In 2001, Suzuki unveiled the all-new GSX-R1000, and journalists felt it was the first bike to compete with Yamaha’s revolutionary R1 of 1998 because Suzuki was able to top the R1 with less weight and more power (374 pound dry weight, 160 hp/81 lb-ft at the crank). Yoshimura then took the already-impressive Suzuki to the next level by creating their …
No Reserve – 1983 Suzuki XN85 Turbo
Of all the Japanese turbo wonder bikes of the 80s, Suzuki’s effort was the rarest. Just 1,153 examples of the XN85 Turbo were built, and it had the distinction of being the first production motorcycle with a 16″ front wheel. When paired with the Full Floater rear suspension, that resulted in a machine that Motorcyclist magazine described as such: “Nothing …
2022 Yamaha R7 World GP 60th Anniversary Edition with Zero Miles
This year, Yamaha brought back the R7 name – though this time around it’s for a tamer, cheaper way to get into the world of supersports. I had an absolute blast with it at the launch at Atlanta Motorsports Park and it’s high on my list to replace my Ninja 400 as my go-to track bike. For 2022, Yamaha’s offering …
1973 Kawasaki H2 Mach IV
A couple of days ago I featured an interesting H2 Mach IV custom and the consensus seemed to be that stock was the way to go. Well, here’s that stock bike for you!
1982 Honda CB900F
In the late 70s, Honda offered both a CB750F and a CB900F, but per their marketing department the US only got the 750 and Europe only got the 900. Both markets were upset about this because humans always think the grass is greener on the other side. It took a few years, but Honda eventually satisfied the US by bringing …
Freddie Spencer Paint – 1985 Honda VF1000R
Over on the auction site, we’ve got an interesting VF1000R that’s been painted in a Freddie Spencer tribute livery – a paint job more commonly found on the two-stroke NS400R. What do you think of the end result?
2002 Ducati Monster S4 Fogarty Edition #126/300
Over on the auction site, we’ve got a rare example of the “Foggy Monster” with just 1,212 miles – and the sale includes all of the stock parts!
#265 – 1972 Kawasaki Z1
9-6-2022 Update: Four years later, this bike is back up on the auction block. Normally when I share a bike years later and it’s in a different state, it’s because the bike has sold a time or two. But this time it’s in a different country (England) because the owner himself moved! Regardless, this is an incredible example of a …
1983 Moto Guzzi Le Mans III
In 1983, the Moto Guzzi Le Mans III was brought back after MG was able to get the smaller engine certified under US emissions – for a few years the US was stuck with a 949cc engine. With the arrival of the Mark III, Guzzi created approximately 80 technical changes of varying severity from the Mark II model.
No Reserve – 1983 Kawasaki KZ1000R Eddie Lawson Replica
A limited edition tribute to Eddie Lawson, just 750 examples of the Kawasaki KZ1000R ELR (Eddie Lawson Replica) were built between 1982 and 1983. With the exception of subpar rear shocks, the press and the public loved this bike and how aggressively it was set up.
All The Extras – 1984 Honda Nighthawk CB700SC
Also known as the CB700SC, the Nighthawk S was an interesting bike designed to avoid the 45% tax imposed on imported bikes of 700cc or bigger. Despite the ‘smaller’ engine, this bike was faster than many of its 750cc competitors, and the press loved it. Honda killed this bike after only a couple of years, leaving it to become a …
2016 Suzuki GSX-R1000
Troy Siahaan (Road Test Editor for Motorcycle.com) is one of my favorite people in the motorcycle industry, and he’s letting go of his Gixxer track bike because he’s too busy racing the Lightfighter.
2003 Ghezzi-Brian Folgore Supertwin
Ghezzi-Brian was founded in 1995 by Giuseppe Ghezzi and Bruno Saturno. Within a year they won the Italian SuperTwin championship, thanks to first place finishes in 9 of the 32 races. They took their SuperTwin and built a small run of road-legal replicas with the drivetrain from a Moto Guzzi Sport 1100i. Most of the production run stayed in Italy, …
Zero Miles – 2006 Triumph Daytona 675
Introduced in 2006 as the successor to the four-cylinder Daytona 650, the three-cylinder Daytona 675 has been a favorite of riders and the press ever since it debuted. MCN summed it up with: “Silky, compact handling, allied to kick-ass engine power and a howling exhaust note, make the Triumph Daytona 675 a real winner on the road, or track.” Here’s …
2002 Ducati 998S Troy Bayliss #393
2002 was the first year of the 998, which featured an all new Testastretta motor that produced 123 horsepower (up 11 from the 996). Ducati offered the base 998, the 998S, and the 998R. The middle-of-the-road “S” model got an Ohlins shock and steering damper, carbon fiber belly pan, revised brake calipers, and color-matched mirrors.