Post Listing Update: This MT500 did not meet reserve despite 36 bids up to $5,101 in Costa Mesa, California. The seller relisted the bike with a BIN of $7,000 with no interest. The history of the MT500 is pretty unique. The bike actually finds its origins in Italy at the beginning of the 80’s with the brand SWM (Speedy Working …
Japanese/Swedish – 1979 Yamaha HL500
Post Listing Update: This HL500 did not get any interest at the opening bid of $6,500 or the BIN. The HL500 finds its origins in the brand new XT500 that Yamaha released in 1975. Despite being overweight for enduro, the bike caught the attention of two Swedish motocross legends, Torsten Hallman and Sten Lundin. Both of them worked for Yamaha …
1978 Bultaco Metralla GTS
10-3-2018 Update: Over 3 years later, Bob K notes that this bike is back up for sale with a huge discount. Find it still in Colorado Springs, Colorado here on Craigslist for $4,500 (the previous asking price was $7,500). Post Listing Update: This Metralla did not get any interest at the BIN of $7,500. The GTS was the end of …
Street-Legal Factory Flat Tracker – 1977 Harley-Davidson XR750
Aside from a handful of championship titles sporadically earned by the big four from Japan, Harley-Davidson reigned supreme throughout the majority of American Flat Track history. While the MoCo obviously employed some top-notch pilots, its dominance in AFT can be largely attributed to H-D’s XR750. Introduced in 1970 as the successor to the venerable KR, Harley would successfully campaign the …
1978 Kawasaki KZ1000
The 60’s and 70’s were great decades of development for motorcycles, especially considering engine development. After Honda raised the bar with the CB750 at the end of the 60’s, Kawasaki had no other choice but to create a bike even more powerful. In 1972, the Z1, featuring a 900cc engine was released. Thanks to the development of the mighty 4-cylinder, …
2014 Moto Guzzi Norge GT 8V
Post Listing Update: The seller bumped up the BIN to $6,995 and this Guzzi did not sell. As a bike enthusiast, and a relatively young one at that, most of my knowledge is skewed toward the fuel-injected late model end of the spectrum. Admittedly, I have never seen a Moto Guzzi Norge GT. I don’t even recall seeing one on …
Factory Tourer – 1983 Yamaha Midnight Virago 920
Post Listing Update: This Midnight Virago did not get any interest at the opening bid of $2,500. It was relisted at $2,250 with the same result. In 1983, Yamaha offered a “Midnight Virago” that featured a black paint scheme with gold accents. They also offered a rare color-matched factory touring package with a fairing, saddlebags, and trunk for even more …
Unexpected Dragster – 1964 Yamaha YDS2
Post Sale Update: This YDS2 sold for $1,525 after 7 bids on eBay in Merlin, Oregon. The YDS2 was one of the first models Yamaha brought to the US, and it was well-received. In this Cycle World article, Kevin Cameron called it “a two-stroke revolution” that “redefined the 250cc motorcycle in the US”.
1 of 106 – 1984 Bimota SB4S
Post Listing Update: This SB4S did not meet reserve despite 20 bids up to $12,000. One of Bimota’s rarest motorcycles, the SB4S was produced as a complete bike and in kit form – 34 of the former and 72 of the latter, which makes a total of 106. The differences between the SB4 and the SB4S were the addition of …
In Canada – 1963 Honda CZ100
Post Listing Update: This CZ did not meet reserve despite 10 bids up to $8,584.02. Monkey Week continues on Bike-urious – a lot of seller seem to be picking up on the buzz of the new bike and are testing the market to see if their classics have increased in value. The CZ was the second generation of the Honda …
2012 KTM RC8R
Post Listing Update: This KTM did not get any interest at the asking price of $11,000. If you have read my articles, you know I love oddball sportbikes. The KTM RC8 is one of those oddballs, with the RC8R model being the more track oriented version. The WP suspension is top spec, and Brembo brakes are more than capable of …
Well-Farkled Cult Classic – 1990 Honda Hawk GT
Half-a-decade prior to Ducati’s release of its iconic naked Monster, Honda released its own stripped down, sporty V-Twin. The Hawk GT (NT650) may have been a little ahead of its time, and was something of a commercial failure in the US upon its release. With an MSRP of $3,600 (which translates to $7,850 in 2018), the GT was only a …
Still New – 2015 EBR 1190SX
Post Sale Update: This EBR sold for the BIN of $6,000. I have written about EBRs before, and I will write about them again. I love them, I love what they stand for, and I cannot believe the deals you can find on what was once a $16,995 bike (according to Cycle World). The gas tank is a lie, the …
Japanese Twin – 1976 Kawasaki KZ750
Post Listing Update: This KZ750 was pulled off of eBay because “there was an error in the listing.” While the motorcycle news headlines of the 70s were usually about Japanese firms trying to top each other in terms of displacement and power, there was still a market for big standards that did not try to set speed records. Honda and …
Limited Edition – 2014 Honda Monkey Kumamon
Post Sale Update: This limited edition Honda sold for the BIN of $6,750. We’re on a Monkey kick this week! First there was my review of the upcoming 2019 Monkey, and today we’re going back in time a few years for a limited edition. This bike was originally only offered in Japan, a country that has a prolific history of …