I enjoyed the “Look at Life” video from yesterday so much that I had to explore the other features they created on British motorcycling back in the 60s. This is called “Horse-power riders”, and it’s a more general look at the variety of two-wheelers found in the UK at the time. Look at the braking test the students have to …
Video Intermission – MotoTrek: Quality YouTube for ADV Nerds
MotoTrek: Quality YouTube for ADV nerds Because you can and should ride to more places than your local coffee shop. By Kyle Hyatt So, as some of you might know, I bought a big-ass (mid-sized) adventure bike and now I’m riding it daily in Los Angeles [Editor’s Note: More on this later!]. It’s my first bike and by far its …
Paso Powered – 1983 Ducati TT1 Replica
Ducati’s TT1 was a 748cc race bike based on the iconic TT2, a bike that dominated in competition and won multiple world championships. The TT1 ultimately wouldn’t be as successful as its predecessor, but the 750 was nonetheless a solid racer. Different sources make different claims but depending on who you ask somewhere between 50 and 60 TT1 racers were …
One Year Only Tiddler – 1970 Yamaha G6S 80
Yamaha’s G6S was a one-year only tiddler produced in 1970. Despite its short production run, it was a relatively popular model in Europe, often referred to as “bellycrawlers” due to the way riders would lay across the tank to ring out every last MPH. Everything about the G6 is pretty basic, but that was by design. By using a collection …
10 Most Popular Bike-uriosities of 2017
View PostMono-Body “Midi-Bike” – 1970 Muskin El Gato
The Muskin El Gato is one funky little scoot. Muskin Corp was aiming to nab a piece of the then-increasingly lucrative small-displacement trail bike market. The company’s strategy was to create a truly unique machine that would stand out from the crowd of other mini offerings and regardless of Muskin’s success, it’s hard to deny the efficacy of said strategy. …
Video Intermission – Look at Life’s “Scrambling for it”
“Find a bumpy track, add some tough motorbikes and riders, and mix well. The result? A Scramble.” That’s how this lovely short film about 60s scramblers commences. I’ve featured a few classic British scramblers over the years and it’s always fun to see them competing. I think you’re going to enjoy this one!
Out of Office – Cuba
View PostPing King – 1986 Honda CR500
When first released, Honda’s CR500 was its most powerful MXer ever produced, though that power was wildly difficult to tame. The CR was nonetheless a major success and Honda opted to keep the half-liter thumper in production for more than a decade prior to be being phased out in 2001 upon the rise of the four-stoke machines and the company’s …
Showroom Clean – 1975 Yamaha DT100
Yamaha first kicked-off its DT lineup in 1968 with the 250cc DT-1 – a model that would help to usher in a new market for dual-sport machines. The DT-1 (also known as the Trail 250 in other markets) would be included as one of the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan’s 240 Landmarks of the Japanese Automotive Technology. Upon its …
1974 Yamaha SC500
Post Sale Update: This Yamaha SC500 sold for $1,750 after 45 bids on eBay. When it boils down to it, I know just about nothing about the SC500. Never ridden one, never even seen one in person. I’m really just featuring it because Rick Sieman called it one of the 10 worst dirt bikes of all time and I find …
Restored – 1969 Honda Z50A
Post Sale Update: This Z50 sold for $3,700 after 31 bids on eBay. In a wonderful article on Motorcyclist, Mitch Boehm notes “that the Honda Z50 Mini Trail is probably responsible for more two-wheeled addictions than any other motorcycle on earth.” This second-year example is claimed to be “practically new” thanks to a bevy of new and refurbished parts.
Grey Import Pocket Rocket – 1989 Honda NSR250R MC18
The NSR 250R was sold as road-legal version of Honda’s 250 race bike, the RS250R, although in reality it shared no mechanical parts, just the overall image. It was, however a potent little pocket-rocket, powered by a liquid-cooled, reed valve inducted 249cc 90° V-twin two stroke engine working a six-speed transmission. Published specs put it at 288 pounds dry weight.
Restored – 1972 Suzuki T500 Titan
Post Listing Update: This Titan did not meet reserve despite 20 bids up to $6,200. Riders often like to reminisce about how much fun it could be to hit the violent powerband of a two stroke motor, but there were a few companies who thought that smokers were also ideal platforms for relaxed every day riding as well. Suzuki’s best …
1970 Moto Guzzi Ambassador 750
Post Sale Update: This Ambo sold for $7,500 after 17 bids on eBay. The Moto Guzzi Ambassador was developed as a successor to the V7, which was initially built to provide a police platform in their home country of Italy. The Berline brothers convinced MG to bring it to the US in an attempt to snag some cruiser customers away …