Built for privateers, the Dondolino (weirdly, this is Italian for ‘rocking chair’) featured a 498cc OHV single that produced 33 horsepower, good for a top speed of 110 miles per hour. Dry weight was a paltry 282 pounds. The Dondolino was actually introduced the previous year, and it immediately won the Swiss Grand Prix and Spanish Grand Prix, as well …
3 Wheeled Adventurer – 2004 Suzuki DL650 with Dauntless Sidecar
The Suzuki DL650 (also known as the V-Strom 650, or even the Wee-Strom because it’s the smaller of the two models) was introduced in 2004, taking a modified V-Twin engine from the SV650 and surrounding it in an adventure-touring package. This first year example adds some versatility (at the expense of width) with a Dauntless M72D sidecar rig.
1981 Yamaha SR500 with Sidecar
First – I feel obligated to remind you that this bike sort of lives on as the new SR400. But if you’re looking for the OG (and you like having a third wheel), check out this ’81 with a Velorex 562 sidecar. This example has 12,000 miles and is claimed to run great. The seller built the rig when his …
Unexpected Trike -1972 Honda Mini Trail 50
Post-Listing Update: This Mini Trail Trike did not meet reserve with bidding up to $5,200 after 46 bids. For the finale of this season of Fast n Loud (which chronicles the story of Gas Monkey Garage, three employees at the shop were given a bike and $1,000 to fix it up for an internal bike build off for charity. The …
1981 Honda CB750F with Sputnik Sidecar
2-18-16 Update: Almost a year and a half later, this interesting hack is back up for sale. Now it’s in Playa del Rey with the same asking price ($4,500) here on Craigslist. Originally built by Mike Braverman of Dual Sport Sidecars out of Sylmar, CA, this is a Honda CB750F with Sputnik Sidecar that the seller says will be the …
From Thailand – 1965 Daihatsu Midget Tuk Tuk
Post Sale Update: After being relisted, this Tuk Tuk sold for $6,000 on eBay. As a brown guy, I call these awesome three wheelers ‘rickshaws’, but these are also known the world over as ‘tuk tuks’. No matter what you call them, they’re almost never found in the US. Even better, thanks to the lax rules in Florida, this is …
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!
1975 Reliant Robin
2-6 Update: About 16 months later, this Robin is back up for sale but it’s now on eBay with more information and pictures (plus you can watch the Top Gear bit again). This example (VIN:9519203V) has 74,600 miles and because it’s now on eBay instead of at Mecum, we know what the asking price is – find it in Anaheim, …
1964 Piaggio Ape
Introduced in 1948, the Piaggio Ape is a three wheeler designed for light commercial purposes. What you may not expect to hear is that the Ape is still in production! Ape translates to “bee” in Italian, and it was named to evoke the productiveness you think of with ‘busy as a bee’.
Tall Trike – 1960 Harley-Davidson Servicar Custom
Post Sale Update: After 37 bids on eBay, this Servicar custom sold for $20,400. Based on a HD Servicar, this custom was built ‘in the style of Ed Roth’s trike body’.
Limited Edition – 2015 Ural Dark Force
Yesterday’s post about the Jawa clearly went overboard with the Star Wars references. Ural has also gone overboard, thanks to a limited edition model called the Dark Force. Just 25 units are on offer, though it doesn’t look to be much more than a standard Ural hack with fancy paint…and a lightsaber.
1941 Indian Dispatch Tow
Post Sale Update: After 38 bids on eBay, this Dispatch Tow sold for $40,000. According to The Iron Redskin, the Indian Dispatch Tow was built to fix a problem that a Packard dealership was having near the Indian plant. The dealer wanted a way to deliver customer cars without requiring an additional employee with a car to go alongside. While …
Leaning Hack – 1981 Equalean Sidecar
A few days ago I featured the Flexit, a sidecar designed to lean with the bike. Its’ main competitor? The Equalean.
Leaning Hack – Yamaha FJ1200 with Flexit Sidecar
As you might be able to guess from the name, Flexit sidecars were designed to lean with the motorcycle, yielding much better handling characteristics than a traditional sidecar rig. Approximately 167 were built between 1981 and 2005, making this a rare and interesting take on 3-wheeling.
1961 MV Agusta Centauro RF
The Centauro RF was the third ‘transport’ vehicle from MV Agusta, and the first with a cab forward design.