The BSA C15 was BSA’s first four-stroke unit-construction bike. A 250 cc single-cylinder, it was very popular with learners in the United Kingdom because at the time, a 250cc was the biggest engine that beginners could use. BSA also made the C15T (Trials), which opened up access to the dirt. For more information, head on over to bsa-c15.org. This specific …
1967 Ducati 250 Scrambler
Post-Sale Update: After being relisted, this Ducati 250 Scrambler sold for $4,000 on eBay. I can faintly hear your concern…”Ducati day? But I wanted a bike that was as happy off-road as it was on-road.” Well, fear not, my friend, as we’ve got a Ducati 250 Scrambler for you to enjoy. This is a two-owner bike that’s enjoyed a “frame-off …
1971 Triumph Trailblazer T25
5-29 Update: Interestingly enough, the first auction was won at $3,559. However, the bike was relisted and now it’s up to $7,900 with no reserve. Find it here on eBay. The Triumph Trailblazer is a rare dual-sport produced for only a few short years. The twin to the BSA B25, this bike was a long-tailed evolution of the Triumph Cub …
1954 AJS 18CS
I’ve featured a 18S before, but the AJS 18CS was a more aggressive long-stroke version. The C stood for Competition (as a scrambler bike), and the S stood for the fact that it had a suspension as opposed to a rigid rear frame. This particular example has been slightly customized to emphasize the “Competition” aspect.
1999 Harley-Davidson MT500
This HD MT500 is one of the rarest bikes to ever come out of the HD factory, and I’m a huge sucker for it at Bike-urious. Originally built by the British in the 80s, rights to this bike were sold by Armstrong-CCM to HD, who sold just 355 copies of the MT500 in 1999, and a few more the following …
1981 Maico 490 Mega II
Post-Listing Update: Despite being relisted and getting 11 bids on eBay, this Maico 490 Mega II did not meet reserve at $5,555.55. Flaunting one of the best dirtbike names ever, the Maico 490 Mega II was considered by many to be one of the best open class motorcross bikes ever built. Back in the 80s, there was a lot of …
1 Owner – 1990 BMW R100GSPD
The BMW R100GSPD (PD stands for Paris-Dakar) is my favorite of the dual-sporting BMW’s. This specific example (ignoring the seat which I could do without) is one of the best I’ve seen, thanks to the history provided by the original owner. Go directly to his own page on this bike and tell me that you’re not inspired!
The “Ultimate” KLR – 2006 Kawasaki KLR650
Whenever I see a listing that claims to be the ultimate example of a model, I’m usually disappointed. But today I’ve got a Kawasaki KLR650 that’s been modified so well, it might just be as good as it gets for the dough. The seller is willing to ride it to you, at which point you can take this bike up …
Video Intermission – Choosing a Dual Sport
The dual-sport market has plenty of choices, which can make it tough to pick the best one for you. The fine gentlemen at Half Throttle Motorsports have come up with a quick test to help you pick the perfect two-wheeled exploration tool:
1988 Moto Guzzi NTX650
Very few people know that in the 80s, Guzzi tried their hand at the large-displacement dual-sport market that BMW blew open with the GS. After a pretty poor first attempt with the 650TT, the Italian company made several revisions and released the Moto Guzzi NTX 650 (the NTX stands for Nuevo Tipo Cross). By some accounts, just 24 of these …
1956 BSA Catalina Scrambler
In the 1956 Catalina Grand Prix, nearly 1,000 riders came together to earn the title of champion. The guy who succeeded was Chuck Minert, who won on a BSA Gold Star. BSA’s West Coast distributor asked for a replica of the winning bike, and the result was the BSA Catalina Scrambler. For more information, check out this feature on Chuck …
1953 Rickman Metisse Mk III
Post-Sale Update: This Rickman Metisse Mk III sold for $12,200 on eBay. More classic British bike goodness, though this auction expires soon. The Rickman Metisse Mk III was an enormous success that provided many riders a base for either street-based roadsters or dual-sport scramblers. This is one of the latter, powered by a Triumph 500cc twin engine.
2009 Triumph Scrambler Custom
Launched in 2006, the Triumph Scrambler was the last bike designed by John Mockett, responsible for most of Triumph’s bikes starting all the way back in 1989. Mockett liked modular design plans, which is why the Scrambler is basically a Bonneville with a few off-road tweaks.
Boxer Harley – 1942 Harley-Davidson XA
Post-Sale Update: After being relisted more than any other bike I’ve seen in years, this Harley-Davidson XA finally sold for $36,661.93. During World War II, the US Government asked HD to build a motorcycle similar to what BMW was making for the Germans – shaft drive, boxer engine, and other features that made the bikes low maintenance. The Harley-Davidson XA …
1988 Honda NX650
I’m a big fan of the Honda NX650, known as the Dominator in certain non-US markets. In fact, I bought myself a beater example of the breed to learn how to ride in the dirt with, and it was the first bike that I sold through this site (feels like much longer than a year ago). So when Bike EXIF …