Affectionately known as the Yellow Peril, the Norton Commando Production Racer was a street-legal factory racer available to privateer racers. The cost was fairly staggering – at a time when a Austin Mini would cost you $1,500, you’d need another $400 to get your hands on a Production Racer. Because of this, replicas were not uncommon. Here’s a recent build …
2007 Sherco 5.1i Enduro
Want a high-quality enduro but think Gas Gas or Husaberg are just too well known? Maybe Sherco is the company for you. Named after a hybrid of Bultaco and Sherpa, Sherco was founded in Spain in 1998. Nowadays they also have a production facility in France, and across both countries they build trials, supermoto, and enduro bikes. Here’s an example …
49 Miles – 1981 Benelli Sei 900
Benelli’s Sei was the first production six-cylinder motorcycle when it was introduced as a 750. In ’78 it got a redesign which included a displacement bump up to 900cc. Though the press enjoyed the motorcycle, sales were modest because the MSRP was healthy – by 1983 it was $5,406.
Street Legal with 12 Miles – 2009 Aprilia RS125
Finding a plated modern RS125 is hard enough in the United States, but this example stands out even further thanks to the fact that it has just 12 miles. It does beg the question – what would you do with a bike like this? It’s best on a track but it’ll lose value with every miles. Are these collectible enough …
No Reserve – 1993 BMW K1
Post Sale Update: After 60 bids on eBay, this K1 sold for $6,099. The BMW K1 was very impressive in many ways – especially the aerodynamic coefficient. With that said, lots of riders didn’t care for the styling or the the paint schemes. This example avoids the paint scheme issue because just 1 year into his/her ownership, the original owner …
KTM Colors – 1972 Honda CL450 Cafe Racer
Post Listing Update: After 24 bids on eBay, Olivia did not meet reserve at $6,800. It relisted but bidding petered out at $6,750. Named Olivia, this CL450 custom was built by Hot Sake Cycles. The goal seems to have been to save weight, which explains the extensive use of carbon fiber. The seller says that all of the body parts …
1 of 805 – 1995 Triumph Daytona Super III
Triumph’s Super III was a limited edition of the under-appreciated Daytona 900. Featuring engine tuning by Cosworth, they sold just 805 worldwide, 179 of which made it to the United States.
Dave Moss Racer – Honda VFR428
Just a couple of days ago, I brought up Dave Moss as he’s coming to Beach Moto for some suspension tuning. Looks like we’re going back to him today because he’s selling one of his championship winning race bikes.
Stock or Modified? Yamaha RD350s
This seller’s got two examples of Yamaha RD350s – one’s a cafe custom and the other is stock. Which do you prefer?
2005 Benelli Tornado Tre
Benelli was one of the many companies that struggled to survive the onslaught of Japanese competition, starting all the way back in the 60s. As years passed, Benelli was bought and sold several times until production was shut down and the company was merged into Moto Guzzi in 1988. 2002 marked the return of Benelli, with their first new bike …
Unexpected Donation – Still New 1983 Kawasaki GPz1100
I’ve seen some odd places to find motorcycles for sale, but this is definitely a new one. Somehow, there’s a “brand new, never been used” GPz that’s for sale at Goodwill. Wonder who donated this!
Quail Participant – 1992 Ducati 851 Custom
Post-Listing Update: This 851 did not get any interest at the BIN of $4,500. The seller originally acquired this 851 Strada as a “cosmetic basketcase” and decided he liked how it looked without bodywork. Thanks to a custom subframe, fiberglass cafe seat, and a few other pieces, you get a bike that (in the seller’s words) is “meant to ride, …
Surprise Under the Seat – 1994 Suzuki GSX-R 1100
Normally a stock super sport with a tail tidy and flush mount turn signals isn’t a big deal. However, this bike packs a bit of a surprise: flip a switch inside the front fairing and then the horn button turns the nitrous bottle that’s hidden under the seat cowl! The seller has a dyno chart showing 125 horsepower at the …
Sparkling – 1990 Honda VFR
Entering its third generation, the 1990 remake of the VFR signaled the repositioning of the series away from its sport bike beginnings and into a sport touring role. Marketed as a thinking man’s motorbike, the model gained some cool updates along with a few pounds, and lost the “Interceptor” tag. The ’90 was available only in the Italian Red seen …
1960 Moto Guzzi Zigolo 110
Post Listing Update: This Zigolo was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. 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. In 1960, Guzzi introduced the Zigolo 110, which obviously got a slightly larger engine but also gained hydraulic suspension. …