From the factory, BMW’s R100S produced between 65-70 horsepower at the crank, depending on the year of manufacture. Thanks to Mikuni flat slide carbs, Krauser heads, and tuning by San Jose BMW back in the late 80s, this example puts down 74 horsepower at the rear wheel. Even better – the seller claims to have a complete service history for …
711 Miles – 1978 Bultaco Streaker
The Bultaco Streaker is a little jewel of a cafe racer that’s hard to find in the US as (rumors suggest) just 28 of them were imported before the EPA changed emissions regulations in ’79. This example has just 711 miles and it’s claimed to look and run perfect.
Stored for 30+ Years – 1974 Kawasaki Z1A
The Z1 has typically been in the shadow of Honda’s CB750 – Kawi thought it was going to be first to market with a four cylinder 750cc sport bike and were unpleasantly surprised. Kawi decided that they would have to bump up displacement to 903cc before releasing it to the public. This example is in impressively original condition as it …
1992 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7RR K2
If you’re not a big Japanese sportbike fan, this may just look like a standard middleweight Ninja. But the “K” models (built between 91-92) were homologation specials built so that Kawasaki could go racing in AMA Superbike. 500 example were built, 142 of which were exported to the US with an asking price that was nearly twice what Kawasaki charged …
1995 MZ Skorpion Sport
Yamaha, MZ, and a British design firm called Seymourpowell all came together to create the MZ Skorpion, a rare sportbike that is now a cult classic.
2007 BMW R1200S
Post Sale Update: This R1200S sold for the BIN price of $8,750. When it was released, the R1200S was BMW’s sportiest-ever take on the boxer engine. Whereas the R11S was almost a 50/50 balance of sport and touring, the R12S was marketed much more towards the former with slogans like “born in heaven, raised in hell”. When it was first …
Production Racer Tribute – 1975 Norton Commando MkIII 850
Affectionately known as the Yellow Peril, the Norton Commando Production Racer was a street-legal factory racer available to privateer racers. The cost was fairly staggering – at a time when a Austin Mini would cost you $1,500, you’d need another $400 to get your hands on a Production Racer. Because of this, replicas were not uncommon. Here’s a recent build …
Guess That Bike Revealed – Not Italian Edition
This was a tough one. It took a hint, but the first reader on the right track was Dnaj, who pointed out that it was a Zanella Ceccato. That’s just about it – it’s a 1965 Zanella Sport 100.
Street Legal with 12 Miles – 2009 Aprilia RS125
Finding a plated modern RS125 is hard enough in the United States, but this example stands out even further thanks to the fact that it has just 12 miles. It does beg the question – what would you do with a bike like this? It’s best on a track but it’ll lose value with every miles. Are these collectible enough …
No Reserve – 1993 BMW K1
Post Sale Update: After 60 bids on eBay, this K1 sold for $6,099. The BMW K1 was very impressive in many ways – especially the aerodynamic coefficient. With that said, lots of riders didn’t care for the styling or the the paint schemes. This example avoids the paint scheme issue because just 1 year into his/her ownership, the original owner …
1 of 805 – 1995 Triumph Daytona Super III
Triumph’s Super III was a limited edition of the under-appreciated Daytona 900. Featuring engine tuning by Cosworth, they sold just 805 worldwide, 179 of which made it to the United States.
2005 Benelli Tornado Tre
Benelli was one of the many companies that struggled to survive the onslaught of Japanese competition, starting all the way back in the 60s. As years passed, Benelli was bought and sold several times until production was shut down and the company was merged into Moto Guzzi in 1988. 2002 marked the return of Benelli, with their first new bike …
Unexpected Donation – Still New 1983 Kawasaki GPz1100
I’ve seen some odd places to find motorcycles for sale, but this is definitely a new one. Somehow, there’s a “brand new, never been used” GPz that’s for sale at Goodwill. Wonder who donated this!
Surprise Under the Seat – 1994 Suzuki GSX-R 1100
Normally a stock super sport with a tail tidy and flush mount turn signals isn’t a big deal. However, this bike packs a bit of a surprise: flip a switch inside the front fairing and then the horn button turns the nitrous bottle that’s hidden under the seat cowl! The seller has a dyno chart showing 125 horsepower at the …
Sparkling – 1990 Honda VFR
Entering its third generation, the 1990 remake of the VFR signaled the repositioning of the series away from its sport bike beginnings and into a sport touring role. Marketed as a thinking man’s motorbike, the model gained some cool updates along with a few pounds, and lost the “Interceptor” tag. The ’90 was available only in the Italian Red seen …