The Plumstead, England-based Matchless Motorcycles had a decently long run of 67 years before finally closing its doors in 1966. Before shutting down however, one of its final moves would be producing (according to the seller) less than one hundred G85CS (or Competition Scramblers) in an effort to combat manufacturers like Husqvarna, Bultaco, CZ and Greeves, who had been dominating …
Possible Steal – 1967 Triumph T120TT
Post Sale Update: The bidding ended at $8,100, but as you can see from the comments below there’s some questions about this listing. In addition, the listing itself has been pulled off of eBay, so I wouldn’t factor this in if you’re trying to determine the value of a T120TT… Typically when I’ve seen or featured T120TTs in the past, …
1976 Honda Z50 Mini Trail
If last week’s 50th Anniversary Edition was a bit more than you wanted to pay but you still want to relive the magic of what made monkey bikes special for both kids and adults, here’s a 3-owner example that just got an extensive amount of work done so that it’s ready to enjoy.
Ex-Factory Racer – Malcom Stewart’s 2014 Honda CRF450
Factory race machines are the pinnacle of production-based two-wheelers. As their name suggests, these bikes come straight from the manufacturer who is giving it all they have in hopes that their bike will win its respective championship which will hopefully translate to satisfactory sales numbers and steer buyers towards their offering over the competition. Well, this 2014 CRF450 is no …
Restored – 1970 Bultaco El Bandido Mk2
Post Listing Update: This Bultaco did not meet reserve despite 10 bids up to $5,651.88. In 1967, Bultaco introduced their first open class bike and gave it one of the best names and logos in the business. It was called the El Bandido (obviously, The Bandit), and it was available in scrambles and MX variants. The Mark 2 version was …
YZ426 Motor, CRF250R Frame – BBR 426 Hybrid
One of only three ever made, this Brown Brothers Racing “YZ426S” is a truly fascinating hybrid motocrosser. Marrying the lightweight aluminum-frame from the (early-2000’s) nimble Honda CR250R with the Yamaha YZ426F’s proven power plant to deliver this high-performance made-to-order dirt-goer that sold for $20k back in the early 2000’s. Combining the best of both worlds, it’s not hard to see …
No Reserve – 2007 KTM 300 XC-W
Post Sale Update: After 70 bids on eBay, this KTM sold for $3,000. The seller says that 5 years ago he asked the editor of Dirt Rider magazine what the “best off-road bike was” and the answer he was given was a two-stroke KTM 300. The editor expressed a popular opinion – many experience off-road riders consider this to be …
Rare Hungarian Enduro – 1965 White Scrambler 250
The White Motorcycle Company is just one of dozens of now defunct manufacturers that have been forced to close their doors over the years by bad luck and less than ideal circumstances. The White MoCo was based in Hungary and produced several different models with the intentions of importing to the US market. Unfortunately someone’s major oversight in 1967 resulted …
1983 Suzuki RM125
Post Listing Update: This RM125 did not get any interest at the opening bid of $1,900. RM was Suzuki’s designation for Racing Model, and it was reserved for motocross racers. Displacements ranged from 50cc to 500cc, and the two-stroke 125 was built between 1975 and 2007. This example features a recent engine rebuild (less than 30 minutes on the motor) …
No Reserve – 1974 Ossa Phantom 250
Post Sale Update: After 5 bids on eBay, this Phantom sold for $3,050. By the early 70s, OSSA had established a dominant position in the off-road motorcycle market. But when Honda released the 250cc Elsinore, the Spanish firm was forced to respond with a strong competitor. The Phantom 250 met the mark, thanks to 33 horsepower and a weight of …
1974 Hodaka Road Toad
When it comes to naming motorcycle models, Hodaka might win. Rat. Super Rat. Dirt Squirt. Combat. Wombat. Wombat Combat. Ace. Road Toad. Hodaka was a Japanese motor builder for Yamaguchi motorcycles in 1963 when Yamaguchi went bankrupt. PABTCO, based in Athena, Oregon went looking for a replacement to fill the void left in their sales niche. The fact that PABTCO’s …
1973 Husqvarna Two-Fer – 400 CR and 125 WR
By 1973 Husky had near domination in dirt racing world wide. The list of winning Husqvarna riders reads like an all star list: Malcolm Smith, Bob Grossi, Heikki Mikkola, Arne Kring, Brad Lackey and many more rode Husky to wins. The 400 CR was known as a ‘ready to race’ out of the crate motorcycle. The open class thumpers were …
1965 Bultaco Metisse Pursang 250
Post Sale Update: This Metisse sold for $6,050 after 22 bids on eBay. By 1965 Bultaco had been building fast motorcycles for 8 years. They were a dominant force in the off road racing scene in Europe and introduced what would become their most popular American model in ‘65, the Pursang. There was a reason for the Pursang’s ‘instant hit’ …
5 Classics in North Carolina
A seller in Asheville, North Carolina is letting go of 5 bikes that tell me he’s got a similar taste in motorcycles to most of you. Act fast, though, because the auctions are ending in just a few hours! All but the Laverda have met reserve so they’re getting new owners. In the seller’s words, “I am selling a number …
Champion Framed – Yamaha DT250 Flat Tracker
Champion racing frames were the highly sought after handiwork of Californian Doug Schwerma. He built frames in the late sixties and early seventies that were highly desired by flat track racers – “champions” like Don Vesco, Steve Baker, and Kenny Roberts could be seen riding Champion frames. After Schwerma passed away, the Champion frame design and name went to another …