Yamaha never officially exported the fantastic TDR250 to the US, which is why many American riders aren’t aware of it…or the tiny 50cc and 80cc versions!
Nice Price – 2019 Honda Monkey
MSRP on a new Monkey without ABS is $3,999 plus a $190 destination charge. Here’s a barely-used example (100 miles) that will set you back just $2,500.
1987 Honda NS125R Adriatico
One would assume that a Honda sold in their home market of Japan would also have been built there, but this oddball was actually built by Honda Italy and then exported to Japan. In the early 80s, the 125cc market was fiercely competitive in Italy due to licensing regulations. The local government placed high taxes on imported motorcycles, so Honda …
1981 Honda CT70
Post Sale Update: This CT70 sold for $3,200 after 53 bids on eBay in South Jordan, Utah. For 1981, Honda offered up the venerable CT70 in one color – Tahitian Red. Here’s a highly original example that still features the style that was specific for ’81, like a red front fender, black/blue/white stripe, and black heat shield.
Restored in England – 1976 Yamaha FS1-E
Also known as the Fizzy, the FS1 was very successful in Europe as a small street-legal motorcycle – often a first vehicle for many riders. The suffix after FS1 denoted the target market -NL for Netherlands or -E for England.
1989 Yamaha YSR50
Post Sale Update: This YSR50 sold for $3,816 after 22 bids on eBay in Vernon-Rockville, Connecticut. The Yamaha YSR50 was the most common of the rare 50cc sportbikes that came from Japan in the late 80s and early 90s. An instant classic, the YSR50 was always street legal, but now I only seem to see them on display in collections …
2017 Honda Z50 50th Anniversary
Post Listing Update: This Z50 did not meet reserve despite 33 bids up to $9,400 on eBay in Port Washington, New York. Before the 125 Monkey was born, Honda announced that they were killing off the legendary Z50 model due to ever-tightening emissions regulations. They ended the run with 1,800 examples of a special 50th Anniversary model and they were …
1961 Parilla Olimpia
Post Listing Update: This Olimpia did not get any action at the BIN of $4,900. After World War II, Giovanni Parrilla built his first motorcycle (it was based on a Norton). This evolved into the company of Moto Parilla, which was best known for their “high-cam” engines in the US. Here’s one of their lesser known models, the Olimpia (which …
1968 Honda Z50
Post Listing Update: This Z50 did not meet reserve with 20 bids up to $4,000 on eBay in Cedar Park, Texas. 1968 was the first year of US exports for the Mini Trail, and today we’ve got a pleasant survivor. In a wonderful article on Motorcyclist, Mitch Boehm notes “that the Honda Z50 Mini Trail is probably responsible for more …
1982 Kawasaki AR80
Post Sale Update: this AR80 sold for $2,025 after 6 bids on eBay in Chadron, Nebraska. Kawasaki’s attempt to compete with Honda’s MB5, the AR80 packed a 78cc two-stroke engine that produced about 10 horsepower.
No Reserve – 1971 Suzuki TC90
Post Sale Update: This TC90 sold for $1,475 after 51 bids on eBay in Mentor, Ohio. Also known as the “Blazer”, the TC90 was advertised by Suzuki as “built to take on the country” thanks to a dual-range transmission for 8 total gears.
1960 Capriolo Antelope
In the early 60s, Capriolo offered up a range of small motorcycles with animal-inspired names: the 125cc Cheetah, 100cc Gazelle, and the 75cc Antelope.
196x Hodaka Ace 90
Post Sale Update: this Hodaka sold for $1,504 after 37 bids on eBay in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Debuting in 1964, the Ace 90 was Hodaka’s first model. The company made it a priority to upgrade parts throughout production in a manner that allowed owners of older models to easily upgrade their bikes, as well. Between 1964-1970, Hodaka sold over 24,000 …
No Reserve – 1986 Honda Z50RD Christmas Special
Post Sale Update: sold for $6,800 after 20 bids on eBay in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Considered by some as the ultimate Honda Z50, the “Christmas Special” was a limited edition that officially had the model name of “Z50RD” – the D was for “Dealer”. Honda gave two examples to each of their top dealers, though some called it the …
No Reserve – 1982 Honda CR80R
Post Sale Update: this CR80R sold for $2,235 after 19 bids on eBay in Powell, Ohio. Honda introduced the CR80R Elsinore in 1980, and it truly looked like a half size 250. The engine was up to snuff, though handling left quite a bit to be desired. So two years later, they added the Pro-Link monoshock, new 31mm air forks, …