10-26-2017 Update: 17 months later, this GP Suzuki is back up for sale with an approximate discount of 40 percent. That sounds good, except the asking price is still $124,944. If that somehow brings it down into your price range, you can find it in the UK here on eBay. Post-Listing Update: This bike did not get any interest at …
1984 Moto Morini 350 K2
Moto Morini’s heyday with production bikes was in the 70s with the legendary 3 1/2, but they weren’t able to retain the magic and after a decline in the 80s the company was sold to Cagiva. During that slide, they released a spiritual successor with top notch components and a dry weight of just 330 pounds. It was called the …
Record Holding History – 1977 Yamaha TZ750
Post Listing Update: This TZ750 did not meet reserve with bidding up to $42,200 – very close to the $42,700 it reached earlier in the year. 10-25-17 Update: 4 months later, this TZ is back up for sale and bidding is up to $35,100 and the reserve not yet met (or a BIN of $62,000) here on eBay. Post Listing …
Vintage Racer in Canada – 1976 Yamaha TZ250C
Post Listing Update: After 6 bids on eBay, this TZ did not meet reserve at $4,363.24. Introduced in 1973, Yamaha’s TZ250 was instantly competitive in club racing and was even able to make a dent at the GP level with a few modifications. Thanks to the aftermarket, it stayed competitive for 3 decades. The “C” model was the first major …
Cafe Rebuild – 1966 Harley-Davidson 250 Sprint H
The Harley-Davidson Aermacchi Sprint 250 was a solid little runner with agile handling. It was generally a fun little bike that the Italians thought made for a great commuter (at a claimed 45-55 mpg). When the Sprint first made its way to US shores, it supposedly made 18 hp at 6,750rpm with an 8.5:1 compression ratio. Multiple versions of the …
Unrestored – 1948 Indian Chief
Post Listing Update: Despite 43 bids up to $20,200, this Chief did not meet reserve. In 1947, Indian sold 12,000 Chiefs. The next year, Indian only built 3,000 of them as they were shifting production to smaller bikes like the Arrow. The relative rarity makes the ’48 Chief special, but this example is even more interesting as it’s had just …
New in Crate in the UK – 1989 Benelli 304
Back in January, I featured a ’87 304 that had never been started. In that post, I mentioned that “the seller also has another 304 that’s still in the crate. That one’s available for $6,911.” 9 months later, the new in crate bike is still available.
Gooichi Motorsports Showbike – 2008 Honda CBR 1000RR
Modern sport bikes are hands-down my favorite kind of motorcycle, but I’ve never been a fan of the heavily-customized Japanese liter bike-builds with custom paint, massive rear wheels, and single-sided swing-arm kits. This style makes a little more sense to me on already non-agile models – like the ZX-14R or Busa – than it does on a GSXR1K, but in …
Ending Soon – 1981 Honda CT110 with 300 Miles
Post Sale Update: Initially, this CT110 did not meet reserve with 44 bids up to $3,050. The seller then relisted it and it sold for a BIN of $4,500! Honda’s Trail 90 (or CT90, depending on the market) was a popular entry point for youngsters to learn how to ride in the dirt. One of the reasons it was so …
Ex-Lightweight TT Racer – 2006+ Kawasaki Ninja 650R
Kawasaki knew it had something special with its mid-sized parallel twin motor – this engine has been used to power a handful of different bikes from different classes and has even been utilized as an increasingly popular flat-track weapon. The 650cc eight-valve four-stroke DOHC twin boasts digital fuel-injection with dual 38mm Keihin throttle-bodies, producing fun yet practical power for the …
1959 Moto Morini Settebello 175 Aste Corte Racer
Despite a few pesky World Wars creating massive roadblocks for him, the Italian Count Alfonso Morini and the company he founded in 1937 would go on to produce a few of the finest small-cylinder racers ever built. Born in 1898, Morini developed an interest in motorcycles early on and was operating his own repair shop by the time he was …
Restored and Enjoyed – 1971 Suzuki T500 Titan
Post Sale Update: After 33 bids on eBay, this Titan sold for $6,200. Though it was always in the shadow of Honda’s CB450, the Suzuki T500 (also known as the Titan) was one of the best bikes the firm had made to date. Thanks to the intellectual theft of 2-stroke technology from MZ as detailed in Stealing Speed, Suzuki was …
1961 BMW R50/2 with Steib TR500 Sidecar
Post Listing Update: This German combo did not meet reserve despite 55 bids up to $18,700. Here’s a combination of two German-made black beauties – a BMW R50/2 paired with a Steib TR500 sidecar.
Ultimate Super Single – 1997 Nico Bakker Supermono Racer
Nico Bakker stepped into the professional motorcycle world as a road racer, and a pretty talented one at that. At the start of the 1970’s, Bakker had become fed up with the current state of race bikes and the direction manufacturers were going in with their development, seeking more and more powerful engines above all else. Bakker felt that engines …
Restored – 1974 Rokon Trailbreaker 2WD
Post Listing Update: After being relisted, this Trailbreaker still could not meet reserve despite 34 bids up to $3,050. Founded about 50 years ago, Rokon has become synonymous with two-wheel-drive motorcycles that are able to go anywhere. Initially designed as a motorcycle/tractor, the Trailbreaker lives up to its name with incredibly low gearing that enables riders to climb up steep …