It was a softer, gentler time. People were mostly polite to one another, and life moved at a slower pace. Even the ice cream man didn’t have a shrieking PA sound system to announce his proximity. The vendor had a polite and pleasant bell system to alert customers. Based on the 50 series scooter, Cushman made a front box three …
Free – 1986 Kawasaki LTD454 Project
No, that’s not a typo. If you’re in the Bay Area, Evolution Motorcycles has a Kawasaki LTD that’s been sitting for a while (with compression issues in one cylinder) that they’re trying to get rid of. It needs work, but you can’t argue with the price!
Production Racer – 1956 Matchless G45
1-29-17 Update: 2 years later, this G45 is back up for sale. Bidding is up to $10,000 with the reserve not yet met here on eBay. 1-14-15 Update: Though it did not sell for a BIN of $55,000 last time, this G45 is back up for sale with a BIN of $58,000 or best offer here on eBay. Post-Listing Update: …
1973 Maico 400
In 1973 there were a couple of slogans regarding Maico dirt racers. “You are either riding a Maico or chasing one” and “Maico Breako”. Neither one was quite correct. There is no doubt that in the early 1970s that Maico along with Husqvarna and Bultaco were the big 3 of motocross. By 1973 the Japanese makers had improved enough to …
Some Work Needed – 1968 Bultaco Matador
Post Sale Update: This project sold quite quickly at the asking price of $1,250. It’s a well known success story of how “Paco” Bulto resigned from Montesa in 1958 and formed a new company that had almost instant success on the track and a long and legendary run in dirt racing. The Matador started out as a 200 CC dirt …
5 Rarities in Italy
A elderly gentleman in Carini, Italy has a collection of bikes, most of which he has owned for over 30 years. Unfortunately, he is getting old and needs to sell some motorcycles, so a group of his friends are helping out. They’ve currently got 5 bikes up on eBay, and all are said to be “in beautiful restored condition” and …
1971 Norton Commando 750 Cafe Racer
Any reader of this site doesn’t need an explanation of why the Norton Commando is one of the legends of motorcycling history. I like this example because it’s got a “cafe” tank, seat, and clipons – I think it’s a beautiful twist on a legend. What do you say?
Entry Level Harley? 1967 Harley-Davidson M65 Sport
In the 1960’s Harley Davidson realized it had nothing to compete with the small, entry level motorcycles that were flooding into the US from the Far East. As a result, it teamed with Aermacchi in Italy to produce Harley-badged models for the US market. The first to appear in the US was the Sprint 250, and later this model, labelled …
1970 BSA Lightning Cafe Racer
In 2014, this custom BSA won first place in the Vintage Radical class at the Boardwalk Classic Bike Show in Daytona. Now this hybrid of a Lightning motor and a Firebird Scrambler frame can be yours.
1967 Suzuki X-6 Hustler
When the first Suzuki models hit America in 1963 it was with three two stroke twins that were very ordinary in performance and style. Nothing that would indicate the new model that would arrive in 1966, the X-6 (T 20 elsewhere). The first production motorcycle with a 6 speed transmission, it allowed a very good two stroke twin to stay …
Hurricane – 1991 Honda CBR1000F
The Honda CBR1000F was a long-lived sport tourer that did everything well, though period reviews suggest it wasn’t as exciting as the competition. Still, 135 horsepower at 155 miles per hour can’t be too boring, right? This example has just been unearthed from over a decade in storage, which is why it has just 16,530 miles. Even better? It’s being …
1936 Indian Dispatch Tow
Post Listing Update: Unfortunately this listing was quickly pulled off of eBay, the seller says “there was an error in the listing.” I’m assuming that’s a lie, but it doesn’t matter at this point.
1968 BSA Spitfire MKIV
12-26-2017 Update: Almost a year later, commenter PeeJay notes that this Spitfire is back up for sale again. Looks like the seller used the previous eBay bidding to set an estimated value, as he/she is now asking for $9,500 here on Craigslist. Post Listing Update: Despite 16 bids up to $8,850, this Spitfire did not meet reserve. 1968 was the …
1969 Rickman Metisse MKIII
When I see a listing for an original Rickman, my ‘fake’ response comes to the front. Throw in a Steve McQueen reference and I just darn near call BS every time. Not that the Rickman brothers didn’t build some great motorcycles over the years. Their dirt bike frames and components were legendary in the middle 60s. Steve McQueen did own …
1954 Bianchi Cervino
All I’ve been able to figure out about the Cervino is that it has a 175cc 2-stroke. I’m familiar with other Bianchi models like the Tonale, but I don’t know about this bike and my usual attempts at internet sleuthing aren’t helpful. Do any of you have experience with or knowledge of the Cervino?