One of the few Royal Enfields that were rebadged as Indians in the 50s, the Fire Arrow was a 248cc single that was the twin of the Enfield Clipper, a budget bike. The rebadge job consisted of a paint job and the Indian Warbonnet on the front fender. For a little more information on the Fire Arrow, check out this …
1961 NSU Super Max
After World War II, NSU found themselves with factories that had been destroyed. But they were able to persevere and in 1952 they released the Max, one of the most popular quarter-liter bikes of the 50s – 97,120 bikes were sold. Fast forward four years and NSU introduced the Supermax, which featured a 18 horsepower single good for a top …
1965 Norton Atlas 750
Named after the ICBM, the Norton Atlas was released in 1962, earning a so-so reputation before being replaced by the classic Commando. Built to appeal to American aesthetic preferences, it was initially only produced for export. The Atlas produced 55 horsepower, with plenty of torque available low in the rev range. Utilizing Norton’s famous Featherbed frame, the bike weighed about …
900 Miles – 1966 Honda CB160
One of the truly iconic small-displacement Japanese bikes, the Honda CB160 is a small but well-built street bike.
1984 BMW R65LS
I don’t much care for yellow motorcycles, but I do like the R65LS. This bike is claimed to have been completely rebuilt and comes with a rare extra chin fairing. It has 21,770 miles and comes with the OEM luggage, though they have some slight cracking. Assuming you’re OK with the repaint, find this R65LS for sale in Tucson, Arizona …
1968 Yamaha YR2
Here’s an original example of the 2-stroke 350cc twin Yamaha YR2. It has just 10,000 miles and it’s claimed to run and ride great, plus it comes with original parts like the air pump. Find it for sale in Swartz Creek, Michigan for $3,500 here on Craigslist. This bike-uriousity brought to you by Bill K! Or, reader John K has …
Shriner Duty – 1968 Honda CA160
Looks like this bike used to be part of the Elf Khurafeh Shriners, presumably as part of parade duty. No details are given regarding running condition, but how often do I get to feature a bike like this? Find it for sale in Grand Rapids, Michigan for $2,800 here on Craigslist.
1 of 600 – 2010 Triumph Bonneville Sixty
In 2010, Triumph released a limited edition of the Bonnie informally known as the Sixty – it was supposed to be a “1960 Anniversary Edition”. Changes included a plaque on the handlebar and the two-tone Meriden/Caspian Blue paint job. This example (VIN: SMT910K14AT448222) has 9,500 miles and is being offered by the original owner. It’s #19 of the 600 that …
1983 BMW R80ST
Edit: Sorry, seems like this bike is already been taken off eBay. The street based brother of the R80G/S, the BMW R80ST did not sell particularly well – only 5,963 were built over two years. But it’s become a bit of a cult classic, and plenty of owners feel that this was the best handling motorcycle BMW had made up …
Needs Some Work – 1962 NSU Supermax 250
After World War II, NSU found themselves with factories that had been destroyed. But they were able to persevere and in 1952 they released the Max, one of the most popular quarter-liter bikes of the 50s – 97,120 bikes were sold. Fast forward four years and NSU introduced the Supermax, which featured a 18 horsepower single good for a top …
Restored Classic – 1970 Honda CB750 K0
Here’s a restored example (VIN: 1041641) of a true classic, the CB750. It has 5,313 miles and was serviced last week so it should be ready to go.
1971 Ducati Mark 3 450
The Mark 3 (particularly the 250) is considered by some to be one of the prettiest bikes ever made. When Ducati released their 450cc engine (the biggest of the bevel drive singles) in 1969, they also introduced the Ducati Mark 3 450.
Needs Work – 1964 DKW Hummel 155
Affectionately known as the Tin Banana, DKW Hummel 155 featured incredibly distinctive bodywork. They were never imported to the US, but it’s not like it’s easy to find them in Europe, either. Mechanically, the bike had a 50cc engine that put out 4.2 horsepower. With a 3-speed transmission, this banana could spend all day at 45 miles per hour.
Needs Some Work – 1983 Triumph TSX
One of 371 ever built (just 200 of which made it to the US), this Triumph TSX is a barn find that has just 259 miles. It’s apparently been stored since ’83 and will need some work, but I still thought it was worth sharing. For more on the TSX, check out this profile from Sump Magazine. Find this TSX …
Needs Some Work – 1978 Ducati 500GTL
The Ducati 500GTL is one of the cheapest ways of getting into the world of classic Ducs. Unfortunately, that’s because the bike didn’t sell very well – about 7,000 were produced over a 8 year run. The bike developed a reputation for being unreliable because it would occasionally lunch crankcases.