Post Listing Update: This Cyclone did not meet reserve despite 25 bids up to $10,100 on eBay. A 650cc high-compression variant of the Huntmaster, the Ariel Cyclone was a very rare bike. It seems that the list of documented Cyclones is 174 over two years of production. Ariel called it their “Super Sports Twin”, thanks to a 40 horsepower engine …
Somehow Street Legal – 2015 Kawasaki Ninja H2R
4-18-2019 Update: A year later, this H2R is back up for sale with a $5,000 discount. Find it with a BIN of $54,500 here on eBay. Post Listing Update: This crazy H2R did not get any interest at the BIN of $59,500. Introduced in 2015, the Kawasaki Ninja H2R was an absolute revelation – 300 claimed horsepower thanks to a …
Two-Stroke SuMo Conversion – 1975 Yamaha DT400 Custom
In 1968, Yamaha introduced the 250cc DT1, a 22hp two-stroke enduro wrapped in a double-loop cradle frame. The DT was something of an instant hit, and the Tuning Fork company followed it up with the introduction of the 125cc AT1, as well as the larger 360cc RT1 in 1970. By ’75 Yamaha had bored out the RT1’s single to 397cc’s, …
2000 Suzuki SV650
Has there ever been a more universally loved bike that the Suzuki SV650? The more I immerse myself into the motorcycling community, I really wonder. This is all subjective of course, but there really isn’t a lot to complain about with the SV. It came along and dominated the mid-sized bike market in 1999. Even if you don’t love it, …
2007 Honda VFR800 Anniversary Edition
Honda engineers started down the path to produce a V4 motorcycle engine in 1978 to compete against two stoke race bikes of the time. Soichiro Honda didn’t like two stroke engines and didn’t want to race them. He was passionate about maximizing 4-stroke technology. He wanted a 4 stroke that could compete. The engineers eventually produced the NR500 race bike. …
Stock – 1983 Honda CB1100F
Post Sale Update: This CB1100F sold for $5,700 after 35 bids on eBay. Built for just one year, the Honda CB1100F was a sleek looking standard that was mighty quick – in January of ’83, Cycle World said it was the fastest stock bike they’ve ever tested.
Rolling Art – 1993 Honda CBR900RR by Zephyr
Post Listing Update: Not surprisingly, this custom CBR did not get any interest at the opening bid of $49,999. The Honda CBR900RR is an excellent motorcycle that completely changed the definition of a sportbike in the early 90s. But this example isn’t notable for its performance on the road – it’s value comes from the bodywork that’s been painted by …
1.3 Miles – 1991 Bimota YB10 Dieci
Post Listing Update: This Dieci did not get any interest at the BIN of $21,000. Bimota’s 10th model with a Yamaha engine, the appropriately-named Dieci was built between 1991 and 1994 with just 224 examples leaving the factory. An even smaller portion were equipped with a passenger seat and pegs. Bimota scooped up the engine from a FZR1000 and then …
1996 Suzuki GSX-R 1100
Post Sale Update: This Gixxer sold for $2,425 after 32 bids on eBay. I genuinely did not believe that this was a factory-offered paint job at first. Maybe the 90s weren’t as great as I remembered.
1979 Honda CBX
The Honda CBX has become increasingly not-so-rare on Craigslist and eBay. I come across them all the time hunting for cool machines, and while some are in better shape than others, all their values continue to go up. What I find interesting about them is not just the amazing engine, but the fact that by the end of its short …
2014 Triumph Street Triple
Post Listing Update: This Street Triple did not get any interest at the opening bid of $4,800. For many, naked bikes are the ultimate blend of performance and streetability. Meatier midrange and upright bars turned out to be a worth a couple of horses on the top end. However, the spotlight is often shown on the extremes. The Yamaha FZ-07 …
2007 KTM 690SM
Sold between 2007-2011, the KTM 690SM was an excellent option for riders who wanted the handling joy of a supermoto racer that was toned down enough to be street friendly. These bikes wont’ win any all-around competitions, but if you emphasize agility and don’t spend a lot of time on the highway, it’s hard to do much better.
Le Mans Fairing – 2004 Moto Guzzi V11 Coppa Italia
Post Sale Update: This Coppa Italia sold for $8,800 after 22 bids on eBay. A very limited edition of the V11, the Coppa Italia was very well spec’d, with Ohlins suspension, Brembo brakes, an optional $2,000 titanium exhaust, and more. I’ve seen estimates between 40 and 50 for the number imported into the US. Every example I’ve seen in the …
319 of 2000 – 2001 Ducati MH900e
Mike Hailwood was a legend. Short story: 9 World Championships, 76 Grand Prix wins, and 14 Isle of Man Victories. The full story, which I can’t recommend enough, can be found here on his official website. At age of 40 (which doesn’t seem as old as it used to) in 1978, he came out of retirement to win the Isle …
1975 Honda CB400F
Post Sale Update: This CB400F sold for $6,000 after 31 bids on eBay. An evolution rather than a revolution, the Honda CB400F is blessed with one of the most beautiful production exhaust systems ever created – known by some as the “waterfall pipes”. It’s so iconic that Honda has brought the style back for the new CB650F! Though it wasn’t …