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 …
1938 Harley-Davidson EL
Post Sale Update: This EL sold for a cool $100,000 after 75 bids on eBay. Harley introduced the Knucklehead in 1936 as a 1,000cc V-Twin. While H-D had been using overhead valves in race bikes previously, this was their first usage of the technology in a production motor. It’s a beautiful motor that has stood the test of time, even …
2001 BMW R1200C Montana
Post Sale Update: sold for $5,400 after 67 bids on eBay. First shown to the world in the 1997 Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies, the BMW R1200C was Germany’s attempt to break into the cruiser market. There was a lot to like about it objectively, however American riders never fell in love with the distinct styling and the non-V-Twin motor.
Unexpected Custom – Yamaha Seca 2 Dual-Sport
My first bike after undergrad was a beat up Yamaha Seca 2 that I bought for $600. I thought it was a pleasant bike, but I never thought it would make a good platform to go off-road with. Thankfully, the builder of this bike doesn’t think like I do.
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 …
November 2018 Result Highlights
Last month we saw some great bikes – but did they sell? And if so, for how much?
Diesel Conversion – 2006 Honda Rebel
Last month, I shared a Qujos Trailmaster that had been converted to diesel power. Today, we’ve got a bike you’ve heard of. In 2015, the seller swapped out the motor of this Honda Rebel with a 740cc Kubota diesel powerplant.
1972 Harley-Davidson FLH Police Sidecar
Post Sale Update: This sidecar did not meet reserve with 2 bids up to $15,100, but it was relisted and then sold for $19,280 on eBay. 12-12-2018 Update: 6 months later, this bike is now on the East Coast – looks like the current seller made the previous one a good offer. Now, the current seller is moving and he …
1964 Gilera 124 Fuori Strada Enduro
Post Listing Update: This Gilera did not meet reserve despite 23 bids up to $1,508 on eBay Described by the seller (Michael Harper) as a “rare limited edition enduro version of the Sei Giorni Speciale”, this Fuori Strada (which translates to “off-road” is apparently a one-year only model. I’ve never encountered one before, and it’s a tough one to find …
Auction Recap – RM Sotheby’s at the Petersen Museum
As a relatively broke millennial, high-dollar auctions have never been my cup of tea. But the sale held over the weekend at Los Angeles’ famous Petersen Automotive Museum was just too cool to pass up, with lots ranging from original pieces from Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and Von Dutch to vintage and modern supercars, and even a few fascinating scoots …
Fresh Build – “1969” Metisse Motorcycles Limited 750
Post Listing Update: This Metisse did not meet reserve despite 33 bids up to $15,850 on eBay. After Pat French passed away in 2007, his business partner Gerry Lisi continued the tradition of Rickman Metisse builds under the name “Metisse Motorcycles Limited“. In 2012, the company announced a “Mark 5” lineup, an attempt to cosmetically evolve the classic Rickman design. …
New In Canada – 1982 Honda CBX
Post Sale Update: This CBX sold for $19,999 on eBay. In 1966, Soichiro Honda gave his first shot at creating a usable, reliable and fast 6-cylinder motorcycle with the RC166, a 249cc 6-cylinder bike made for racing. But the first production 6-cylinder bike was made by Benelli with the Sei 750 in 1972. By 1979, Honda followed that path and …
Yamaha Promotional Custom – 1972 Yamaha XS650
Post Sale Update: This custom Yamaha sold for $13,556 after 14 bids on eBay. Last time I featured a custom Yamaha by Greg Hageman, it was a XSR700 inspired by the XT500. This time around, it’s a XS650 that was created as a partner to another XSR700. Yamaha’s slogan for their line of retro bikes is “Faster Sons” – the …
Street Legal – 1976 Husqvarna 250 WR
The styling of the front fender doesn’t match the rest of the bike, but the dual-sport kit means that this iconic Husky is now street legal. Take the good with the bad, and then maybe take some time to get a different headlight and front fender. The 250 WR is one of Husqvarna’s most famous machines, as it was one …