Post Listing Update: This Victoria did not get any interest at the opening ask of $5,600. One of Norbert Riedel’s many contributions to the world of motorcycling was the design of the Victoria Swing, named for the fact that the motor was directly connected to the swingarm – it would rise and fall with the rear suspension! In addition, the …
Cafe or Scrambler? 2002 Suzuki Freewind Custom
This custom build project entitled “Lady O.” may appear to be just one more drop in the cafe racer bucket but upon closer inspection this one-off Suzuki is all kinds of unique. Beginning with the fact this bike started its life as a XF650 Freewind from 2002 which was the last year it saw production. The Freewind was essentially a …
Number 2 – 2009 Bimota DB7
6-24-17 Update: Almost a year later, Tim Huber notes that this bike is back up for sale – you can find it with an asking price of $22,000 here on Craigslist in Henderson, Nevada. Post Listing Update: This DB7 did not reserve with bidding ending up at $16,100. The DB7 was Bimotas first superbike after their rebirth in 2003, and …
Daytona 200 History – 1974 Yamaha TZ750A
Post Listing Update: This TZ750 did not meet reserve at $40,000. Yamaha’s TZ750 is one of the legends of factory and privateer motorcycle racing. Cycle World called it one of the six greatest motorcycles of all time, and part of that honor came from the fact that a TZ750 won the Daytona 200 nine years in a row. Now, not …
Savage Scrambler – 2000 Suzuki LS650 Custom
The Suzuki LS650, also known as a Savage, used to roll off the factory floor as a simple entry-level cruiser (it’s since been replaced by the S40 Boulevard). But it’s proven to be an interesting platform for cafe racers, as shown by companies like Ryca, as well as a starting point for scrambler builds, like today’s featured example from Droog …
British Military Side-Valve – 1956 Triumph TRW
The Triumph TRW is a fascinating machine that has become increasingly coveted in military collector circles in recent years. These 1950’s military Triumphs were never sold to the public (new from the manufacturer), which is a shame because these bikes (in my opinion) embody many quintessential elements of antique British motorcycles with its classic lines and recognizably British touches such …
Running the MotoGiro, Part 3.5
View PostVideo Intermission – Bell Helmets Custom Fitting
The Quail Motorcycle Gathering has more than just bikes – there’s also several vendors who offer products varying from “meh” to “whoa, that’s cool.” Bell was there with a wide variety of helmets and a guy with a handheld scanner. I had to see what was going on…
Period Racer – 1961 Triumph T120C
Post Listing Update: This T120C did not meet reserve despite 11 bids up to $9,500. This bike has only had one registered owner, and for the first four years of its life he campaigned it at District 36 AMA events in Northern California. After the seller’s last race in ’65 at the approximate age of 26, the seller brought his …
Kosman Framed and S&S Powered – 2005 Harley-Davidson Street Tracker
Pretty much anything with an S&S engine powering it is going to be pretty impressive. Most bikes lucky enough to house one saw their builder(s) go all out in an effort for the rest of the machine to be on par with the excellence of its powerplant. According to the seller, this professionally-built tracker was the sister bike to the …
Ex-Factory Racer – Malcom Stewart’s 2014 Honda CRF450
Factory race machines are the pinnacle of production-based two-wheelers. As their name suggests, these bikes come straight from the manufacturer who is giving it all they have in hopes that their bike will win its respective championship which will hopefully translate to satisfactory sales numbers and steer buyers towards their offering over the competition. Well, this 2014 CRF450 is no …
1 of 12 – 2009 NCR Ducati Mike Hailwood TT
Post Listing Update: This NCR did not meet reserve at $74,600. 6-21-17 Update: Apparently, that sale fell through as the bike was relisted again in November 2016 for $110,000 with no takers. Half a year later, Tim Huber has noted that this bike is back up for sale, though it’s now in an auction format instead of a Buy-It-Now. Let’s …
Three Wheeler – 1984 Honda ATC 200S
Honda brought the 3-wheeler to the US thanks to an engineer named Osamu Takeuchi. Osamu was simply trying to create a product that could bolster motorcycle sales during winter months, but by the time it was all over he had created something so prone to causing injury that the US Justice Department banned them entirely. The model line started with …
End of the Road – 2017 Honda Z50 50th Anniversary
View PostPike’s Peak Winner – Shelbourne Formula 2 Sidecar Racer
6-20-17 Update: Tim Huber notes that this bike is still for sale, but now with a $1,500 discount. Find it here on Craigslist, still in San Francisco, California. The last time this race rig competed, it won the sidecar class of this year’s Pike’s Peak Hillclimb. Previously in 2016, it competed in 4 other races and it has placed either …