Post-Listing Update: This Honda Transalp XL600V got some offers but did not sell at the asking BIN price. After being relisted at a starting bid of $1,800, it still got no action. Odd. The Honda Transalp XL600V was a dual-sport that was truly ahead of its time. A slightly less off-road biased cousin of the Honda Africa Twin, the Transalp …
2006 Ducati Paul Smart 1000LE
Post-Sale Update: After 9 bids on eBay, this Ducati Paul Smart 1000LE sold for $16,920. One of this generation’s instant classics, the Ducati Paul Smart was a limited edition inspired by the Ducati race bikes of the 1970s – one of which was piloted by Paul Smart to a win at the Imola 200 in 1972. Limited to only 2,000 …
Don’t Drink and Drive – 2009 Budweiser Mini Chopper
Just like this bike, this post will be short and sweet. In the last few years, Budweiser ran a promotion where contestants could win a miniature chopper bike that was street-legal and capable of nearly 55 miles per hour, though we’d be terrified to do so!
1972 BSA Thunderbolt
BSA is probably best known for their Lightning, but they also had a touring complement known as the BSA Thunderbolt. Produced from 1964-1972, the bike had two major updates through its’ life. In our eyes, the designs got uglier over time – culminating in the bike we feature today.
34th Annual Hansen Dam All British Ride
Every year, the Southern California Norton Owner’s Club hosts a wonderful get together at Hansen Dam. The combined show and ride features decades of classic British iron – and you’re bound to see great bikes from other marques, new and old. We got an invite from a local BMW mechanic friend and couldn’t say no. As you’ve come to expect …
Featured First – 1970 Rupp Go Joe
Post-Sale Update: After 16 bids on eBay, this Rupp Go Joe sold for $1,858. 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 what some people consider to be the first “4 wheeler” – the Rupp Go Joe. Produced …
The Original Cruiser – 1973 Triumph Hurricane X-75
11-3 Update: And, it’s back. Find this Triumph Hurricane X-75 here on eBay at the same bonkers price of $37,995. Let’s see if someone bites this time. Post Sale Update: Despite being re-listed, this Triumph Hurricane failed to sell. We’ll see if the seller tries again with a lower price in the future. The Triumph Hurricane represented a paradigm shift …
Dustbin Works Racer – 1953 NSU Sportmax
Post-Sale Update: After 26 bids on eBay, this NSU Sportmax sold for $54,100. In the 1950s, NSU was the world’s biggest motorcycle manufacturer. Possibly the pinnacle of their production was the NSU Sportmax Works Racer, which enable to the company to win the Constructor’s World Championship twice in the 250cc class. The factory race bikes were incredibly expensive, but also …
Rare in the US – 2002 Mondial Piega 1000
We have no idea how this got into the country, or if you can even make it legal, but we definitely wanted our loyal readers to see it! A niche Italian manufacturer that specialized in high performance, small displacement bikes between the 40s and the 70s, Mondial made their name with World Championship road racers in the 50s, and motorcycles …
Trail Yamaha – 1986 Yamaha TY 350
Post-Sale Update: After 22 bids on eBay, this Yamaha TY 350 sold for $2,010. In the late 60s, Yamaha made its first entry in a European trial championship in France with their 250 DT, a bike better suited for dual sporting. In 1970, the sales manager of a French Yamaha dealership was contacted by the current French trial champion and …
Homologation Special – 1991 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R K1
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R K1 was a special limited edition of Kawi’s ZX-7R used in AMA Superbike. Kawasaki enjoyed tremendous success in competitive racing with this bike, and plenty of that tech made it to the ‘civilian’ version. Required to produce 500 examples for homologation purposes, Kawi packed this bike full of features like 39mm Keihin flat-slide carbs, an aluminum …
Featured First – Suzuki GT750
Post-Sale Update: The restored example sold for a best offer less than $6,500, and the original example sold for a best offer less than $4,500. The Suzuki GT750, affectionately known as the Water Buffalo, was the bike that made Suzuki a household name in the United States. The follow-up to a sporty bike, Suzuki surprised (and disappointed) motorcycle magazines by …
1999 Bimota DB4
The Bimota DB4 followed the Italian firm’s modus operandi of taking a well established engine from another manufacturer and surrounding it with beautiful Italian bodywork. Using a frame similar to the Bimota Mantra, this successor wasn’t much of a technological advancement. Think of it instead as a moving piece of art.
1983 Harley Davidson FXDG Willie G Special
10-31 Update: It’s back! Find it here on eBay – we’ll see if it hits the reserve this time or not. Post-Auction Update: After being relisted, this Harley Davidson FXDG Willie G Special did not meet reserve at $10,000 on eBay. The Harley Davidson FXDG Willie G Special was a one-year-only limited edition that was surprisingly subtle compared to other HD …
Hoon’s Favorite: 2010 Aprilia SXV550
The Aprilia SXV550 is an absolute monster that epitomizes what supermotos should be about – immediate thrust, and minimal weight. With 70hp and less than 320 pounds of curb weight, this bike definitely checks the right boxes. Hooligans unite – this is one of the bikes you’ve been waiting for.