The Chrysler Snorunner has an interesting history – though some people disagree on the actual story. My favorite version is that Chrysler built them for the Army, which was looking for light weight snow transport that could carry a soldier for 30 miles. It wasn’t capable of handling powder snow, so the Army gave up on it. Chrysler decided to …
Original Paint – 1975 BMW R90S
They say that a vehicle is only original once – thanks to the distinctive paint that is nearly impossible to replicate, that saying is very apt with the R90S.
Semi-Replica – 1985 Yamaha RD500
Yamaha’s RD500 was a sportbike that has a special place in the hearts of US 80s 2-stroke fans because it was never officially imported here. Nearly all of the examples you now find were brought in from Canada (where it was called the RZ500, hence the title in the seller’s listing). Here’s an example that has 11,600 miles, just 100 …
Ending Soon – 1973 Moto Guzzi Eldorado Custom
Called the “Gonzo Guzzi”, this custom Eldorado 850 (VIN: 061146) was rebuilt and customized by Svenmeister Motorcycle Works, then featured in Rebel Rodz in 2007. It was up for sale back in 2009 but I can’t figure out how high bidding went that time.
1973 Suzuki GT750
The Suzuki GT750, also known as the Water Buffalo, was the bike that put Suzuki on the map in the United States. Introduced as competition to the big bikes of the day, like the Honda CB750 and the Triumph Bonneville, this bike was basically a T500 with an extra cylinder and liquid cooling crafted on.
1975 Laverda SFC Electronica
Post-Listing Update: After bidding got up to $44,100, the seller pulled the bike off of eBay. Even the “base” SFC 750 is a legendary bike, but near the end of production, it got just a little bit better with the Laverda SFC Electronica. It was named for the incorporation of Bosch electronic ignition, but that wasn’t the extent of the …
1992 Honda VFR400R
Ready for one of the most common folk riddles ever?
Ending Soon – 1967 BSA Hornet A65H
In the 60s, the US was clamoring for desert racers, and fans of the BSA Lightning were hoping for a stripped down version from the British firm. Enter the BSA Hornet, a 650cc stripper-spec without lighting.
Not Actually Last – 1984 BMW R100 Last Edition
Here’s a bike that pissed off a few BMW enthusiasts back in day – the BMW R100 Last Edition. You should probably be asking why it pissed riders off. It wasn’t the bike itself, it’s how BMW decided to market it.
Cycle World Special – 1974 Norton VR880
Kenny Dreer, the man who almost brought Norton back from the grave several years ago, got his start restoring motorcycles from the British marque at his shop called Vintage Rebuilds (VR) near Portland, Oregon. As the 1990s came to an end, he started building his own variant of the Commando, which he called the Norton VR880.
Couple of Blue Rickman Metisses
The Rickman Metisse is a legend when it comes to classic off-roaders. Here are two examples of the breed in blue, one with a Triumph engine, the other with a Weslake BSA B44 engine – considered by some (like Motocross Action Mag) to be the ultimate example of the Metisse.
Feeling Lucky? 1967 Velocette MSS
A tiny British manufacturer, Velocette was a family-owned firmed that was well-known for creating high quality bikes. With 3 decades of successful international racing experience, and (still-standing) record for a single-cylinder bike running 24 hours at 100 miles per hour, they brought many technical innovations to the world, including a swingarm rear suspension with hydraulic dampers. One of their more …
1975 Rupp Centaur
Founded in 1959, Rupp Manufacturing started out as a kart manufacturer in Mansfeld, Ohio. Within 10 years, they had grown to a 400-employee shop pumping out mini-bikes, go-karts, snowmobiles, and a 3-wheeler appropriately named the Rupp Centaur.
1986 Suzuki Rick Lance RG500 Gamma
In the 80s, Suzuki offered a limited run of 150 bikes as a replica of their Skoal-liveried RG500 Gamma – it was just a paint job but it looked great. That paint scheme was inspiration for this (presumably regular model) RG500 that’s been tuned and heavily modified by expert Rick Lance.
1973 Hodaka Combat Wombat
Featuring one of the greatest model names ever, the Hodaka Combat Wombat was part of a series of fantastically-named bikes like the Road Toad and the Dirt Squirt. Here’s a cherry example that has just 300 miles on it, and it’s claimed to look great and run great. Based on the photos, I’d say the former is true – hopefully …