In 1919, young German engineer Felix Wankel started thinking about an engine that could be an alternative to the classic internal combustion engines. The engine would still work via internal combustion but instead of pistons and rods, Wankel thought about a simple rotor that would activate a shaft. Wankel got his first patent in 1929, and 28 years later (1957) …
Bike Review – 2018 Royal Enfield Himalayan
View PostOutboard Motor Powered GP Racer – 1974 König 500
The König 500 and Kim Newcombe will be forever intertwined, as you can’t tell the story of one without the other. The tale of the Kiwi and his outboard motor-powered GP racer is an unlikely one, boasting equal parts triumph and tragedy. Born in New Zealand in 1944, Newcomb was raised in Auckland where he discovered two passions early on: …
2010 Honda VFR1200F
Honda entered 2010 with a significant update to the VFR. A new 1,200cc V4 offered torque across the rev range and a buttery smooth transmission to match. Well engineered and designed with intent, the VFR 1200F was an effective tool for mile munching both with haste and comfort. It was also the first production motorcycle with an available DCT, if …
On Any Sunday – 1974 Honda CR250M Elsinore
Post Listing Update: This Elsinore did not meet reserve despite 15 bids up to $6,088.91. In the beginning of the ’70s, road bikes were starting to commonly adopt 4 stroke engines, but off-roaders were sticking to 2 strokes. Though the Japanese manufacturers had a lot of success in America with small off-road bikes, Honda struggled to a competitive off road …
SN #1 – 1998 Bimota Mantra DB3
Post Sale Update: This Mantra sold for $5,045 after 22 bids on eBay. 8-13-2018 Update: Four years later, Rob B notes that this example (VIN: ZES1DB314WR000001) is back up for sale with a new owner (and it’s crossed the country in the process). There’s some additional details – apparently the previous owner removed the “complicated fuel pump system” so the …
1971 OSSA Pioneer 250
Post Listing Update: This Pioneer did not meet reserve with 12 bids up to $1,875 on eBay. Ossa was a Spanish firm that offered a wide variety of dirt bikes to cover anything that an off-road enthusiast could want to do. The Pioneer was OSSA’s enduro bike, though realistically the pavement experience was limited to putting around in town. In …
1982 Honda FT500 Ascot
Post Listing Update: This Ascot did not meet reserve despite 5 bids up to $1,202 on eBay. No matter the definition, a “thump” evokes something rather violent and loud. From that word came the name “thumper”, a term used to describe a single cylinder bike, typically displacing 350-500cc, a specialty of British manufacturers with bikes like the Norton Manx or …
TR7T-Inspired – 1978 Triumph T140E Custom
Post Listing Update: This custom Triumph did not get any interest at the opening bid of $5,000. In 1981, Triumph created a dual-sporter based on the TR7V Tiger in response to BMW’s R80GS. It was called the TR7T Tiger Trail, and it was never officially exported to the US because of emissions regulations. It was an interesting (and very yellow) …
1986 Moto Guzzi V65 TT
8-12-2018 Update: Three years later, this bike seems to be back up for sale (at least based on the reference to the serial number). It’s available in Lawrence, Kansas with quite a jump in the asking price – now it’s $6,500 here on ADVRider. After BMW carved out a new niche of the motorcycle market with the GS, many competitors …
1960 Cushman Eagle
Post Listing Update: This Eagle did not get any interest at the opening ask of $5,500. Founded in 1903, Cushman was a Nebraska-based company that specialized in the construction of small engines destined to be installed on bicycles or carriage. At the time, the demand for that kind of engine was very high, which kept the company pretty busy. Right …
Race Replica Restoration – 1989 Yamaha FZR400
The replica arms race of the 1980s was fiercely competitive, with manufacturers jostling for supremacy in the market. These full-faired machines started by aesthetically mimicking the factory racers, but over time companies added an increasing amount of race-bred hardware. Eventually some marques were developing their competition mounts alongside the road-going replicas. One segment manufacturers focused heavily on was the 400 …
Two-Fer – 1979 and 1980 Yamaha XS1100
During the end of the ’70s, motorcycle manufacturers fought to create the most motors possible. After the 750cc and 900cc barriers were toppled, the next symbolic step was 1,000cc. Just like they did with the CB750, Honda were the first to beat that record thanks to its 1975 GL1000. In 1977 and 1978, Kawasaki and Suzuki responded to that with …
Turbo SuMo – 2009 Yamaha WR250X
In its stock form, Yamaha’s WR250X is fantastic little runner. The WR is powered by a liquid-cooled, four-stroke, 250cc, DOHC single that makes around 26 horses, and with a weight just shy of 300lbs wet, the stock 250 is an extraordinarily nimble machine. So, it’s all the more crazy that one Midwesterner opted to slap a snail onto one.
2012 Ducati Streetfighter 848
Post Listing Update: This Streetfighter was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. Supernaked motorcycles have enjoyed a recent resurgence, and we are all benefiting from it. The Aprilia Tuono 1100 and the Yamaha MT-10 are notable examples, offering superbike performance coupled with ergonomics that can be enjoyed daily. The formula is simple, should not be changed, and Ducati …