Featuring a 23-inch front wheel, the Honda XR250R was an enduro that was best suited for leisurely speeds, not competition. In a 1979 Road Test, Cycle Guide said “Enduro bikes are not supposed to be meek, but the XR250 would sit up and lick your hand if it could.” This example stands out thanks to the low mileage.
The Pipeline – 1998 Moto Guzzi 1100i Sport Custom
Built by Foundry Motorcycle out of the UK, this custom Guzzi is one of the most distinctive builds I’ve seen in a while. Called “The Pipeline”, it’s based on a Guzzi 1100i Sport, though the fuel injection has been ripped off. The name comes from the shape of the exhaust, which rises above the heads – the builders call it …
Sportster Engined – 1984 Honda “XL883”
It’s a hybrid of “XL” bikes – the engine from a Harley-Davidson XL883 shoved into a (modified) frame from a Honda XL250R. Madness!
1947 Ariel Red Hunter
Post Sale Update: This Red Hunter sold for $6,300 after 21 bids on eBay. Val Page was the original designer of the Ariel Red Hunter in 1932 but Edward Turner had a huge influence on the line shortly before the war. By 1947 the Red Hunter (all of which had a red fuel tank and a distinctive red stripe on …
Turbo Rickman Project – 1978 Kawasaki CR1100
Post Sale Update: This turbo Rickman sold for $6,000 after 14 bids on eBay. In the world of motorcycle projects, a Rickman Kawasaki is pretty high up on the desirability list. But a 1,427cc, turbocharged Kawasaki Rickman? Good lord, this thing will fly when it’s put back together. Reader Gregor H has shared this insane project in the hopes that …
1966 Ducati Scrambler 250
Introduced with the 250 in 1962 the Ducati Scrambler line had an incredible run of popularity, first in North America and after introduction to Europe in 1968 it was very popular there, too. Originally derived from a street machine the Scrambler line evolved into a genuine player on the dirt racing circuit in the US and in Europe. The Scrambler …
1971 Benelli Sport Special 125
Post Sale Update: This little Benelli sold for $2,550 after 12 bids on eBay. Between 1968 and 1973, Benelli offered a series of bikes called the Sport Special. They were offered in 125cc and 250cc version – 70% of which were the smaller displacement. In 1974, the Sport Special was replaced by the 2C.
Motorsport Livery – 1980 BMW R100 Custom
Post Sale Update: After being relisted a couple of times, this BMW custom sold for a BIN of $12,000. Post Listing Update: This custom BMW did not meet reserve with 33 bids up to $9,100. It’s been relisted here on eBay. The original owner of this bike put 50,000 miles on it as a commuter, and then it got (depending …
Trophy Winner – 1962 Triumph Bonneville
Post Sale Update: This Bonneville sold for $22,000 after 43 bids on eBay. Over the last year, this ’62 Bonnie has been restored to “concours quality.” It just placed third in the masters class of the 34th annual Battle of the Brits show in Michigan.
1968 Kawasaki W1
Spoiler Alert: I think this is a W1SS which isn’t so rare as the seller seems to think. There has been a great discussion on the W1 here on Bike-urious. 1968 was the beginning of the end for the Kawasaki W series. Part of the Kawasaki takeover of Meguro motorcycles was a licensing agreement with BSA that resulted in the …
1978 Kawasaki Z1-R
Post Sale Update: After 16 bids on eBay, this Z1-R sold for $11,099. Wayne Moulton has had quite a career in the motorcycling industry, including roles as President for Triumph Motorcycles America and Vetter Fairings, as well as Vice President of Kawasaki. He was known for a philosophy that “a popular motorcycle can have four different variations – a standard, …
Kenny Roberts Framed – 1978 Yamaha TT500 Flattracker
Post Listing Update: This Yamaha flat tracker got no interest at the opening bid of $3,395. The legendary Kenny Roberts put his name on a few frames back in the day – here’s serial number 5. It’s filled up by a Yamaha TT500 engine and the bike has racing history in the Northeast.
Rare ADV – 2008 Benelli TRE K 1130 Amazonas
Post Listing Update: This Amazonas was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. Here’s a big dual-sport for those of you that think the Ducati Multistrada is too common. Like the Multi, the TRE K is a street-oriented adventure bike, though this is one of the “Amazonas” variants that adds spoked-wheels (with a larger 19″ wheel up front) and …
Upgraded – 1948 Indian Chief
Those of you that have been around here for a while know how I feel about Indians in general and Chiefs specifically. It’s always a pleasure for me to find and write up another Chief. At the start of 1948 the Chief was the only model that Indian sold. By the end of 1948 Indian had introduced the parallel twin …
Raw Steel – 1978 Harley-Davidson Shovelhead Custom
Starting as a ’78 FLH, this bike has been converted into a custom by the seller over the last 5 years. The most distinctive feature is the raw steel finish, which does not have a clear coat on it (so you’ll have to paint it, clear coat it, or stay diligent about keeping the finish maintained.