Post Sale Update: This XR75 sold for $4,050 after 43 bids on eBay. Introduced in early 1973, the XR75 was a popular platform for youngster that were getting into serious off-road riding – or even racing. Because of that, very few examples have survived in good shape. This one can’t be considered a survivor as the seller says it’s been …
Little-Known German Project – 1936 Presto Werke Type 208
Post Sale Update: Ed S one-upped himself and bought the Presto himself for $1,100! Check it out in his office in the comments. Update: 5 months later, reader Ed S notes that this Presto is back up for sale. The asking price has plummeted from $25,000 to $2,400 – you can find it here on Craigslist in Boulder, Colorado. Presto …
1994 Honda Cub EZ90
Post Sale Update: This EZ90 sold for $2,650 after 41 bids on eBay. The Honda Cub EZ90 was a quirky flashback to the days of “you meet the nicest people on a Honda.” Designed to make motorcycles more friendly, the Honda EZ90 hid all of its mechanicals inside the futuristic plastic bodywork, and it even offered an electric start in …
Movie Star – Dumb and Dumber Mini Bike
Post Sale Update: After a whopping 100 bids on eBay, this movie prop sold for $50,029.99! If you’ve seen Dumb and Dumber, you must remember the mini bike that Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels use to get to Aspen. According to the seller, two bikes were used for filming, and once shooting wrapped both were given away. One was given …
Front Wheel Drive Moped in England – 1962 VéloSoleX 2200
Post Listing Update: This Solex was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. The brand name of Solex goes back to the 1910s, back when they were known for the production of automotive parts like radiators and carbs. In 1940, one of the founders (Marcel Mennesson) built a prototype motor and mounted it on a bicycle. After years of …
Unexpected Custom – 1983 Yamaha RX50
Post Sale Update: after being relisted, this little Yamaha sold for $2,200 on eBay. Japan enjoyed some weird 50cc bikes in the 80s, and some of the weirdest were the baby choppers like Suzuki’s OR50. Yamaha’s entry to the market was released in 1983 as part of a promotion for the “Midnight Special” cruiser line. They called it the RX50, …
Start a Collection – 1 Seller, Several Classic Motorcycles
2-3-18 Update: Almost exactly two years later, reader Bob K notes that this seller has been motivated by the “back-to-back life changing catastrophes” of the Thomas Fire and the subsequent mudslide, which has made him re-evaluate priorities and let go of more bikes. Some of them are still on offer from back in 2016, but there’s also a couple of …
#100 – 1969 Bultaco Lobito 100
Post Listing Update: This Lobito did not get any interest at the opening ask of $4,500. Bultaco’s “Little Wolf”, the Lobito was available in a variety of displacements over the years. The tiniest of the offerings was the 10 horsepower, 2-stroke 100cc, and today we’ve got a restored example that appropriately happens to be the 100th example ever built.
Nifty Fifty – 1974 Honda MR50 Elsinore
Post Sale Update: This baby Elsinore sold for $3,551 after 40 bids on eBay. Introduced in 1974, the MR50 only lasted through the following year. It was designed as an gateway drug into Honda’s world of Elsinore dirtbikes, and parents could cap how fast the bike could go by screwing in 1 of 4 throttle stops.
Rare Italian Project – 1964 Ducati Mountaineer 90
Post Listing Update: This Mountaineer was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. In the mid 60s, Ducati offered a pair of singles called the Cadet and the Mountaineer – the Cadet was a road bike and the Mountaineer (as you can guess from the name) was more of a dual-sport before the term existed. Both were available in …
Zuma-Powered, Composimo-Built – Custom Honda Ruckus
At any given point you can find dozens of custom Honda Ruckus examples floating around on Craigslist and eBay. Extended swing-arm conversions and bespoke paint jobs are pretty run of the mill modifications and I’ve never given much thought or attention to bespoke Ruckus examples, but today’s thoroughly modified build is a different story altogether.
Van Tech Racer – 1969 Yamaha AS1C
Post Sale Update: This Van Tech sold for $6,300 after 22 bids on eBay. Van Tech was one of America’s first dirt bike manufacturers, though the company did not build complete bikes. Instead, the brain child of Bill Van Tichelt built frames for small-displacement Japanese motors like the Honda S90, Kawi 100/120, and Bridgestone 90/100. There were two main advantages …
70, 80, or 90 – 3 Small Displacement Original Enduros
David N has pointed out to me that the seller of last week’s Rupp Black Widow replica has a few small displacement enduros that he’s getting rid of as well.
Restored with No Reserve – 1966 Kawasaki B8
Post Sale Update: This B8 sold for $5,100 after 22 bids on eBay. The Kawasaki B8 was based on the Meihatsu B7, which used Kawasaki engines. The B8 line of motorcycles, also known as the BN125 Eliminators, were produced from 62-65 and were the first to be entirely manufactured by Kawasaki.
544 Miles – 1971 DKW 125 Enduro
Originally named the Sachs 125, the DKW 125 Enduro earned its titled after DKW and Sachs merged in the 60s. It ended up becoming one of the first baby MX bikes that took off in the US, as it compared well against the Kawasaki Green Streak and Hodaka Ace. It was a reliable package (though the Sachs unit apparently yielded …