Post Sale Update: This Hayabusa sold for $4,955 after 28 bids on eBay. I don’t feature many Hayabusas, but I recently discussed the model in a “Performance Steals” themed Smart Money in the current issue of Motorcyclist, and it got me thinking about how nice they can be. Normally, modified Hayabusas are either lowered show bikes or lengthened drag racers …
1996 Aprilia RS250 Chesterfield
If you’ve had your heart set on a Aprilia RS250, the ultimate expression of the model might just be the Max Biaggi replica Chesterfield Edition. One of the best-handling bikes ever made, the RS250 was the result of Aprilia working some chassis magic around a tweaked engine from a Suzuki RGV250.
1982 Yamaha Seca Turbo
There is a part of me that would like have to been a bit older in the early 80s, and one of the reasons would have to be all the turbochargers that were being bolted onto motorcycles by OEMs. The theory behind turbocharging is simple: making horsepower out of exhaust. For a short period of time in the 80s, the …
Short Notice – Yamaha Champions Riding School at Streets of Willow
View Post950 Original Miles – 1973 BMW R75/5
No, it’s not restored. The seller of this bike says that it has 950 “original verified miles” and it sure looks the part thanks to an extended stay at a dealership.
1976 Honda CB750K
Post Listing Update: This CB did not meet reserve despite 36 bids up to $6,050 on eBay. The Honda CB750 was successful in ways that the brand could have only dreamed of. Four cylinders have long been known for pushing the boundaries of affordable performance, but that legacy began with the CB750. Its solid platform has remained relevant even today. …
What Do You Want To Know? 2019 Husqvarna Svartpilen 701
View Post2014 Norton Commando 961 SF
Post Sale Update: This Commando sold for $11,000 after 2 bids on eBay. Norton has had a long history in racing, but their street bikes are best remembered currently as exactly that: historical pieces. Recently however, a large injection of cash has saved the brand and created the masterpiece Norton Commando 961. Available in several trims, the SF model featured …
1972 Harley-Davidson Sprint SS350
One of the many Italian-built Aermacchis with a Harley-Davidson logo on the tank, the Sprint SS350 was introduced in 1969 with a bigger motor (the previous Sprint had a 250) as Harley tried to fight off competition from the Japanese. The Sprint was available in two forms: the SX had some off-road flavor with knobbies, high fenders, and a scrambler …
2004 BMW R1150R Rockster
BMW announced the Rockster prototype in 2002 with asymmetrical headlights and an attention grabbing paint scheme. Despite being a parts bin bike, it caused enough of a stir to go into production. Though heavily based on the standard R1150R, the Rockster was the first boxer engine to have twin spark cylinder heads that later became standard fare. Other differences from …
First Year Knucklehead – 1936 Harley-Davidson EL
Post Sale Update: This EL sold for $120,000 after 20 bids on eBay. Harley-Davidson debuted the Knucklehead motor in 1936 (though it didn’t earn the nickname until after the Panhead was released) and just 1,704 first year examples were built. As HD made several changes to production in the first few months, particularly to timing covers and kickstart gearing, some …
Story Intermission – Smart Money in Motorcyclist Magazine
This is quite self-serving, but if you’re a subscriber to Motorcyclist (or you check out their website regularly), you may have noticed a new name under the regular Smart Money column – mine! If you’re not a subscriber, consider this a heads up.
125cc Kit – 1982 Montesa Crono 75
Built between 1978 and 1984, the Crono was Montesa’s last road bike. It was offered in 75cc, 125cc, and 350cc displacements. The Crono was created in response to Bultaco’s introduction of the Streaker, and it even led to the creation of a racing series called La Copa Crono (Crono Cup).
No Reserve – 1986 Suzuki RG500 Gamma
Post Sale Update: This Gamma sold for $23,100 after 13 bids on eBay. One of the coolest motorcycles built in the 80s, the RG500 Gamma was a repli-racer inspired by Suzuki’s dominant Gamma, which won 7 consecutive manufacturer titles in the 500cc class.
Contest Intermission – NEXX Helmets Road to Austin 2019 Rider Search
NEXX Helmets is a Portuguese manufacturer that’s trying to become better known in the US, and one of their “2019 initiatives to reach out to the American riding community” is to find some “creative riders to document their journey to one of the biggest weekends in US motorcycling.” Nathan and I are flying out to Austin for MotoGP, but NEXX …