Triumph introduced the 5T Speed Twin in 1938, and it had a long production life. Here’s one of the later examples – it was registered and ridden for just two years and 1,300 miles, and then parked until recently. It starts and runs but you’ll need to spend some time and money to address a few things before you get …
A Classic Approach – 1963/67 Triton
While not as rare as a unicorn, the Triton concept isn’t exactly a plow horse either. In the 60s the idea was to combine a best in the business Norton ‘Featherbed’ frame with a reliable and powerful Triumph parallel twin. There were a lot of these made in the day, and the combo certainly contributed to the ‘Cafe Racer’ craze. …
First Ride – 2017 BMW G310R
View PostSitting in Sweden – 1980 Bimota SB3
Post Sale Update: This Bimota SB3 sold for $16,000. The SB3 was quick, but it sure was uncomfortable. In their review of the bike, Motorcyclist magazine said, “No one on our staff has ridden anything short of a hardtail that was as harsh as the SB3.” If you can put up with a rough ride (and you can deal with …
19K Redline – 1990 Honda CBR250RR MC22
Post Listing Update: This buzz-saw of a Honda did not meet reserve despite 26 bids up to $6,650. The MC22 generation of the CBR was sold between 1990 and 1996. It originally was only sold in Japan and produced 45 horsepower. In 1994, Japanese laws changed and Honda detuned the motor down to 40 ponies. Also known as the Babyblade, …
Star of Stage and Screen – 1966 Triumph Tiger T100
Post Listing Update: This Tiger did not get any action at the BIN of $5,200. Is it the most famous motorcycle in the world? Maybe. The T100 Tiger was the bike that Ted Simon rode on his first trip around the world which was the basis for the book “Jupiter’s Travels”. It is also the bike Bob Dylan dumped near …
1948 Vincent Rapide Series B
Post Listing Update: This Rapide got no interest at the asking price of $75,000. Sold between 1936 and 1955, the Vincent Rapide was a legendary motorcycle. The Series B Rapide was introduced in 1946 and it was instantly the world’s fastest production motorcycle with a top speed over 110 miles per hour.
Barnfind Racer – 1942 Harley Davidson WLA
After sitting in a barn in Utah since 1950, this WLA was discovered in May. It runs and the seller has put on 200 miles since bringing it back to life – are you going to put it on the street or race with it?
Bond, James Bond – 1998 BMW R1200C
There are always some sort of exotic vehicles in Bond movies. In “Tomorrow Never Dies,” Pierce Brosnan had a chase scene on a BMW R1200C. Now, I know Pierce Brosnan is no Sean Connery, but he WAS better than Timothy Dalton or George Lazenby, but I digress…
1973 Yamaha RT3 360
Yamaha introduced the DT/RT line of Dual Sport motorcycles in 1968. They featured rock solid power and reliability with good ground clearance and suspension. By 1970 they had brought out the RT1 360, an absolute monster of power with a couple of serious quirks. They had an incredible back kick on starting, and their handling was questionable at best in …
4 Bikes – Classic BMW Collection
An electrical engineer in New Hampshire has unfortunately passed away and his wife wants his interesting classic BMW collection to be sold off as a package. We’ve got a 1956 BMW engine in a Norton Frame, 2 1966 R27s (one black and one white), and a 1969 R69S.
1967 Yamaha YR-1 Grand Prix
When you think of a Yamaha R1, what usually comes to mind is a 150+ HP liter bike with a racing heritage and championship DNA throughout. Well it’s not the only R1 nor is it the original R1 with that kind of heritage and DNA. The 1967 YR-1 Grand Prix was a greyhound in sheep’s clothing and it was the …
Built for the Army – Harley-Davidson 42 WLA
In 1939 Harley Davidson produced 2 39WLA models as prototypes for the US Army to test (along with models from Indian and Delco) at Fort Knox, Kentucky. After the war broke out in Europe the Army bought 400 WLAs designated 40WLA. By the time Japan attacked 41WLAs were common in the US Military. Between January 1942 and September 1945 HD …
1963 Honda CB77 Superhawk
Introduced in 1961 the CB77 unquestionably changed the way the world looked at motorcycles. Design, engineering, performance and weight were completely off the existing charts. It firmly established Honda, and the Japanese motorcycle industry as a serious player in the world market. Electric start? Tubular steel frame? Motor as a stressed member of the frame? Reliable? Smooth? Oil tight? Fast? …
Not Street Legal – 1999 Honda NSR150
Honda introduced the NSR150 in 1997, and only sold it in Asian countries. Despite the 150cc of displacement, the two-stroke, liquid-cooled, power-valve equipped motor produced up to 39 horsepower (depending on the market)and the bike weighed just 260 pounds. Other unexpected features from a little bike included a six-speed transmission, Nikasil coated cylinders, and Honda’s Pro Arm rear swingarm – …