1965 was the last year of the Panhead and the first year of the electric starter – the latter is what led to the name of “Electra Glide”. 6,900 examples of the FLH were built that year.
American Hand Craftmanship – 2008 Confederate Hellcat
Founded by a lawyer named Matthew Chambers, Confederate Motorcycles was created in 1992 in California. By 1994, the firm was relocated to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and on November 11th 1994, the first Confederate prototype was released. Thanks to the gathering of some talented engineers, it took only two years to release the prototype of something that had never been seen …
2000 Triumph Adventurer 900
Post Sale Update: This Adventurer sold for $2,150 after 9 bids on eBay. The Triumph Adventurer combines the smoothness of their 900cc triple with a laid back, standard frame. A larger front wheel and longer forks set it apart from the Thunderbird, giving it a relaxed sense and riding style. It can’t be described as sprightly, but is that really …
Half Harley, Half Vincent – 1984 Sportster Custom
8-24-2018: Three years later, this cool custom is back up for sale. It’s now available on Hemmings for $10,800 or best offer. Post Listing Update: This custom Sportster did not meet reserve with 12 bids up to $6,100. Under the name of Classified Motorcycle Company (and before Classified Moto got big), Dan Wilson built 27 kits for Harley Sportsters to …
1981 Yamaha XV920R
Post Sale Update: This XV was sold off of eBay to Bike-urious commenter czmx! The 80s have become the inspiration for many new factory designs, and the decade has brought us many starting points for the customs we read about today. The Yamaha XV920 is one of those bikes we often read about having been customized with an R6 front …
2,750 Miles – 1968 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide
Post Sale Update: This Electra Glide sold for $27,400 after 68 bids on eBay. In 1965, Harley changed the FL model line name from Duo Glide to Electra Glide as they introduced an electric starter. One year later, the FL got a 10% power bump with the introduction of the Shovelhead motor. Two years later, this beautiful example was bought …
Power Cruiser – 1985 Honda V65 Magna
Post Listing Update: The BIN was lowered to $3,250, but that wasn’t enough to attract a buyer for this Magna. As the 80s rolled around, Japanese manufacturers were looking to find new ways to keep their customers and gain new ones. Honda started that change in 1982 by releasing a brand-new engine, a four-cylinder engine positioned in a 90° V. …
1986 Yamaha V-Max
Post Sale Update: This V-Max sold for the BIN of $3,500 on eBay. In the motorcycle history, the end of the 60s was the start of a new era: the Japanese one. The air-cooled inline four, such as the found found in the revolutionary 1969 Honda CB750, was the new standard of power and smoothness. Exit big American V-twins and …
First Factory Custom – 1973 Triumph X-75 Hurricane
The Triumph X-75 is considered by many to be both the first factory custom and the very first cruiser. Designed by famed American fairing guru, Craig Vetter, the X-75 originally started out as a BSA project. After the company bet all its chips on its Bert Hopwood (and Doug Hele)-designed triple, it was left in a bad spot. The design …
1999 Confederate Hellcat
Post Listing Update: This Hellcat got no interest at the BIN of $59,900. Confederate has built custom motorcycles since 1991. Known for their aggressive appearance and the use of gorgeous CNC machined parts, they have made a name for themselves with their slogan “Art of Rebellion.” Taking home several pieces of hardware for their work in motorcycle shows across America, …
Carey Hart Custom – 2017 Indian Chieftain
Post Listing Update: This custom Chieftain did not get any interest at the opening ask of $31,999. Among many things in the world of motorcycling, Carey Hart is probably best known for being the first person to land a backflip in competition on a 250cc bike. Carey’s been tightly involved with Indian over the last few years, and this was …
Video Intermission – World’s Largest Production Motorcycle For Sale
Jim Gesto is a trucker who said that he was sick of seeing cars run over motorcycles, so his solution was to “build a motorcycle big enough to run over a car”. I’m not making that up. Per his reading of the law, this is the biggest “trike” he could build that would still be legally designated as a motorcycle, …
1995 Yamaha Virago XV1100
Post Sale Update: This Virago sold for just $1,185 after 6 bids on eBay. 7-24-18 Update: The seller has let me know that he’s put his Virago up on eBay with no reserve, so it’s about to find a new owner – will it be you? Find it with bidding up to $1,009 here on eBay. Introduced in the early …
2001 Chevy V4-Powered Custom
Are you an automotive engine expert? Maybe you’ll know what’s going on here, because I sure don’t. What we’ve apparently got is a “custom built 156 cubic inch Vee-Four Chevy” motor in a “Harley type” chassis. I’ve featured a couple example of the SuperVee (front two cylinders from a SBC Chevy 350) before, but this is even odder.
JDM Bōsōzoku Bike – 1992 Kawasaki ZR400 Zephyr
As motorcycle clubs like the Hells Angels rose to prominence in midcentury America, a similar phenomenon took place in Japan. In the land of the rising sun, the members of these flamboyant moto tribes are known as bōsōzoku, and in the height of their popularity in the early 1980s, there were supposedly more than 40,000 active bōsōzoku on the island …