The 1970s were a pivotal decade for motorcycle manufacturers in terms of engine and emissions technology. Motorcycles had to be more modern, safer, but still powerful. While Honda was focused on 4-strokes, especially inline four cylinder motors as equipped in the CB750, Kawasaki was splitting their time with 4-strokes like the Z1 and with 2-strokes like the big triples found …
Jack Simmons Restoration – 1973 Norton Commando 850
During the latter half of the 20th century, a number of key individuals in Southern California played highly pivotal roles in influencing motorcycling. One of those individuals was Jack Simmons. Over the decades he was involved in the moto industry, Simmons wore a myriad of different (proverbial) hats, making a name for himself as a racer, motorcycle dealer, machinist, and …
Restored – 1979 Yamaha SR500
Considering that you can buy a brand new SR400 from Yamaha for $5,999, how do you feel about a classic SR500 for $4,500?
Nicky Hayden’s RC211V Tribute – 2007 Honda CBR1000RR Build
If you follow motorcycle racing, chances are by now you’ve been made aware of the fact that long-time Repsol Honda pilot Dani Pedrosa will be hanging up his leathers for good at the end of the 2018 season. In 2005, the pint-sized Spaniard won the 250cc World Championship title, and the following year he stepped up to the premier class, …
9 Miles – 2000 Buell X1 Lightning Millennium
Post Sale Update: This X1 sold for the BIN of $4,495. Presumably named after its year of release, the Buell X1 Lightning Millennium was a limited production run (800 bikes) that was all about silver aesthetics. 400 were sold in the US, 375 were sold in Europe, and I have no idea where the other 25 went. A typical example …
1992 Suzuki GSX-R1100
The 70’s saw Japanese manufacturers starting to win more and more market share thanks to powerful, reliable, and cheap motorcycles. Honda and Kawasaki set new sport bike standards with the CB750 Four and the Z1. In 1982, it was Suzuki’s turn to release a bombshell with the Suzuki Katana. In 1985 the brand did it again with the GSX-R750, and …
1956 MV Agusta CSTL 175
Though MV’s first bike was built in 1945, it wasn’t until 1953 when they debuted their first production four-stroke motor. The CST and CSTL (Turismo Lusso) were ahead of their time thanks to features like an overhead cam in the stressed-member motor, a motor that was used as a stressed member of the frame, and a full suspension front and …
JDM Bōsōzoku Bike – 1992 Kawasaki ZR400 Zephyr
As motorcycle clubs like the Hells Angels rose to prominence in midcentury America, a similar phenomenon took place in Japan. In the land of the rising sun, the members of these flamboyant moto tribes are known as bōsōzoku, and in the height of their popularity in the early 1980s, there were supposedly more than 40,000 active bōsōzoku on the island …
1979 Honda CX500 Deluxe
While the motorcycle market in the 1960s was essentially dominated by Europe and America, the 70’s allowed Japan to show off their skills. Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki were very competitive with European manufacturers when it came to mid-market bikes in the US. Honda had released bikes at a wide variety of displacements based on the same design as its …
1998 Suzuki TL1000R
Produced from 1998-2003, this TL1000R was Suzuki’s V-Twin superbike, the fully-faired (and racier) brother of the TL1000S. This model was briefly used in Suzuki’s World and American Superbike Championship campaigns before they switched to the lighter 750 Gixxer.
Baja Legend – 1974 Honda “XL432” Bill Bell Hybrid
The name Bill Bell goes hand-in-hand with the Baja 500 (and 1000). For more than a decade, the legendary tuner churned out countless purpose-built racers that gave deep-pocketed factory works teams a good run for their money, and with the occasional exception of Husqvarna, Bell’s Hondas were the machines to beat at the Baja 500.
1978 Kawasaki Z1R-TC
Post Listing Update: This turbo Kawi did not meet reserve despite 12 bids up to $20,700 on eBay. TCC stood for the Turbo Cycle Corporation, and it was created to sell bolt on turbos for motorcycles built by American Turbo-Pak. The founder of TCC was a former Kawasaki USA employee named Alan Masek, and he used his contacts to help …
“American” MXer – 1974 Indian MT100
Decades before Polaris Industries acquired Indian Motorcycle, the manufacturer traded hands numerous times, giving rise to a number of very…non-Indian Indians. For a time Brockhouse Engineering sold rebadged and slightly modified Royal Enfields under the Indian name. The company was later sold off again, this time to AMC, which proceeded to sell rebadged AJS and Matchless bikes as Indians, though …
2003 Kawasaki ZRX1200R
Eddie Lawson is a famous American motorcycle road racer that won multiple world championship, including the 500cc AMA Superbike Series in 1981 and 1982 – these two 500cc titles are two of the four he won in the 80’s. Eddie was nicknamed “Steady Eddie” thanks to his capacity to consistently finish races, avoid crashing, and often ending on the podium …
Wood Rotax 560 Four-Stroke – 1984 KTM 504 MX
At the dawn of the 1980s, a myriad of manufacturers were experimenting with producing a competitive four-stroke motocrosser, though dethroning the mighty two-stroke was a major uphill battle. Quite a few marques put their faith in Rotax, who had then recently debuted an impressive 498cc four-stroke single. Seeing the potential of the half-liter thumper, KTM worked out a deal with …