Post Sale Update: sold for the BIN of $4,500 after 39 bids on eBay in Greenville, Rhode Island. In 1983, Yamaha introduced the IT490, an evolution of the 465 and the biggest of the “International Trial” line. It was a heavy, powerful bike that was ideal for enduro or cross-country riding, though they had a nasty habit of pinging when …
Rare Project – 1983 Urba Sport Trimuter
Post Sale Update: sold for $850 after one bid on eBay in Aguanga, California. In February of 1980, Mechanix Illustrated magazine featured the design for an electric commuter kit three-wheeler that the consumer was supposed to put together him or herself. Supposedly 30k plans were sold…but who knows how many were actually built. One of them was used in the …
All Four Years – 1979-1982 Honda CBX Collection
Here’s something you don’t see every day – someone in Sylmar, California has accumulated an “immaculately restored” example from each year of Honda CBX production (1979, 1980, 1981, and 1982). He’s also trying to sell them all as a set!
1979 Laverda Formula 500
Post Listing Update: This Laverda was later relisted with a lower ask of $18,000, but it still did not get any bids. With just 210 examples built over three production batches between 1978 and 1980, the Formula 500 is one of Laverda’s rarest machines. This example was restored by Trevor Dunne of Ducati Santa Barbara and was featured in a …
1986 Yamaha FZ750
Upon its introduction in 1986, Yamaha’s FZ immediately took the 750cc sportbike crown – MCN says it was “as fast as a Kawasaki GPZ900R” and called it “a wonderful piece of engineering.”
1980 Benelli Sei 900
Post Sale Update: This Sei sold for $25,262 after 30 bids on Iconic Motorbike Auctions in Santa Monica, California. 10-12-2020 Update: 3+ years later, this low-mileage Benelli is back up on the market! Friend-of-Bike-urious Nelson B. acquired it from the last owner, repainted the front fairing and covered ~300 miles with it, and now he’s put it up for sale …
2005 MZ 1000S
It’s been a couple of years since I’ve last seen a 1000S for sale – so let’s fix that! In 1996, a Malaysian group took over the husk of MZ and resolved to build their first superbike. The MV 1000S was born – a 140 mph parallel twin rarity, of which only 30 were brought to the US.
1995 Kawasaki KLX650
Post Sale Update: The seller lowered the asking price to $3,000 – it ended up selling but the sale price is unknown. Everyone knows the KLR650, but in the mid-’90s Kawasaki also offered both a Tengai variant (same basic bike extra plastics) as well as the KLX, a faster and beefier version dual-sport. There was even a KLX650R, which was …
843 Miles – 1982 Honda MB5
Post Sale Update: after being relisted, this MB5 sold for $1,925 after 8 bids on eBay in Longmont, Colorado. The Honda MB5 was only imported to the United States for one year, and for a while it did not leave a lasting impression. However, riders that grew up with these (or had a friend that used one as a first …
Bike Review – 2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
View PostImported from New Zealand With 1 Km – 2014 Honda CT110
Post Sale Update: sold for $4,001 after 12 bids on eBay in San Diego, California. America last saw the CT series in 1986, though we’re about to get the newest version (which will be called the Trail 125) in a few months. If you can’t wait that long or you just want a pristine example of the current generation, here’s …
1985 Yamaha RZ350 Kenny Roberts
Post Sale Update: This RZ350 Kenny Roberts sold for $8,750 after 40 bids on eBay in Bowling Green, Ohio. Only sold in the states from 84-85, these were the first bikes in the US to come equipped with catalytic converters and the first Yamaha street bike in the US to use a perimeter frame. They were also one of the …
1977 Kawasaki KZ1000
Post Sale Update: sold for $5,555 after 34 bids on eBay in Moscow, Pennsylvania. The obvious evolution of the KZ900, the Kawasaki KZ1000 was another straight line brute that got a heavier crankshaft along with the displacement bump. You could get the bike with chain or shaft drive, but either form could top 130 miles per hour. They were very …
Restored – 1983 Suzuki RM500
Post Sale Update: sold for $8,500 after 50 bids on eBay in Roanoke, Virginia. The RM500 was Suzuki’s big open class 2 stroker, and while it wasn’t much faster than the 465, the revised Full Floater suspension was a bit of a revelation.
Skoal Bandit Replica – 1987 Suzuki GSX-R750
Post Sale Update: sold for $14,200 after 39 bids on eBay in Los Gatos, California. Suzuki GSX-R750? Good. First gen? Even better? First gen that’s done up as a Skoal Bandit tribute? Very hard to pass up.