Post Listing Updates: The Chrome Edition did not meet reserve despite 32 bids up to $4,900. The other two were pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. While Honda’s Z50 was fairly common, there are a few rare models. A seller in Coventry, Rhode Island has 3 of them, and they all look fantastic. Which would you choose?
Austrian Two-Stroke – 1990 KTM 250 MX
In the 1990’s, KTM’s MX machines were routinely winning magazine shootouts, and though they weren’t without flaws the Austrian brappers were thought of as solid bikes. The dawn of the ’90’s would see the “Ready To Race” brand release a highly updated version of its quarter-liter MXer. The 1990 KTM 250 MX boasted ample smooth and tractable low-to-mid range power, …
Model 73 – 1973 Bultaco Tiron 100
Post Listing Update: This Tiron did not get any interest at the asking price of $2,000. Bultacos are generally hard to find as it is, but the Tiron is truly a rarity. Basically a tiny version of the Sherpa, the Tiron is a trials bike with ergonomics best suited for younger riders and a 100cc engine.
Rare Brit – 1965 Greeves TFS 250
Greeves Motorcycles was once a major player in the off-road competition scene, producing more than a dozen models over the course of its history. Though the British marque is best known for its decade of dominance in off-road competition from ’59 to ’69, Greeves also built some championship-winning road-racers. The historic brand is largely credited for changing many riders’ perceptions …
Unexpected Flat Tracker – 1956 Indian Woodsman/Tomahawk
Between 1955 and 1960, Indians sold in the US were actually re-branded Royal Enfields. It was the idea of an English company called Brockhouse Engineering (you may remember that they created the adorable Corgi) who owned the Indian trademark at the time. They thought they could capitalize on the goodwill of the Indian brand by selling some Brit bikes, and …
Mono-Body “Midi-Bike” – 1970 Muskin El Gato
The Muskin El Gato is one funky little scoot. Muskin Corp was aiming to nab a piece of the then-increasingly lucrative small-displacement trail bike market. The company’s strategy was to create a truly unique machine that would stand out from the crowd of other mini offerings and regardless of Muskin’s success, it’s hard to deny the efficacy of said strategy. …
Ping King – 1986 Honda CR500
When first released, Honda’s CR500 was its most powerful MXer ever produced, though that power was wildly difficult to tame. The CR was nonetheless a major success and Honda opted to keep the half-liter thumper in production for more than a decade prior to be being phased out in 2001 upon the rise of the four-stoke machines and the company’s …
1974 Yamaha SC500
Post Sale Update: This Yamaha SC500 sold for $1,750 after 45 bids on eBay. When it boils down to it, I know just about nothing about the SC500. Never ridden one, never even seen one in person. I’m really just featuring it because Rick Sieman called it one of the 10 worst dirt bikes of all time and I find …
Restored – 1969 Honda Z50A
Post Sale Update: This Z50 sold for $3,700 after 31 bids on eBay. In a wonderful article on Motorcyclist, Mitch Boehm notes “that the Honda Z50 Mini Trail is probably responsible for more two-wheeled addictions than any other motorcycle on earth.” This second-year example is claimed to be “practically new” thanks to a bevy of new and refurbished parts.
Built for Trials – 1973 Hodaka Wombat 125
Post Sale Update: This little Wombat sold for $2,999 after 51 bids on eBay. Based out of North Dakota, Danny Messmore currently runs a dealership called Action Motor Sports. But for Hodaka fans, Danny is best known as one of the original dealers for their beloved bikes – and he’s built a few specials over the years as well. Here’s …
Rare Project – 1973 Alouette AX125
Post Sale Update: This AX125 sold for $1,026 after 5 bids on eBay. Marketed as “The Multi-Purpose Motorcycle”, the AX125 was an idea that made sense on paper – Alouette was a Canadian snowmobile manufacturer that decided they should also sell dirt bikes so that there dealerships would have products to sell and maintain when there wasn’t snow on the …
Trials Junkie Duo – 2 Montesa Cota 123s
If you are at all familiar with Trials, then you are certainly familiar with the name Montesa. Montesa is a Spanish company that has been around since 1944. Formed by Pedro Permanyer and Francisco Bulto, they flourished from the 50’s through the 70’s making small-displacement bikes for the postwar market. They produced numerous road-going models, most notably the Brio and …
1 of 50 – 2017 Indian Scout FTR750
After over 6 decades away from professional flat track racing, Indian Motorcycle Racing dominated everyone in the 2017 American Flat Track (AFT) Championship, securing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the overall standings. AFT rules stipulate that the motors used in competition have to be based on production designs, so Indian created a limited run of 50 Scout FTR750s for homolgation …
Restored – 1974 Ossa Phantom 250
Post Listing Update: This Phantom did not get any interest at the asking price of $3,450. When Honda debuted the CR250M (known as the Elsinore in the US), it was an instant classic and a terrifying prospect for manufacturers focused on two-stroke off-roaders like Penton, Hodaka, and Bultaco. OSSA also felt threatened by Honda’s new development, and they countered with …
Non-Runner – 1974 Carabela 200MX
Post Listing Update: This Carabela did not get any interest at the BIN of $1,950. East Coast Vintage MX is currently offering a rare Mexican dirtbike for display purposes as it’s not running. Even if this doesn’t appeal to you, they’re in the process of liquidating 30 bikes so if you’re a fan of classic MX bikes (especially hard-to-find Euro …