I got myself confused between this bike and a Trophy Trail, which has been previously featured. Here’s some more accurate information from South Shore Motors. Thanks, Mark! “In the 60s/ early 70s, the Trophy label was used on a variety of bikes from the 250cc TR25W to the larger 500 and 650cc twins. The moniker usually referred to a single-carb …
1991 BMW R100GSPD
I’m currently in Fairbanks, Alaska, and I’m about to tackle the Haul Road up to the top of the state, which means I’m feeling pretty good about my R1150GS. With that in mind, I feel obligated to feature one of my favorite versions of the R-GS series, the R100GSPD – otherwise known as the Paris-Dakar. This specific example is claimed …
1989 Honda Transalp 650
The Honda Transalp XL600V was a dual-sport that was truly ahead of its time. A slightly less off-road biased cousin of the Honda Africa Twin, the Transalp was first released in 1987. This was one of the odder bikes that Honda ever sold – truly a jack of all trades sort of bike. The US only got the Transalp between …
1970 Muskin El Gato
Post Sale Update: After being relisted, this El Gato sold for a BIN of $1,050. Marketed as a “Midi-Cycle”, the Muskin El Gato wanted to separate itself from minibikes by completely making up a new category of motorcycles.
1969 Bultaco El Tigre
Available only for one year, this Bultaco El Tigre (if I’m allowed to oversimplify) is basically a Metralla 250 that’s been turned into a street scrambler. Only about 700 were ever sold, and this specific one has just 1,800 miles. The tank has been repainted, and it runs great. It’s been with the second owner since 1970. Find this Bultaco …
1965 BSA C15
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 …