In 1976, Yamaha brought out its answer to Honda’s wildly popular CT-70 in the form of the 80cc “Champ”, (not to be confused with the Yamaha Chappy or 50cc LC50 Champ moped). The mini was powered by a 72cc oil-injected LB80-3D two-stroke engine (with four-petal reeds), married to an automatic transmission with two-speed centrifugal clutch. The tiny Yammy can reportedly …
1982 Moto Guzzi V50 Monza
Post Listing Update: Despite 21 bids on eBay up to $3,150, this Monza did not meet reserve. When Moto Guzzi first released the V50 in the late 70s, they were met with a tepid response from an American market that preferred bigger bikes and expected smaller bikes to be cheaper. To help the model stand out, Guzzi released a sportier …
Original Paint – 1913 Flying Merkel
Post Listing Update: Despite a hefty 128 bids up to $89,999, this Flying Merkel did not meet reserve. Built between 1911 and 1915, the Flying Merkel is one of the most iconic American motorcycles of all time. The brand actually started back in 1902 as a bicycle builder, but a year later the founder (Joseph Merkel) started slapping single-cylinder motors …
1972 Munch Mammoth TTS 1200
Post Listing Update: Bidding got up to $69,600 bud the seller pulled this Mammoth off of eBay due to “an error in the listing.” Considered by some to be the world’s first superbike, the Munch Mammoth (Mammut) was revealed to the world four years before Honda opened some eyes with the CB750. It was aptly named, with a 996cc four-cylinder …
17 of 28 – 2008 Voxan Charade Racing
Voxan Motorcycles was founded back in 1995 with the aim of establishing itself as a contender in the global sport market. Started by Jacques Gardette, Voxan brought two seasoned names onboard to design the French moco’s machines. Renowned GP designer and builder Alain Chevallier – who sadly passed away last October – designed the Voxan frames while expert engine builder …
Custom Paint – 1985 Cagiva Alazzurra 650
Post Listing Update: This Cagiva was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. In the early 80s, Cagiva was producing some quality small-displacement bikes but they needed some help cracking into the big bike market. They bought Ducati in 1985, used the design for the Pantah, and created the Alazzurra. If you don’t mind a bike that’s been repainted, …
No Reserve – 1980 Suzuki GS1000S Wes Cooley Replica
Post Sale Update: This Wes Cooley rep sold for $5,300 after 31 bids on eBay. The Suzuki GS1000S – unofficial “Wes Cooley Replica” – is recognized as one of the Hamamatsu-based manufacturer’s many legendary machines. The GS1KS saw success in AMA competition nearly right from the start and was the predecessor to the now iconic GSX(R) machines. Wes Cooley would …
Pair of Roemar 125 Racers
Roemar is a name you’ve probably never heard – up until a few days ago I hadn’t either. The Roemar name comes from the last name of the man behind the marque – which was Roelofs – combined with Maren-Kessel, where Roelofs was based when creating these machines. I recently got the chance to speak with the founder’s son Theo, …
“The Wrench” – 1980 Harley-Davidson Shovelhead Custom
Long before modern electronics were found inside motorcycles, it was just the rider, the bike, and a couple of wrenches. I’ve never been a huge fan of what I like to call “Gimmick Builds”, but this custom shovelhead gets a pass as far as I’m concerned. The build quality and attention to detail on this one-off Harley are nothing short …
Needs Some Work – 1971 Speedway Silver Shadow
Post Listing Update: This Silver Shadow did not get any interest at the opening ask of $3,000. For many minibike collectors, the Silver Shadow is as good as it gets. Speedway called it the world’s fastest mini-cycle thanks to a 12.5 horsepower Sachs 2-stroke motor and a weight of just 147 pounds. It’s also incredibly rare – I’ve seen estimates …
Diesel Power – 2009 Kawasaki M1030M1
Post Listing Update: The seller lowered the asking price to $14,000 from the original $30k but that still wasn’t enough to attract any attention. KLR fans, take a close look at that motor. If it looks different than what you’re used to, it’s because this is a diesel-powered Kawasaki built by Hayes Diversified Technologies for the US Marine Corps. Hayes …
Pristine AHRMA Two-Stroke – Yamaha RD400 Racer
Building on the success of its popular 200, 250, and 350 RD series machines, Yamaha introduced the RD400 in 1976, continuing to produce variants of the model until 1980. The Japanese air-cooled two-stroke wasn’t just a favorite on the street, but the RD400 was a go-to choice for many when searching for a race platform. The 398cc Yamaha was seriously …
WRENCHMONKEE #69 – 2003 Harley-Davidson XL 883R Cafe Racer
Harley-based cafe builds are very hit or miss for me. The American machines don’t lend themselves particularly well to this genre of build so it takes an extensive transformation to really get it right. Though this example may at first look like just another one of the many cafe builds floating around these days, it boasts a couple of subtle …
Track ‘n’ Trail – 1975 Can-Am TnT 175
The Can-Am TNT series was one of many dirt-oriented bikes produced during the short but very sweet lifespan of Can-Am. An acronym for Track ‘n’ Trail, the TNT bikes shared the same chassis and engine as the MX bikes, but utilized lower compression for easy riding traits on trails.
Italian Two-Stroke – 1968 Cimatti C100
Though Cimatti Motorcycles was founded in 1937, it would be well over a decade before it produced its first motorized two-wheeler. The marque was started by Marco Cimatti, who won a Gold Medal in cycling at the 1932 Olympics. Despite the company starting up in a turbulent period economically, the bicycle manufacturer managed to beat the odds and remain profitable. …