no new sidecar advances are made and sales remain low. It’s a vicious cycle. Ural is one of the only factory options when buying a bike with a sidecar today, the only problem is, to …
Maintained By Sonny Angel – 1975 Norton Commando 850
This will be the second time in two months that I bring up Sonny Angel and his dealership, as they were responsible for the maintenance of this Commando for two and a half decades.
SFC750 Spec Race Replica – 1974 Laverda SF2
Post Listing Update: This SF2/SFC did not meet reserve with 13 bids up to $13,100. I love this bike, and the seller tells a great tale as he details his history with his SF2-turned-SFC750 replica. I highly recommend that you click on through to the listing just to see how obviously passionate he is about his Laverda.
Pikes Peak Competitor – 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 650R
Part of the charm and appeal of Pikes Peak IHC is the wide array of different classes of vehicles that are permitted to take part in the competition. Just about anything you can imagine on two or four wheels races up the iconic Colorado mountain with everything from factory sponsored racers with dozens of support staff and crew, to individuals …
1980 Ducati Darmah SSD
The Darmah was first introduced at the ’76 Bologna Motorshow before it would see production the following year. The Darmah was created in an effort to bounce back after the commercial failure that was the ’74 860 GT which had some reliability problems and wasn’t the snazziest looking Italian two-wheeler. The Darmah SSD boasted a few bar-raising features like its …
Triumph and Tribulations – Exploring the UK, Day 3
View PostUnrestored – 1963 Norton Atlas
The Norton Atlas was produced from 1962 to 1968 before being replaced by the iconic Commando. The Atlas’s 745cc air-cooled twin was married to a four-speed chain-drive transmission that resulted in 55hp at 6,500RPM. One of the biggest selling points for the Atlas was its Featherbed frame. Interestingly the Atlas was first produced for export only, having been designed to …
1949 Indian Super Scout
America’s oldest moco has offered a wide range of Scout models in its more than 100-year history. The 1949 Super Scout would be one of the last models produced by Indian before closing its doors four years later. In addition to its Scout 250 (which is in fact powered by a 440cc Overhead-valve 4-stroke vertical twin engine, though some sources …
Vintage Folding Scooter – 1955 Argyle Cub
Designed to be stowed in your car, boat, or airplane, the Argyle Cub weighed about 50 pounds and could fold up in 15 seconds. Over time, the rights were sold to a manufacturer that sold the Cub to a variety of distributors who sold it under their own names like Argyle Cub, Dinky-Cycle or JoyRide. Whatever brand you bought, you …
Scrambler Build in Scotland – 2001 Kawasaki W650
With the vast majority of today’s retro-inspired so-called “Scramblers” not being particularly competent off-road machines, one builder in the U.K. opted to instead buy a modern-retro standard and turn it into a bulletproof bonafide off-roader. The results are an awesome machine reminiscent of when Scramblers were actually made to scramble complete with a high-mounted exhaust and many of the other …
In Belgium – 1913 Indian Board Track Racer
Board Track racers are fascinating machines for a myriad of reasons. For starters they’re pretty much uniquely American – which is an increasingly rare feat in the two-wheeled racing world – they possess an undeniable historical significance and they flat out exude an old-school cool and simplicity to them. This beautiful four-valve (two for each of its two cylinders) Factory …
No Reserve – 1989 Yamaha TDR250
Post Sale Update: After 30 bids on eBay, this TDR sold for $5,995. Ultimate Dual. That’s what Yamaha slapped onto the tank of the TDR250, and it was a unique descriptor for a unique bike. A retuned TZR250 two-stroke motor good for nearly 50 horsepower in a dual-sport frame was unlike anything available in the US at the time – …
Drag Race Tribute – 1962 Triumph Pre-Unit Custom
While photos of this one-off ’62 Triumph custom more or less speak for themselves, the story behind this build is a rather interesting one. After going to school to receive his fine art degree, Karl Ardo – the person who built this Triumph- spent a number of years turning out hot rods of the four wheeled variety before changing his …