It’s going to take me some time to go through my notes to recap my weekend at Mecum, so I’ll leave you with a picture intermission as an appetizer. As I walked through the rows of bikes, I started to focus on some of my favorite gas tanks. Here’s a few photos for you to peruse:
388/400 – 2002 Ducati 998S Troy Bayliss Replica
Post Listing Update: This Bayliss rep did not meet reserve despite 22 bids up to $12,100 on eBay. In 2002, Ducati released two race replicas based on the 998S – one of Ben Bostrom’s bike, and one of Troy Bayliss’. 400 examples were built of the latter, which commemorated Troy’s 2001 WSBK championship.
No Reserve – 1979 Kawasaki KZ1000 MkII
Post Sale Update: This KZ sold for $17,750 after 26 bids on eBay. An evolution of the KAZ900, the KZ1000 was the fastest production bike when it was released in 1976 (as a ’77 model) thanks to its 83 horsepower, 1,015cc inline four motor. The bike might be most famous for the police variant, which gained popularity on the show …
Little American Enduro – 1972 Indian ME100
Though utterance of the Indian Motorcycle name typically conjures up images of big-bore American-style V-Twin baggers and cruisers, the now Polaris-owned outfit for a time produced a decent number of small and micro-displacement dual-sports, mini and dirt bikes. Primarily produced in the late 60s and 70s, Indian’s range of off-road-oriented tiddlers included some very cool offerings such as the Boy …
Video Intermission – The ’90s Were Cooler, 2-Strokes and Frosted Tips
Here’s a fun little video about why the 90s were better when it came to MX bikes. Let Red Bull transport you back in time to when kidney belts, helmet fins, and two-stroke exhausts were all the rage.
2013 Ducati 1199R
If you’re a fan of racing, Ducati’s ‘R’ models hold a special place in your heart. Often designated for superbike homologation builds, ‘R’ models raise the bar for what is possible on the street. Ducati has had several R models to satisfy WSBK regulations over the years, each one more savage than the last. The 1199R offers titanium engine internals …
Naked Panigale V4 Custom – Officine GP Design’s “Penta V4”
When Ducati first unveiled the Panigale, many thought it wouldn’t be long before the Bologna-based brand pulls the cover off a naked version of the full-faired flagship L-Twin. To the dismay of many a Ducatista, the Italian marque never opted to release a production Panigale Streetfighter…though rumors have been swirling that we may be treated to a naked version of …
1983 Yamaha Midnight Virago 920
In 1983, Yamaha offered a “Midnight Virago” that featured a black paint scheme with gold accents. They also offered a rare color-matched factory touring package with a fairing, saddlebags, and trunk for even more Midnight goodness – though this example seems to only have the fairing as well as a giant aftermarket backrest for the passenger.
1986 Honda XL250R
Post Listing Update: This XL250R did not get any interest at the opening ask of $3,500. I’ve said it before – dual sports are one of life’s great simple joys. Two knobby tires strapped to a 250cc single cylinder is all the machine you need to conquer the world. I’m sure some of our readers have experienced the motorcycle manifestation …
Who’s Going to Vegas This Weekend?
Two of the world’s largest motorcycle auctions are kicking off this week in Las Vegas – are you going to be there?
Upgraded – BMW HP2 Enduro
Towards the start of the 1980s, BMW tasked a small group of designers and engineers to deliver what eventually became the R80G/S — a model that came to define a genre and lead to some of the best-selling models from the Bavarian brand. A quarter-century-later BMW Motorrad greenlit yet another skunkworks project, this time focused on creating the ultimate big-bore …
1995 Suzuki GSX-R750
Post Listing Update: This Gixxer did not get any interest at the BIN of $3,900. The Suzuki GSX-R750 was recently added to the list of models going the way of the dinosaurs. 24 years ago, the 1995 model was going through a similar fate. Once, the GSX-R750 was King of the Superbikes. 1995 wasn’t that time, despite a recent update …
First Ride – 2019 Yamaha YZF-R3
View Post2014 EBR 1190RX
Post Listing Update: This EBR did not get any interest at the opening bid of $7,100. I’m a fan of Erik Buell – the man refused to let his dreams die, and while his business may have failed, there are a few EBR 1190RX models left for us to remember his genius by. 185hp comes from an 1190cc v-twin and …
Street-Legal Two-Stroker – Honda NSR50
Despite only being officially sold in the US in 2004, Honda’s NSR50 rapidly amassed quite the cult following. Big Red’s little 50 was an incredibly popular choice with young riders looking to get into the sport, though the baby NSR definitely has some adult fans too.