Rockford Motors was the American importer for Bridgestone, but when the Japanese firm stopped selling bikes in 1971, Rockford had a bit of an issue. They made a deal with Bridgestone to take over manufacturing rights for the 3 smallest bikes – two 60cc models called the Tora and the Chibi, as well as the 100cc Taka you see in …
Zero Miles – 2003 Cannondale X440
Post Listing Update: This Cannondale did not get any action at the BIN of $4,800 on eBay. The Cannondale X440 was the swansong of Cannondale motorcycles, a subsidiary of the well-known American bicycling company. In the late 90s, Cannondale tried to move into motorsports, with an off-road bike and an ATV. Long story short, it was a disaster. $80 million …
1 Owner – 1989 BMW K100RS Special Edition
Post Listing Update: This K100RS did not get any action at the BIN of $4,950 on eBay. The BMW K100RS SE, or Special Edition, was a limited run of the K100RS that featured a lovely blue and white paint job, hand drawn pin stripes, and color-matched hard luggage. It also just happens to be the first production motorcycle with ABS.
2000 Moto Guzzi V11 Sport
An evolution of the incredible V7 Sport, this Moto Guzzi V11 Sport was a heavy (546 pounds wet weight) bruiser of a sportbike that was distinctive and rare.
1998 Honda VFR800 Interceptor
The fifth-gen Honda VFR800 brought the model into the modern era with a bump in displacement (if not power), Y2K styling, amd the addition of fuel injection. This 1998 VFR is a first-year model from one of the best all-around bikes of all time – and Honda had the good sense to bring the “Interceptor” name back for it.
1982 Honda CB650SC
A claimed “barn find” that was freshened up over the last 8 months, this CB650SC has under 2,000 miles.
1963 Garelli Rex KL75
Post Listing Update: This Garelli Rex KL75 did not get any interest at the BIN of $2,500. American Rex Corporation used to be located at 1216 Monte Diablo Avenue in San Mateo, California. They imported Italian-made Garellis under the name of Garelli-Rex, and the naming convention was KL + the ccs of displacement. In period advertisements, American Rex referred to …
Rare Project – 1964 Benelli Fireball Trail 50
Post Listing Update: This Benelli did not get any interest at the BIN of $1,275 on eBay in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Benelli made the Fireball 50 (also sold as the confusingly-named Montgomery Wards 450SS) as a streetbike, but the Fireball Trail was its scrambler sibling with a one-person seat, high exhaust, and rounded styling.
1988 Yamaha DT50
Post Listing Update: This Yamaha did not get any interest at the BIN of $2,750 or best offer. Introduced in 1981, the Yamaha DT50 (also known as the DT50MX) was barely updated throughout its 15-year production run.
100 Miles – 1980 Suzuki TS185
Post Sale Update: this TS185 sold for $3,200 after 11 bids on eBay in Littleton, Colorado. “Social distance in style!” That’s what the seller of this example suggests you can do – they also claim that this bike is like new because it was owned by a lady who never titled it and only used it to ride to her …
1997 Honda VFR750F
“For many, bike journalists included, the Honda VFR750 is the best road bike ever built.” MCN didn’t mince words when it came to their praise of the VFR – it’s one thing for a journo to be excited about a bike for a few hours for a first ride, but this is the kind of machine that people love to …
Restored – 1967 Suzuki Bearcat B105P
Post Sale Update: This Bearcat sold for $2,185 after 4 bids on eBay in La Quinta, California. Suzuki’s Bearcat was a small dual sport that was marketed as a “thrifty swifty” – go anywhere and carry anything for cheap. At 25 miles per hour with the touring sprocket, the Bearcat returned 153 miles per gallon.
2004 Honda RC51 Nicky Hayden
Honda built the RC51 to compete in World Superbike, and the bike earned titles in 2000 and 2002. The latter year, the RC51 also won the AMA Superbike championship with Nicky Hayden, and Honda responded in 2004 by producing a “Nicky Hayden Edition.” The changes were cosmetic only – a sticker kit, white number plates on the upper fairing and …
1996 BMW R1100RS
BMW arguably created the sport-touring segment with the R100RS, though future evolutions like the 1100, 1150, and 1200 weren’t as commercially successful. Still, they’re very competent machines that go fast enough an far enough in relative comfort. For $2,500, you could easily criss-cross the country a few times and still be ready for more.
1981 Honda ATC200
Post Sale Update: This Honda ATC200 sold for the BIN of $1,295 on eBay in Madison, Wisconsin. Honda brought the 3-wheeler to the US thanks to an engineer named Osamu Takeuchi. Osamu was simply trying to create a product that could bolster motorcycle sales during winter months, but by the time it was all over he had created something so …