Based out of Bielefeld, Germany, Göricke was founded as a bicycle manufacturer in 1874. They started producing motorcycles in 1903 and were acquired by Panther in 1964. Between those years they produced a variety of motorcycles, including this Gö 100 S, which is powered by a Sachs motor.
1984 KTM 495 MX
Available as the MX or MXC (motocross or cross-country off-roader), the KTM 495 was an absurdly fast Open class dirt bike – Rod Bush apparently took a re-geared example up to 123.75 miles per hour on El Mirage Dry Lake with an ’81.
Imported Benly – 1956 Honda JC56 125cc
The 250cc Honda Benly was one of the three initial U.S. offerings by Honda and helped establish the company’s toehold in this country. But back home smaller displacement tiddlers were the manufacturer’s bread-and-butter, meaning basic, reliable, utilitarian transport. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t be without style, and the Benly line were among the best-looking.
Needs Some Work – 1968 Yamaha YA6
The YA6 was the first Yamaha to feature “Autolube” oil injection, which led to a Safety & Engineering award from Auto & Motor Sport magazine. The Autolube concept was incredibly successful and was a mainstay of Yamaha’s line for years. The YA6? Not so much, it’s a rare find nowadays.
Homologation Special – 1992 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R K2
Post-Listing Update: This Ninja was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. The “K” model of the ZX-7R, built between 91-92, was a homologation special built in limited numbers (500 examples) so Kawi could go racing in AMA Superbike. 142 examples were exported to the US, with an asking price that was nearly twice what Kawasaki charged for the …
Moto Giro Racer – 1966 Ducati Monza 250
Starting with a square-fendered Monza 250 he acquired in 2007, this seller converted a stock bike into a Moto Giro competitor. While I don’t enjoy the overall aesthetic package, it looks like the seller did a good job upgrading the mechanics of this bike for competition.
1975 Honda CB750 Cafe Racer
Right now, Sildorome is asking what the best UJM is. A whole bunch of the answers are the CB750, which isn’t surprising considering what a sales success it was. Because there are plenty of examples to work with, many builders turn to the big CB when they want to build a custom. Here’s an example that I generally dig, except …
Final Edition – 1998 Ducati Supersport 900FE
To mark the end of its badass Supersport line, Ducati released a one-year run of 800 bikes around the world. They called it the Final Edition, painted it silver, and threw on a couple of goodies like 41mm FCR carbs and Ohlins rear shock. 300 of the 800 examples made it over the US – here’s number 15.
Do You Believe? 1948 Norton ES2
If you believe the seller, this Norton has competed in the Isle of Man TT and was ‘clocked’ doing 110 miles per hour on a downhill during the race. More recently, it placed 2nd in the Classic category at the Garage Brewed Moto Show in Cincinnati.
Satyricon – 1964 Triumph Chopper
Post Sale Update: 1 bid at $9,500 was enough to sell this bike on eBay. Built by Paul Ponkow of Bones Legacy, Satyricon is a rigid chopper powered by a Triumph T120R engine – and I’m featuring it pretty much just for the exhaust.
Homemade Wall of Death!
Normally I feature bikes for sale, but today I get to feature something you can ride your bike in – if you have the guts. Also known as a silodrome, the ‘wall of death’ was a famous carnival sideshow where riders would circle the interior of a cylinder, pressed against the edge thanks to friction and gravity. The seller says …
Christmas Special – 1986 Honda Z50
Considered by some as the ultimate Honda Z50, the “Christmas Special” was a limited edition – you can probably guess what time of year it was released. Honda gave two examples to each of their top dealers, though they typically called it the “Chrome Edition” seeing as nearly every part on the bike (even the frame!) was chromed. This example …
Misleading Cosmetics – 1937 Harley-Davidson Servicar
Post-Sale Update: This Servicar sold for $20,000 after 45 bids on eBay. When I first saw this listing, I assumed this Servicar hadn’t run since about 1938. Thankfully, my assumption was wrong – this thing works just fine!
1949 Salsbury Imperial Model 85
Post Listing Update: Despite 30 bids on eBay, bidding did not meet reserve at $8,100. Back in 1936, a man named E. Foster Salsbury co-developed the Salsbury Motor Glide, a scooter with an enclosed drivetrain underneath the seat. His later development of the first CVT to be used on a scooter made his product such a success that he even …
Needs Some Work – 2 1973 Alouette AX125 Projects
Normally when you think of motorcycle makers based out of Canada, the first thing that comes to mind is Can-Am. But some of you may remember Alouette, a Canadian snowmobile manufacturer that expanded into dirt bikes so that their dealers would have vehicles to sell and service during the summer. The AX125 was introduced in 1973, but sales were abysmal …