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1986 Honda Reflex TLR200

In Dual-Sport, Japan by AbhiLeave a Comment

In 1986, Honda offered two trials machines to the public. The “RTL” was built by HRC and was the version for riders who were looking to compete and didn’t mind spending plenty in the process. But Honda also offered the “TLR”, which was the easier to buy (and easier to ride) option. The latter was solely built for the 1986 …

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1982 Honda Motra CT50

In Dual-Sport, Japan, Small Displacement by AbhiLeave a Comment

In the 80s, Honda offered what they called a “heavy duty” minibike called the Motra. Unlike the Z50 or original Monkey, the Motra was designed to be loaded up with gear and ridden just about anywhere you could imagine. A commonly-shared-but-unverified tale says that “Motra” is a combination of Motorcycle-Truck because the Japanese pronunciation for truck is “Torakku”.

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1968 Benelli Mojave Scrambler 260

In Dual-Sport, Italy by AbhiLeave a Comment

Back in the 60s, you did not necessarily have to go to a motorcycle dealership to acquire a bike. Indeed, superstores like Sears or Montgomery Ward imported and sold motorcycles themselves. While Sears notably imported Vespas, Montgomery sold Lambrettas and Benellis, including the Mojave 360…and the rarer 260 variant (offered in Tourer and Scrambler options).

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2007 BMW G650 XChallenge

In Dual-Sport, Germany by AbhiLeave a Comment

A slightly tangential evolution of the F650GS, the BMW G650X XChallenge was arguably the German firm’s most dedicated off-roader. With help from Aprilia and an engine from Rotax, the XChallenge (pronounce Cross Challenge) was defined as a “hard enduro.”

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10 Miles – 1999 Harley-Davidson MT500

In America, Dual-Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

One of the rarest bikes ever built by Harley-Davidson, the MT500 was originally built by the British in the 80s. Rights to the design were sold by Armstrong-CCM to HD, who sold just 355 copies of the MT500 in 1999, and a few more the following year. Only select HD dealerships were allowed to sell these bikes.

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1973 Honda CL450 Scrambler

In Dual-Sport, Japan by AbhiLeave a Comment

The dual-sport cousin of the Black Bomber, Honda’s CL450 was the best selling of the scramblers of the day. Because of this, you can find one with relative ease even though they haven’t been made in 40+ years…unless it’s a highly original example with just 2,642 miles on it!

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102 Miles – 2005 Honda XR650L

In Dual-Sport, Japan by AbhiLeave a Comment

Post Sale Update: This XR650L sold for $5,002 after 36 bids on eBay in Star, Idaho. Introduced as a 1993 model, the XR650L was a revelation that was considered by many to be the best dual-sport ever. Impressively (or depressingly, depending on your outlook), the bike has just about stayed the same as it’s still offered new from Honda with …

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1981 BMW R80GS

In Dual-Sport, Germany by AbhiLeave a Comment

Hindsight has shown that the introduction of the GS model line was one of the best things BMW did for their Motorrad business. But at the press launch in 1980, journalists (and the public) shared a general sentiment of “what’s the point of a large, heavy dual-purpose bike?” Modern cynics still have the same complaint as the bike seems to …

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Ending Soon – 1994 Honda Cub EZ90

In Dual-Sport, Japan by AbhiLeave a Comment

The Honda Cub EZ90 was a quirky flashback to the days of “you meet the nicest people on a Honda.” Designed to make motorcycles more friendly, the Honda EZ90 hid all of its mechanicals inside the futuristic plastic bodywork, and it even offered an electric start in addition to the kicker. Sold between ’91 and ’96 for off-road use only, …

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1983 Honda XLV750R Limited Edition

In Dual-Sport, Japan by AbhiLeave a Comment

Before the Transalp and the Africa Twin, there was the XLV750R – Honda’s first attempt at a touring bike that could get a little dirty. Honda originally planned to sell this bike only in Europe (not including England), though they eventually offered it to Australia and New Zealand. 500 of the first bikes were also put away for the Japanese …

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1973 Yankee Z500

In America, Dual-Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

Post Sale Update: This Yankee Z500 sold for $5,000 after 26 bids on eBay. In the early 70s, John Taylor of Schenectady, New York started building the Yankee Z500, an American dual-sport designed to compete with the best bikes coming out of Europe. Yankee Motor Company started by importing machines from OSSA, the Spanish off-road powerhouse, and then moved to …

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Nice Price – 2006 BMW HP2 Enduro

In Dual-Sport, Germany by AbhiLeave a Comment

The HP2 Enduro was the perfect bike for riders who thought the R1200GS was capable but too heavy. Thanks to a trellis frame and conventional telescopic forks, the HP2 saved 53 pounds of weight from the standard GS. They’ve become cult classics and that means that asking prices can be hefty – here’s one that’s bidden ridden and enjoyed plenty …

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Street Legal – 1993 Honda CRE500

In Dual-Sport, Japan by AbhiLeave a Comment

The CR500 is a truly legendary motorcycle with a long history, but did you know that Honda Australia created a street-leagl version called the CRE500? It’s been difficult to find the official story, though there’s plenty of rumors – one of which is that Honda Australia ordered too many CR500s and so they got certification and converted 250 of them …