At a time when Japanese manufacturers were getting increasingly aggressive and race-oriented with their 400s to compete in their domestic Formula 3 championship, Yamaha introduced the FZR400 in 1986 as a bike to be enjoyed “on twisty public roads where the customers would actually be riding and enjoying them.” The US got it in 1988, and many riders preferred it …
In Canada – 2009 Yamaha MT-01
Blackfoot Motorsports in Calgary, Alberta is selling off their collection of motorcycles (including the DR800 we recently shared), and one of the more interesting finds is a Yamaha MT-01 – the original “Master of Torque.” The MT-01 was never officially sold in the US. But other lucky markets were able to buy it between 2005 and 2012, and it was …
1986 Moto Morini Camel
The Moto Morini Camel was an incredibly rare dual sport built to capitalize on the dual sport craze that flared up as the Paris-Dakar rally got popular. The Camel featured a 500cc V-Twin – its little brother, the Kanguro, got a 350cc engine.
Cycle World Build – 2019 KTM 790 Adventure R
My buddy Justin Dawes is the Senior Editor at Cycle World, and he’s letting of his personal 790 Adventure R, which was built to “narrow the gap between dual sports and large-bore adventure rigs” in a “quest for the ultimate one-bike garage.”
1955 Triumph TRW
Based on the Trophy, the TRW was a 500 twin specifically made for the British government as a military combat vehicle, the bike came with side-valves instead of the overhead valves found on other models of the era which made it more reliable and provided easier to fix in case of a failure.
2008 Suzuki Hayabusa Drag Bike
Turning the fastest production bike of the period into a drag racer may seem like a bad idea for some but others would highly encourage such ideas!
One-Off “Lady Blue” – 1973 Husqvarna 250
This Husqvarna’s got an interesting history – the seller claims it’s “possibly the rarest Husky ever” as it’s a one-off made by Edison Dye, the father of American motocross. It was apparently built as a gift to his wife Rita as a prototype for a more ‘female-friendly’ dirtbike, but nothing happened after after this one prototype.
1984 Yamaha RZ350
The last street-legal two-stroke sportbike officially imported into the US, the RZ350 is very much a sought-after collectors bike in the US. Only sold in the states from 84-85, these bikes were incredibly fast for 350cc, and absolutely look the part.
No Reserve – 1992 Suzuki RGV250 VJ22
When Suzuki introduced the RGV250, it was a revelation. MCN put it thusly: “back in the day 250cc race replicas were the sharpest handling, most frenzied, maddest things you could buy on two wheels. Nowadays the RGV250 is a modern classic and is probably a bit slower and softer than you’d remember. It still looks good, sounds amazing and the …
1995 Ducati Monster M900
The Monster debuted in 1993 and it was an instant classic, even though the initial idea was basically a parts-bin special. It was designed by Miguel Galluzzi, who said “in the mind of a motorcyclist, you need a gas tank, a seat and a motor.” And that’s pretty much all he included.
1988 BMW K100RS Special Edition
The BMW K100RS SE, or Special Edition, was a limited run of the K100RS that featured a lovely blue and white paint job, hand drawn pin stripes, and color-matched hard luggage. It’s also famous for being the motorcycle that introduced ABS to the market.
2006 BMW HP2 Enduro
The HP2 Enduro was the perfect bike for riders who thought the R1200GS was capable but too heavy. Thanks to a trellis frame and conventional telescopic forks, the HP2 saved 53 pounds of weight from the standard GS.
1978 Honda CB750 F2 Phil Read Replica
Post Sale Update: This Phil Read Replica sold off eBay for an unknown amount…to Bike-urious reader John B! Honda Britain commissioned 400 examples of a Phil Read Replica from Colin Seeley to celebrate Phil’s victory at the ’77 Isle of Man TT, but only 150 were built before Colin and Honda had a disagreement.
Ex-Road Racer – 1973 BMW R75/5
2025 Update: Four years later, this bike is now playing an interesting role here at Bike-urious – it’s become my BEARS racer in AHRMA! I’ve started chronicling the story here if you’re interested! Raced in AHRMA in the late 1990s by Floyd Crow (as shown in the featured photo), this R75/5 was later made street legal and enjoyed on the …
1954 Victoria Bergmeister V35 Sport
Originally a bicycle manufacturer, Victoria produced motorcycles from about 1901 to 1966. One of their most well known models was the Victoria Bergmeister, as it was well-engineered. Unfortunately, the excellent design was very expensive to produce, and Victoria ran out of money after only 3 years of selling this bike. In ’58 they merged with another group.