Carabela is a Mexican motorcycle manufacturer that was best known for small displacement off-roaders. They released Mexico’s first motocross bike, the Caliente, in 1969. That was followed-up by the Marquesa, which was available with a 100, 125, or 175cc motor. The big boy was the Centauro (not to be confused with yesterday’s Moto Guzzi Centauro), which was available with 250, …
Desert Sled – 1956 Triumph Trophy TR6
Post Listing Update: This desert sled Triumph did not meet reserve despite 26 bids up to $8,600. Nowadays, “Desert Sled” is just a model name that’s been commercialized by Ducati, but back in the day the term was commonly associated with big British twins that had a few basic modifications – skid plate, knobbies, handlebars – to go through, rather …
For Charity – Ronnie Mac’s 1998 Honda CR250 Screaming Eagle
Post Sale Update: This Honda raised $4,550 for charity after 27 bids on eBay. If you don’t know who Ronnie Mac is, I’m not even sure I can describe “him” to you. I’ll defer to this profile (if you can call it that) on Motosport.com, and simply note that you’ll either love him or hate him. Either way, you should …
Rare Project – 1970 Kawasaki Coyote
The 60s and 70s were full of minibikes that were just motors, frames, and two tires. Who needs lights or a suspension? Here’s a rare example from the Japanese Big 4, the Kawasaki Coyote.
Set of 5 – Classic Yamaha Dirt Bike Collection
We all have a dream bike, but what we really want is a dream garage. I am back in the midwest for the holidays and thought I would check out some local listings to see what was out there. I found this collection of Yamaha dirt bikes for sale, and they all seemed to be in solid running condition. The …
No Reserve – 1976 Honda MR175
Post Sale Update: This MR175 sold for $1,488 after 64 bids on eBay. Honda released the MR175 in 1975 with an atypical “Glare Green” paint job. The next year, they went back to the red that we’ve all come to expect from the company. The motor was a 171cc 2-stroke single and it was paired with a 5-speed transmission. Dry …
Fresh Build – “1969” Metisse Motorcycles Limited 750
Post Listing Update: This Metisse did not meet reserve despite 33 bids up to $15,850 on eBay. After Pat French passed away in 2007, his business partner Gerry Lisi continued the tradition of Rickman Metisse builds under the name “Metisse Motorcycles Limited“. In 2012, the company announced a “Mark 5” lineup, an attempt to cosmetically evolve the classic Rickman design. …
1977 Maico MC400 AW
Post Listing Update: This Maico did not get any interest at the opening ask of $4,000. Maico was a German manufacturer that gained notoriety in the 1960s for building two stroke rocket ships designed to carry you through any terrain you might encounter on your way to the finish line. The 400cc two stroke engine coupled with the upgraded long …
Ending Soon – 1972 Ossa MAR 350
Post Listing Update: This MAR did not get any interest at the BIN of $7,500. Mick Andrews first started competing in trials events at the age of 15. Before Andrews turned 18, he was offered a seat on a factory racer for AJS, where he spent the next half-decade. In ‘66 the Elton, Derbyshire-born rider accepted an offer to ride …
Restored – 1973 Maico 501
Post Listing Update: This Maico did not meet reserve despite 18 bids up to $7,900. When it was released, the Maico 501 featured the largest two-stroke single cylinder engine ever stuffed into a production bike. The press ate it up, though racers were actually able to go faster on the 400s and 450s. But for pure ‘shock and awe’ purposes, …
No Reserve – 1984 Suzuki RM500
Post Sale Update: This RM sold for $3,000 after 26 bids on eBay. The RM500 was Suzuki’s big open class 2 stroker, and while it wasn’t much faster than the 465, the revised Full Floater suspension was a bit of a revelation. In the US it only sold for two years – 1984 was the last year and the engine …
1967 Husqvarna 360 Viking
Post Listing Update: This Viking did not meet reserve despite 15 bids up to $12,328 on eBay. 11-1-18 Update: Almost two years later, this rare Viking is again being offered by the same seller – but bidding is already higher than the two previous auctions ever got and there’s over 2 days left in the auction, so maybe it will …
Restored First Year Mini MXer – 1973 Honda XR75
Predating the legendary Honda Elsinore’s US debut by only a matter of weeks, the XR75 represented a foray into a new sector for Big Red as the little XR was the brand’s first serious go at a high-performance dirt-goer. Honda did already offer the Z50 and CT70, though neither were really engineered for rugged off-road riding. Two years before the …
1988 Cagiva WMX 250
Post Listing Update: This WMX did not get any interest at the asking price of $2,350. 10-27-2018 Update: Almost 3 years later, this WMX is back up for sale. Find it with slightly better photos and a slightly higher BIN of $2,350 or best offer here on eBay. Built between 1988 and 1991 (and succeeding the MXR), the WMX 250 …
Restored With No Reserve – 1981 Suzuki RM465
Post Sale Update: This RM465 sold for $4,550 after 33 bids on eBay. The RM465 was Suzuki’s first open class MX bike with a single shock – it was the debut of a system that was marketed as the “Full Floater”. A Suzuki ad described it the 465 as “built from the ground up to lead the open class. Winning …