In this country, when we think of a motorcycle company’s war effort we often think of G.I.s riding on the battlefields of WWII on Harley-Davidsons. The company had an immeasurable effect on the battlefields in Europe. In England, another motorcycle company had arguably an even more significant impact in military conflicts, but in a very different way. BSA didn’t start …
1982 Husqvarna 420 AE
Post Sale Update: this Husky sold for $2,900 after 6 bids on eBay. Designed on spec for the Swedish Army, the Husqvarna automatic bikes were built to be practical and easy to use. They proved to be interesting enough to survive in the commercial market for 12 years, ending in the late 80s with the 430.
First Ride Review – 2020 BMW S1000RR
Last week, I got to sample the new BMW S1000RR at Barber Motorsports Park. I’ll have in-depth thoughts for you soon here on Bike-urious, but if you’re in a rush or just want a general overview, here’s the story that I did for Maxim.
New In Crate – 1990 Kawasaki Zephyr 550
The Zephyr 550 isn’t an objectively great bike – MCN said it “makes an OK commuter in the summer, but it is underpowered, rides too soft and rots far too quickly.” Still, how often do you see one in a crate?
First Ride Review – 2019 Honda CB650R/CBR650R
View PostEnding Soon In Italy – 1957 Aermacchi Chimera 175
Post Listing Update: This Chimera did not get any interest at the opening ask of $13,999. The Chimera (Italian For “Dream”) was a model introduced by Aermacchi in the mid-1950’s. Penned by Alfredo Bianchi as his first project with the Italian firm, the Chimera’s design was loosely based on a sketch done by (500cc GP) moto racer and car designer, …
Magazine Cover Feature – 1977 Kawasaki Z1000 A1 Restomod
First introduced towards the end of ‘76, the Kawasaki Z1000 — or KZ1000 as it was known in some markets — was a 1,015cc bored out version of its predecessor’s air-cooled, 903cc, DOHC, four-cylinder engine. The Z1000’s 83hp (at 8,000rpm) went through a five-speed transmission with a wet multi-disc clutch. The bike also got improved suspension, and new braking hardware …
No Reserve – 1971 AJS Stormer Y4 250
Post Sale Update: This AJS sold for $2,648 after 7 bids on eBay. The AJS Stormer was a bit of a flop, as it was a last ditch effort by Norton-Villiers to dump excess inventory of Starmaker engines. However, it was the first MX bike to feature shocks that had been moved up as well as leading axle forks, so …
Restomod – 1972 Kawasaki H2 750
Post Listing Update: This H2 did not get any interest at the BIN of $25,000. The H2 earned the moniker of “Widowmaker” thanks to prodigious power combined with a frame, suspension, and tires that couldn’t keep up. But what if you could enjoy the old-school rush with modern suspension and tires? That’s what the builder of this H2 tried to …
Yetman Framed – 1967 Honda CB77
David Yetman was born in 1938, and he fell in love with motorcycles as a military serviceman stationed in Japan. He specifically appreciated the “high level of performance” that Japanese manufacturers were able to extract from small bikes. Years later, he crashed his Honda CB77 and ruined the frame. He couldn’t afford to replace the frame, but instead of totaling …
BMW K1200LT-Powered – 2010 Tri-Magnum
Post Sale Update: After being relisted, this Tri-Magnum sold for $2,225 after 2 bids on eBay. Billed as a “high-performance three-wheeled sports car”, this Tri-Magnum made its debut on the cover of Mechanix Illustrated magazine in the early 80s. It was the creation of Robert G. Riley Enterprises, a company that offers DIY plans for multiple vehicles and claims to …
165 Miles – 2002 Triumph Bonneville 100th Anniversary Limited Edition
Triumph originally started in the mid 1880s as a bicycle manufacturer (fun fact, they got some initial funding from Dunlop), but it wasn’t until 1902 that they created their first motorcycle. To celebrate that fact, Triumph released a 100th Anniversary edition of the famed Bonneville. An official production run was never announced, but some online sources suggest that Triumph intended …
Restored – 1968 Triumph Bonneville
In late 2010, I was standing in a motorcycle dealership and looking at two bikes. I knew I would leave with one, but I was new to motorcycling and on the fence. Ok, new is an understatement, I was in over my head. The two bikes in question: a 2009 Triumph Bonneville T100, and a pretty clean example of a …
Restored Police Special – 1969 Honda CB450P
Post Listing Update: This CB450 police bike did not meet reserve despite 27 bids up to $15,200 on eBay in Fullerton, California. One of the rarer Honda motorcycles in the US, the CB450P (also occasionally referred to as the CP450) is a police model based on Honda’s popular CB450. I’ve featured a couple based on the KO Black Bomber model, …
In Canada – 1993 Kawasaki ZX750R-M1
Post Listing Update: This Kawasaki did not meet reserve despite 19 bids up to $11,550. In 1991, Kawasaki started offering a homologation special based on the ZX-7 (known outside of the US as the ZXR-750). It was designated with an additional R at the end of the model name, and nowadays it’s the model that collectors look out for. For …