I was on a big Monkey kick after I got to try the new one, and I’m still always on the lookout for interesting examples. This ’74 model is a JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) example and it’s got just 102 kilometers on the odometer (64 miles).
703 Miles – 1989 Honda XL600V Transalp
When Honda brought the XL600V over from Europe in 1989, America wasn’t ready. The 583cc V-twin adventure bike was more capable than anyone could have imagined. Many news outlets noted its biggest limiting factor was the tires of the time. Twin spark heads and a 450lb weight offered agility on the road, while full fairings looked the part. Meanwhile, long …
Plated – 1999 ATK 600DT
In a 1998 advertisement, ATK called the 600DT the only “factory-built dirt tracker”. They said it was race-ready thanks to a Rotax motor, their in-house frame, Brembo brakes, WP suspension, Talon hubs, SuperTrapp exhaust, and plenty more quality components.
Rare Restoration – 1972 Benelli Panther
Post Sale Update: This Panther sold for $1,920 after 2 bids on eBay. 4-6-19 Update: Almost a year later, this bike is now up on eBay with a ~$900 discount. Find it in Trenton, New Jersey with an unmet opening bid of $1,895 here on eBay. Known in other markets as the 125 Cross, this rare model was named the …
Cycle World Cover Bike – ESMC’s “Desert Wolf” Harley Roadster
The Desert Wolf was one of three identical bikes constructed for an ambitious 2017 project which was the brainchild of El Solitario’s head honcho, David Borras. While you can read all about Borras’ and the El Sol crew’s Saharan adventure on said bikes in a full-length Cycleworld writeup — the issue’s feature/cover story — in a nutshell the idea was …
First Ride Review – 2019 BMW R1250GS and R1250GSA
The GS and GS Adventure are BMW’s most important bikes – in a lineup comprising of nearly 30 motorcycles, 27% of the German firm’s sales come from the GS and its bigger “Adventure” brother. Any sort of update is therefore a big deal.
1940 Excelsior Villiers Welbike
Post Sale Update: This Welbike sold for $10,100 after 54 bids on eBay. At the request of the British government, Excelsior developed the Welbike, a tiny single seater that was designed to be dropped into combat situations via parachute-equipped containers. The goal was that it could be unpacked and ready to ride within 11 seconds.
What Do You Want To Know? 2019 BMW R1250GS/R1250GSA
UPDATE: Here’s my review on ADV Pulse! I’ve said for years that if I was forced to only have one motorcycle, it would most likely be the newest BMW R-GS that I could afford. I will admit that I’ve had some reservations about my opinion as the big GSes have been getting way more complicated from a technological standpoint over …
Restored Vintage Enduro – 1980 Yamaha IT175
Immediately after Yamaha unveiled the IT400 in 1976, a trio of Yamaha riders nabbed gold medals at the Austrian International Six Day Trials on the newly debuted IT’s. With the success of the 400, the Tuning Fork Company opted to expand the IT — or “International Trial” — range the following year to include smaller displacement variants, one of which …
1972 Suzuki RV90 Rover
Post Listing Update: This Suzuki RV90 did not get any interest at the opening bid of $1,200. Minibikes are back in! What started with the just the Honda Grom 125 has turned into a multi-class 24 hour endurance race featured on motorcycle.com with a cameo by me, and culminated with Abhi riding a new Super Cub to an event at …
Rare in the US – Honda Monkey Baja
Post Sale Update: This Monkey Baja sold for the BIN of $5,000 on eBay. In 1991, Honda released a new variant of the Monkey/Z50R. Called the Baja, it featured rally-style dual headlights in addition to the taillight, turn signals, and the classic Honda red tail bag. They were not officially sold in the US, but this modified example is already …
Factory Scrambler Kit – 1967 Honda CB450D
Post Listing Update: This CB450D did not get any action at the BIN of $20,500. Honda’s Black Bomber, also known as the CB450, is a valuable collectible nowadays. But when it was first released, the voluptuous styling was not for everyone. When the 1968 CB450 K1 was released, Honda still had several examples of the K0 languishing in showrooms and …
In England – 1988 Yamaha TDR50
I’ve featured several examples of Yamaha’s TDR250 in the past, but until today I had no idea that they made a little 50cc version!
Maria Riding Company’s “Kalahari” – 1992 Honda Africa Twin Custom
Bespoke ADV builds are a rare breed, so whenever a fully transformed custom adventure mount from a big-name shop pops up for sale I feel obligated to share it. We’ve previously featured a one-off build from Portugal’s The Maria Riding Company, however this highly-modified ADV rig is a far cry from the track-spec (Ducati) GT1000 from back in October.
2009 Kawasaki KLR650 M1030M1
Post Listing Update: This diesel KLR did not get any interest at the asking price of $14,000. It was later relisted at the same price with the same result. In 1997, the US Navy announced that it was consolidating the various types of fuel it provided for military vehicles. Diesel motorcycle research at Hayes Diesel Technology (HDT) was already underway, …