Before Victory failed in their quest to compete with Harley-Davidson, they had the goal of beating HD to market with an electric motorcycle. They did in fact succeed, licensing some Brammo hardware and pushing them to market back when Scarlett Johansson was the only person who had ever ridden a Livewire. The Victory Empulse TT is most notable for retaining …
Russian Project – 1973 IZH Planeta 3
IZH was best known for making the AK47 assault rifle, though they did have a civilian division that also made cars and motorcycles – production of the latter started in 1927. Here’s an example of one of their most successful bikes, the Planeta.
Model 13 – 1966 Bultaco Mercurio 175
Post Listing Update: This Mercurio did not meet reserve despite 8 bids up to $2,550 on eBay. The Bultaco Mercurio (Mercury) debuted in 1960 as a 125cc, though by ’64 it had grown to a 175 for the Model 13, a motorcycle that was exclusively sold as an export to the US.
Rare in the US – 2000 Honda CB1300
Post Listing Update: This CB1300 was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. Never officially sold in the US, the Honda CB1300 (also known as the “Super Four”) was the successor to the CB1000 “Big One”. One of the available liveries, as shown here, was a bit of a Freddie Spencer tribute.
1950 Moto Guzzi Astorino
The Moto Guzzi Astorino is a rare find in its home country of Italy, let alone here in the US. A sibling of sorts to the better-known Airone, both bikes feature 250cc 4-stroke singles with the iconic “bacon slicer” external flywheel. The Astorino has a few small differences, including hydraulic rear shocks.
Giveaway For A Vet – 2013 Honda NC700X
A generous donor is offering up his Honda NC700X (notable for its DCT transmission which removes the need for a clutch lever and shift pedal) – but only to “honorably discharged US Veterans that have lost their left leg or left foot, who still have the desire to ride motorcycles – either as a new rider or as a returning …
Adding to the Stable – 1978 Kawasaki KZ650 Project Introduction
This post isn’t about a bike for sale…it’s about a bike I’ve just acquired!
1971 Honda CB500
Post Sale Update: This CB500 sold for $3,575 after 2 bids on eBay. If you push the starter button on your bike today and it roars to life without protest, then you have Honda and their CB line to thank. Greatly increased reliability along with the tagline, “You meet the nicest people on a Honda,” skyrocketed motorcycling into the hobby …
1966 Bridgestone Hurricane
Post Sale Update: this Hurricane sold for $3,300 after 8 bids on eBay One of the many high quality (and somewhat pricey) small displacement bikes from a company we now only associate with tires, the Bridgestone Hurricane 175 was a scrambler variant of their baby sportbike “Dual Twin”.
Motorcycle From A Supercar Manufacturer – 1956 Maserati Tipo 125/T2
Post Sale Update: This Maserati sold for $4,559 after 21 bids on eBay. Originally founded in 1914 by five brothers (Carlo, Ettore, Alfieri, Bindo, and Ernesto) in Italy, Maserati was purchased by Adolfo Orsi in 1937. After Orsi’s death in the early ’50s, the business was divided into three different outfits: a foundry known as “Fonder di Modena”, “Fabric Candele …
Never Started – 1970 Indian Velo 500
In 1967, the former West Coast distributor of Indian Motorcycles (Floyd Clymer) bought the rights to the company’s name and tried to bring it back. He initially tried to partner with some German companies to create the new Indian’ but that never got past prototypes. It wasn’t until he partnered with Velocette that he was able to release the Indian …
1995 BMW R100R Mystic
Available only in 1994 and 1995 in the US, the Mystic was a factory retro based on the BMW R100R. In a 1992 review, Bike magazine called it the best boxer. To make the R100R, BMW went with some old-school peanut valve covers and paired them with 40mm Bing carbs and their first usage of Japanese suspension. In many ways, …
Yamaha XS650 Motor – 2003 Royal Enfield Bullet
Royal Enfield has just released two models powered by an all-new 650 twin motor, but the seller of this bike beat them to the punch. The title tells you what you need to know – this is a Royal Enfield that’s had a heart transplant. The seller says he “decided to change the motor to make it a reliable daily …
190 Miles – 1981 Honda CM400A Hondamatic
In the early 80s, Honda donated a few motorcycles to schools all across the country. The most valuable finds nowadays are the occasional CBX or two that appear with no miles after sitting in a school storage room for decades, but Honda provided some twins and four-cylinder models, too. One example of the former is this CM400, which stands out …