Released in 1998, the RSV1000 was a game-changing model for Aprilia. Beforehand, the largest machine in the Italian marque’s lineup was a 250. In its roughly half-decade of production an array of different RSV variants were produced, including a few higher-spec R and SP models. While most people would’t look at the full-faired Italian V-Twin as an ideal donor, Gareth …
2006 Ducati Paul Smart 1000LE
In every motorcycle manufacturer’s history, there is an event that changes everything, something that creates a before and an after, something that will define the brand and the image it will have for the rest of its activity. Ducati has a strange story. Founded in 1926 in Bologna, the Italian brand was at the time specialized in the production and …
Well Modified – 2018 Husqvarna 701 Supermoto
If you’ve never had the chance to ride a supermoto, you are seriously missing out. OEMs don’t help much in this case – there are very few factory supermotos available off the dealership floor. The best current option is from Husky, and if you’re in the market you’re going to want one from 217 at the latest, as that’s when …
1974 Kawasaki Z1
Post Listing Update: This Z1 did not meet reserve despite 11 bids up to $8,003. Just like Honda has its CB750, BMW has its GS, and Suzuki has its GSX-R, Kawasaki has the Z1. Every big motorcycle manufacturer has been shaped by their capability to innovate and to create some bikes that changed the market forever. While still in the …
1997 Bimota YB11
Post Listing Update: This YB11 did not get any interest at the BIN of $6,799. Everyone has their own idea of what the perfect modifications to make to their machine are. Some like clip-ons, some like suspension components, and some want a little extra oomph to assert themselves in traffic. Then there is Bimota, a company dedicated to taking engines …
Street Fighter – 1988 Yamaha TZR250
Post Sale Update: This TZR sold for $3,500 after 24 bids on eBay. In the seller’s words, this represents a “cross between the 80’s/90’s 2 stroke street sportbike and the more modern FZ 07/09…raw, loud, upright and brilliantly bright in classic Yamaha colors.” It’s being offered with no reserve – what do you think about it?
1984 Kawasaki Ninja GPZ900R
Post Listing Update: This Ninja did not meet reserve despite 48 bids up to $3,700 on eBay. Produced from 1984 to 2003, the GPZ900R was the first bike to bear the “Ninja” name. A revolutionary design when it came out, some would argue that it was the predecessor of what we consider today to be a modern sport bike. It …
Wolfgang Haerter Build – 1972 Laverda SFC Replica
Post Listing Update: This Laverda replica was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. Laverda expert Wolfgang Haerter of Columbia Car & Cycle in British Columbia is a renowned Laverda expert that has built a few SFC replicas over the years. Here’s another one, which features several true SFC parts and hopefully gives you a taste of the riding …
Creme De La Creme in England – 2016 Honda RC213V-S With Race Kit
I always felt like Honda’s road-going RC213V-S got an undeservedly bad wrap. Despite the machine being touted as the best-handling sportbike in existence and boasting top-of-the-line, well, everything, many seemingly honed in on the elite two-wheeler’s surprisingly underwhelming horsepower output. The reality is that the RC213V-S isn’t a road bike that borrows DNA from the company’s race program, it is …
Nick O’Kane Custom – 1992 Suzuki TL1000R Cafe Build
Nick O’Kane eats, sleeps, and breathes motorcycles. By day, the California-based, UK-native serves as Powersports Sales Manager at K&N Filters, but the lion’s share of O’Kane’s nights and weekends are spent building (and riding) some pretty stellar customs. O’Kane’s typical MO consists of using vintage donor machines that are then laced up with modern suspension and electrical components. If you …
Trackmaster Framed – 1970 Triumph Bonneville T120
Trackmaster Frames can trace their roots back to the 1960s, when Triumph Motorcycles approached Ray Hensley and commissioned the famed race tuner and engineer to build a handful of bespoke chassis to be used in competition. Henley’s earliest frames were chromoly steel units with much more race-oriented geometry compared to the stock Bonneville chassis of the era. In the years …
1984 Kawasaki GPz1100 and GPz550
Post Sale Update: The GPz1100 sold for $3,300 after 31 bids on eBay. Post Listing Update: The GPz550 did not meet reserve despite 15 bids up to $2,525 on eBay. In 1984, Kawasaki offered four displacement options of naturally aspirated motors in the GPz lineup in the United States: 550, 750, 900, and 1100. A seller in Gainesville, Georgia is …
Featured in The Matrix Reloaded – 2001 Ducati 996
The 2003 blockbuster The Matrix Reloaded includes an epic stunt sequence that in features a Ducati 996. To commemorate that scene (and to cash in on the franchise’s popularity), Ducati partnered with the film to release a limited run of Matrix Edition 998 bikes. Despite the movie featuring a 996, by the time the second installment of the Matrix trilogy …
1973 Kawasaki H2A 750
The 1970s were a pivotal decade for motorcycle manufacturers in terms of engine and emissions technology. Motorcycles had to be more modern, safer, but still powerful. While Honda was focused on 4-strokes, especially inline four cylinder motors as equipped in the CB750, Kawasaki was splitting their time with 4-strokes like the Z1 and with 2-strokes like the big triples found …
Jack Simmons Restoration – 1973 Norton Commando 850
During the latter half of the 20th century, a number of key individuals in Southern California played highly pivotal roles in influencing motorcycling. One of those individuals was Jack Simmons. Over the decades he was involved in the moto industry, Simmons wore a myriad of different (proverbial) hats, making a name for himself as a racer, motorcycle dealer, machinist, and …