In 1969 Yamaha released its wildly popular 250cc DT-1, selling around 50,000 units in its first couple years of production. Other manufacturers took notice of this, including Harley-Davidson. They would toss their hat in the MX-ring the following year in an effort to nab a piece of the lucrative late-’60’s/early-’70’s off-road segment. Harley had recently purchased a large stake in …
Triumph and Tribulations – Exploring the UK, Day 4
June 20th, 2017 – Christchurch, England to Cardiff, Wales: ~120 miles Missed Day 3? June 19th, 2017 – London, England to Christchurch, England: ~120 miles Here’s the next day of our summer UK trip to tide you over in case I can’t get service during Saturday’s 24 hour race…
UMRA 24 Hour Race – Drama
24 hours before the start of the race, I get a text message from our team captain. “Need to talk…there’s a remote chance we might not race tomorrow.” Well, shit.
UMRA 24 Hour Race – The Gear
With the amount of time I’m about to spend racing, there’s a good chance that I’ll be experiencing the wonders of a lowside. Here’s the gear I’ll be entrusting to keep my time on the ground relatively pleasant and hopefully not painful. This is a primer – I’ll go into more depth on each item after I’ve had a chance …
1968 Aermacchi Harley-Davidson Ala Verde
Aermacchi and Harley-Davidson produced a number of solid machines over the course of their partnership after Harley bought up a 50% stake in the Italian manufacturer. In contrast to Harley’s heavy, relatively poor-handling cruisers, the Italian/American moco-partnership made many nimble low-displacement motorcycles with superb handling and quintessential 1960’s Italian style. The Ala Verde, which was produced from ’59-’72, is a …
UMRA 24 Hour Race – The Bike
View Post1975 BMW R90S
Post Listing Update: This R90S did not meet reserve with 21 bids up to $13,000. One of the personal bikes of Angus Dykman, this gorgeous R90S has less than 15,000 miles and it’s claimed to be “an exceptional original example.” Thanks to the excellent photography, that sure looks to be the case!
1985 Moto Guzzi LeMans 1000 Mk. IV
The fourth of five generations of Guzzi’s iconic LeMans, the Mark IV got a bit of a reputation as a weird handler due to the 16″ front wheel. Part of the problem was that Guzzi didn’t change any other aspects of the steering geometry of the bike to compensate for the two-inch reduction in front wheel diameter. This example has …
Event Recap – Red Bull Soapbox Race 2017 | Los Angeles
View PostRare Marque – 1947 La Ray Power Cycle
La Ray Motorcycles had a brief history with supposedly only a single year of production about 70 years ago, which makes finding information on the short-lived manufacturer a difficult task. Different sources make different claims, but supposedly the Milwaukee-based manufacturer produced motorcycles somewhere between ’46 and ’48 before the factory was shut down by the IRS for back taxes. The …
2008 BMW G650X Xcountry
Last week I featured a BMW Xmoto, one of the three G650X variants BMW Motorrad produced starting in 2006. While the Xmoto only saw a single year of production, BMW made the Xchallenge for four years, and Xcountry for six. Despite a half dozen years in production, Xcountry “Xamples” are surprisingly rare as it appears not that many were made, …
Bikers Helping Bikers – 2017 Distinguished Gentlemans Ride
On September 24th, 2017, the Distinguished Gentlemans Ride will celebrate their 5th year. As you’ve probably heard by now, it’s a fundraiser supporting men’s mental health and the fight against prostate cancer. If you’ve got a bike that fits in the style guide, I’d suggest that you join the festivities. If not, there’s other ways you can help out!
FJR1300 Powered – Home Built Reverse Trike
Motorcycles have the potential of serving as sensible utilitarian vehicles, but reverse trikes like the Can-Am Spyder and Polaris Slingshot epitomize impractical recreational vehicles. While enclosed motorcycle-powered three-wheelers typically cater to a slightly more affluent demographic than standard two-wheelers, this example boasts a far more accessible price tag while still offering much of the raw performance and canyon carving fun …
Rapido Sport – 1963 MV Agusta 150RS
In 1959, Italy introduced a rule that made it illegal to ride on the highway with a bike that displaced less than 150cc. MV Agusta responded by taking their 125 and creating a family of models around a 150 motor including the Gran Turismo, Rapido Sport America, and Rapido Sport. The latter is what we have in front of us …
Story Intermission – Ups and Downs of Minimalist Motorcyclist Touring in Arizona
As I mentioned in “Part 3.5” of Jim’s Moto Giro story, I ended up in Arizona with Chris Cantle and Julia LaPalme for a story with Motorcyclist magazine. If you weren’t able to snag a copy, the story is now available online.