Ducati introduced the 500cc parallel twin in 1975, and it was a commercial failure. To try and shake things up, the Italian company asked Fabio Taglioni to give the engine desmodromic valves. The result was the Sport Desmo, which had a significant jump in power but didn’t do much to shake the engine’s reputation for reliability issues.
Back Door RC30 – Honda VFR750R in Canada
Perhaps the most iconic of Honda’s homologation specials (or maybe any manufacturer’s), the VFR750R, colloquially known as the RC30, was produced from 1988-1990, with worldwide production totaling 4782 units. Only 316 of these made it to the U.S. as 1990 models due to the EPA dragging their bureaucratic feet. In some European markets the bike was named the Bol D’or …
23 Miles – 2008 Aprilia Bol D’Or RSV1000R
The Aprilia Bol D’Or was a very limited production bike built to commemorate Aprilia’s participation in the Bol D’Or, a 24 hour endurance race that occurs every spring at Le Mans. Normally we get special edition to honor a victory as opposed to just participating, but I’ll take the excuse for a bike that combine performance, exclusivity, and a dash …
25th Anniversary – 2007 Honda VFR800
In 2007, Honda celebrated the 25th Anniversary of their venerable sport tourer with a special red/white/blue paint job. I always thought this paint scheme looked amazing, though the stock black wheels were a mistake – they should have been white! This example is in great shape and comes with some modifications that every sixth gen viffer should have.
1965 Honda CB450 Black Bomber
Post-Sale Update: After 36 bids on eBay, this Black Bomber sold for $4,550. One of the most influential Japanese motorcycles ever, the CB450 was Honda’s first big bike, and it was quite a shock to the Brits.
2015 Norvin
Take a Vincent engine, slap it in a Norton chassis, and you’ve got yourself a “Norvin”! This example was put together last year and it’s claimed to be in showroom condition.
2007 Aprilia Tuono Factory 1000 R
Post-Listing Update: This Tuono Factory got nowhere at the asking price of $7,500. The Aprilia Tuono Factory was an uprated version of one of the world’s greatest naked bikes, the Aprilia Tuono.
The Other Orange Classic – 1975 Rickman Honda 750
Post Listing Update: This Rickman did not get any interest at the asking price of $18,500. The brothers Rickman made quite a name for themselves back in the day. Perhaps best known for the Rickman Metisse off-road racers, their modus operandi were their beautiful and effective nickel plated steel frames housing any manner of running gear. When the modern and …
2003 Moto Guzzi V11 LeMans Rosso Corsa
Post Sale Update: This Rosso Corsa sold for $6,700 after 32 bids on eBay. For the second straight day, we’ve got a 1-in-50 Guzzi. But this time it’s featuring red bodywork instead of a red frame. Based on the previous generation of the venerable LeMans, this bike was the pinnacle of a model known for classic Italian cafe racer lines …
2009 BMW HP2 Sport
The swan song of the oil cooled BMW boxers is the HP2 Sport. A MCN review of a modified one called the HP2 Sport, “As desirable and pointless as a carbon-fibre Spitfire” although it had higher praise when the bike first debuted. While it was never as fast as anything with a Ducati badge on it for the same money …
“185cc Monster” – 2013 Honda Grom
The seller of this Grom has spent over $10,000 turning it into a “beastly 185cc monster.” It’s got plenty of trick parts, but the best news is that this bike can now finally break the speed limit on the highway!
1991 BMW K1
Prior to the S1000RR, BMW had been trying to get into the sport bike market for years with limited success. While they tried many times, they never succeeded in competing with the Japanese bikes. Maybe the most interesting of all these iterations of German sports bikes was the K1.
NCR Engine in Greece – 1978 Ducati 900SS
Post-Sale Update: After 29 bids on eBay, this 900SS sold for $21,600. NCR was named after its founders, Giorgio Nepoti, Rino Caracchi and Luigi Rizzi. The NCR name became synonymous with Ducati after Mike Hailwood won the Isle of Man on a NCR prepped Ducati 900, and it lives on even though Rizzi left early on and the other two …
1995 Ducati 900SS/SP Custom
Offered exclusively to North American customers, the SP (Sport Production) variant of the 900SS was a limited production bike equipped with upgrades like carbon fiber fenders, adjustable Showa suspension, and more. The limited numbers mean it’s not a common platform for custom builders, but that didn’t stop whomever tackled this bike. How would you say it ended up?
Ending Soon – 1984 Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mark 3
Post-Sale Update: This LeMans sold for $6,500 after 22 bids on eBay. As a child of the 80s who loves straight lines, I always enjoyed the styling (and the giant white Veglia tach)of the Le Mans Mark 3. Those were a few of the 80 changes that Guzzi made between the Mark II and III.