When Moto Guzzi first released the V50 in the late 70s, they were met with a tepid response from an American market that preferred bigger bikes and expected smaller bikes to be cheaper. Guzzi updated the V50 to the “II” generation in 1979, giving it dual-point ignition, a larger sump, and Nikasil coating on the cylinder bores.
Original Owner – 2006 MV Agusta F4 1000
Over on the auction site we’ve got an interesting offering from our friends at Bartel’s Harley-Davidson – a MV Agusta F4 1000 that was traded in by the original owner. It had been sitting for a while so they had us make it a runner before listing it, but during the service we realized just how original it is – …
VTOPIA Design Kit – 2013 Vyrus 984
One of the craziest bikes we’ve ever featured on the auction site, this Vyrus 984 has been made even more exclusive with the addition of a design kit from VTOPIA – supposedly one of four such-equipped bikes in the world. The 984 first debuted back in 2003 at the Padova Motorcycle Show. At the time, it was powered by a …
Unico Moto Custom – 2007 Ducati Monster S4R
Built by Unico Moto, this is the “Unico Stealth.” It started as Ducati Monster S4R with which Unico sought to “maintain the retro/modern approach while incorporating a more raw and industrial look.” How do you think they did?
New In Crate – 2007 Yamaha YZ250
Yamaha completely redesigned the YZ250 for 2005, so for 2007 they just made some minor chassis updates (including revised Kayaba 48mm forks). That may not matter in this case, as this bike has spent the last 16 years in the original delivery crate, and one assumes that it will stay that way for the next collector owner.
No Reserve – CA Plated 1998 Aprilia RS250
A couple of months ago, I found something that’s a bit of a unicorn – an Aprilia RS250 with a California plate! It had been sitting for a few years so I had our shop bring it back to life and I hoped it would make for a fun option in my stable of commuters. But as any two-stroke fan …
Still In Crate – 1988 Yamaha Route 66
2-19-23 Update: 14 months later, this Yamaha is back up for sale on eBay (though it’s crossed the country and is now in California) with an opening bid of $4,100. As dnaj points out in the comments, this doesn’t look like a factory crate that Yamaha would have used, but it’s still an interesting find and I’m curious to see …
#24 of 100 – 1998 Ducati 748L Neiman Marcus Edition
The little brother of the bike that put Ducati back on the map, the 748 was produced in many variations. None were more rare than the Ducati 748L, also known as the Neiman Marcus edition. Only 100 were produced in 1998, and they were exclusively sold through the Neiman Marcus catalog.
One Owner – 2001 BMW R1100S
In 1999, BMW took the most powerful boxer engine it had at the time and made their most aggressive looking bike so far, the BMW R1100S. Over time the used market has considered it more of a sport-tourer than a sport bike (especially thanks to features like optional bags that were the same as what you got on the GS), …
425 Miles – 1988 Honda RC30 Bol d’Or
Over at Iconic we’ve sold plenty (over 40) RC30s, but I wanted to point out this specific example as it’s one of the “Bol d’Or” branded RC30s that was created specifically for the French market. Now it’s in Los Angeles, it has just 425 miles, and it’s been freshly serviced so that it’s ready to ride if the next owner …
1970s BMW “Poor Man’s Paris Dakar” Custom
This bike is going to need an engine as the current one is seized, but as the seller notes – that would be the “easiest component to replace” considering the extent of the modifications! The seller built this himself roughly 30 years ago to put up with “hard desert riding” and it’s one of the cooler custom BMW’s I’ve seen …
238 Miles – 2000 Harley-Davidson MT500
One of the rarest bikes ever built by Harley-Davidson, the MT500 was originally built by the British in the 80s. Rights to the design were sold by Armstrong-CCM to HD, who sold just 355 copies of the MT500 in 1999, and a few more the following year. Only select HD dealerships were allowed to sell these bikes.
1939 Vincent Series A Comet
In 1934, Phil Vincent debuted a new OHV motor that would go on to power multiple models built by the famous brand that bore his name. At first, the 499cc single was utilized in the Meteor and the Comet, though over the years the company would focus more on the famous Rapide and its V-Twin motor. here’s one of the …
2001 KTM 640 Duke II
One of the first semi-popular supermotos in the US, the KTM Duke II was a revelation for the lucky few that got to enjoy it – the comfortable ergonomics and light weight made this an excellent hooligan bike. Get used to riding with the front wheel off the ground!
65 Miles – 2004 Moto Guzzi MGS-01 Corsa
Post Sale Update: This MGS-01 sold for $48,150 (including the 7% buyer’s fee) on Iconic Motorbike Auctions. Moto Guzzi Sport, Number 1 – that’s what MGS-01 stood for. Doesn’t matter what you called it, it was an unexpected taste of what Guzzi would be capable of if they wanted to rub shoulders with Ducati or Aprilia in the exotic, red-blooded …