Post Sale Update: This TY350 sold for $3,149 after 32 bids on eBay in Lowell, Massachusetts. 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 …
1969 Honda CL350
Post Listing Update: This Golden Flash was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. As Honda’s scramblers got bigger, they became more street focused. Cycle magazine called the CL350 not “really a scrambler at all, but a street-scrambler…doubt arises regarding the bike’s suitability for bashing around rocks and pines.” .
Restored – 1956 BSA Golden Flash
We recently saw a Golden Flash that had been turned into a scrambler – so here’s a concours restoration for you purists.
137 Miles – 2008 Bimota Tesi 3D Limited Edition Concept
Post Sale Update: This Tesi sold for sold for $31,619 on Iconic Motorbike Auctions in Santa Monica, California. The name Tesi comes about because this motorcycle was actually the designer’s (Pierlugi Marconi) Mechanical Engineering thesis – on paper, at least, there are technical advantages to hub-centric steering. The simplified story here is that hub-centric steering completely isolates braking forces from …
1981 Harley-Davidson FXB Sturgis
Post Sale Update: This FXB sold for $11,700 after 44 bids on eBay in Monticello, Wisconsin. The FXB Sturgis is probably best known as a limited production model built to honor the legendary annual rally, but it may actually be notable for another reason – the “B” in FXB. That denoted the use of a belt drive, as this was …
1937 Brough Superior SS80
Post Sale Update: This SS80 sold for $91,433 after 60 bids on eBay in San Diego, California. Called the Rolls Royce of bikes because of its impeccable finish, the SS80 (Super Sports) was named based on the founder’s assurances that the bike could hit 80mph, thanks to a nearly 1000cc engine.
1967 Velocette Venom Clubman
Post Sale Update: This Velocette sold for $15,655 after 15 bids on eBay in Trenton, New Jersey. Introduced in 1955, the Velocette Venom had a distinctive claim to fame – in 1961, a factory-prepped Venom Clubman was the first motorcycle to average over 100 MPH over the course of 24 hours. The challenge was completed at the 1.7 miles concrete …
Back in Black – 1980 Kawasaki Z1R
Post Sale Update: This Z1R sold for $18,050 after 30 bids on eBay in Buford, Georgia. 1-26-21 Update: 3+ years later, this Z1R is back up for sale and the new owner has bravely gone with a no reserve listing. He purchased it on eBay the last time it was featured here, and has since covered approximately 600 miles with …
Yoshimura Equipped – 1986 Suzuki GSX-R750
Though the model debuted in 1985, Suzuki’s legendary Gixxer line did not make its way to the US until 1986. The changes were minor – better headlights, a revised belly pan, and 25mm longer swingarm, but Americans were probably too busy drooling over the first true street-legal race replica sold in this market to notice.
Yamaha XS650 Race Bike
With TZ700 bodywork and a custom gas tank, this fascinating AHRMA racer checks plenty of boxes for Yamaha fans.
1-Owner, No Reserve – 1972 Honda CL175
Post Sale Update: This CL175 sold for $3,250 after 94 bids on eBay in Mentor, Ohio. Honda’s successor to their popular 160cc twin was the 175, which was offered in CB, SL, and CL variants. This one-owner example of the CL comes with a level of paperwork that I almost never see!
1989 Ducati 851 SP3
Post Listing Update: This SP3 did not get any action at the BIN of $18,000 on eBay. The 851 was a quantum leap for Ducati, with a new trellis frame, 4-valve heads, liquid cooling, fuel injection, and a dry clutch – it formed the blueprint for decades of Ducati Superbikes. As Steve Rose put it in his 851 Buyer’s Guide …
1996 Honda Pacific Coast
The Honda Pacific Coast was considered a radical bike when it debuted, designed specifically for the US market (and named after the PCH). With its integrated trunk, unique bodywork, and automotive-like instrumentation, the Pacific Coast was marketed towards white-collar professionals as an easy daily rider. These really were some of the easiest motorcycles in the world to own and maintain, …
1987 Honda NS125R Adriatico
One would assume that a Honda sold in their home market of Japan would also have been built there, but this oddball was actually built by Honda Italy and then exported to Japan. In the early 80s, the 125cc market was fiercely competitive in Italy due to licensing regulations. The local government placed high taxes on imported motorcycles, so Honda …
1981 Honda CT70
Post Sale Update: This CT70 sold for $3,200 after 53 bids on eBay in South Jordan, Utah. For 1981, Honda offered up the venerable CT70 in one color – Tahitian Red. Here’s a highly original example that still features the style that was specific for ’81, like a red front fender, black/blue/white stripe, and black heat shield.