Hesketh is one of the lesser known British manufacturers but nonetheless it’s a fascinating make that unfortunately has a bit of a storied past. Founded by in 1980 by England’s Lord Thomas Alexander Fermor-Hesketh, 3rd Baron of Hesketh. Though as his name suggests, Lord Hesketh had some major clout and influence and a business model that followed in the footsteps …
Needs Some Work – 1981 Honda Motra
Post Sale Update: After 45 bids on eBay, this Motra sold for $1,775. Built in the early 80s, the Motra was a quirky minibike. Honda advertised it as “Heavy Duty” (mini)bike that you could load up with gear and take across the back country. In fact, as the Japanese pronunciation for truck is “Torakku”, it’s said that “Motra” is a …
Factory Two-Stroke MotoGP – 1993 Yamaha YZR500
Though the MotoGP two-stroke era was replaced in 2002, it was responsible for countless legendary machines that were cutting edge and undoubtedly the best race bikes money could buy in their respective times. The bikes also possessed an enchanting sound and smell that was distinct and directly connected to the memories that hundreds of thousands of race fans have from …
Video Intermission – Mark Atkinson’s BMW Alpha
View PostChris Carr Design – 1965 Honda Superhawk Custom
Chris Carr is a legend in AMA Flat Track – he’s won Rookie of the Year, AMA Pro Athlete of the Year, and he was a 7x National Champion. His exploits have earned him a spot in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. In 2006, he gained another title: fastest motorcycle rider in the world (and first to crack the …
Custom Cafe in Poland – 1992 Honda CBR600 F2
In recent years manufacturers have increasingly found that the synergy of modern and retro elements making up a two-wheeled sum in the form of scramblers, cafe racers and trackers is a successful recipe for good sales numbers. This notable custom-built example takes a different approach by combining vintage and well…less vintage (1960-70’s and 1990’s) in lieu of something more modern. …
Happening Now – Kiss Cycles Auction
My apologies – reader Jeremy W sent this over a couple of days ago and I forgot to get it up in advance. However, Kiss Cycles (which closed in December) is currently in the process of auctioning off assets that have been accumulated over the shop’s 103 years of existence. As you might expect, there’s a whole bunch of bikes. …
Factory AMA Superbike – 2005 Ducati 999
Post Listing Update: 24 bids on eBay were enough to get the price up to $18,100, but that was not enough to meet reserve. This is Eric Bostrom’s ride for the 2005 AMA Superbike season – over 17 races he won three times, placed 3rd once, and retired once. His consistent top 10 finishes were good enough for an overall …
1 of 1500 – 1982 Honda CB1100R
Post Listing Update: After 8 bids on eBay, this CB1100R did not meet reserve at $12,700. It has since been relisted here on eBay. In Honda’s long and storied history, the CB1100R is one of my favorites (and it’s a bike that I wish Honda would use the current CB1100 to bring back). The reason why I like it so …
No Reserve – 1972 BSA B50SS Gold Star
When I say BSA Gold Star, you think of the iconic motorcycles known for speed. Yet for some reason, when BSA released the B50 model lineup of a street scrambler (SS), a dual sport, and a MX, they brought back the Gold Star name for the SS variant. Fans of the original Goldie were not pleased.
1984 Suzuki GS1100GK
In 1980, Honda updated the naked Gold Wing and called it the GL1100. That year, they also changed what the GW would be about forever by creating a full dress tourer variant called the Interstate – you got a full fairing, saddlebags, and a removable trunk right off the dealer floor. Other manufacturers scrambled to keep up. Suzuki ended up …
In Australia – 1898 De Dion Bouton 1 3/4hp Tricycle
Post Listing Update: This DDB did not meet reserve with 40 bids up to $36,322. Based on that price point, the seller has relisted the bike with an opening ask of…$99,500. So if you didn’t want it at less than $40k and instead wanted to spend over twice as much, you can now find it here on eBay. After a …
Impressive Donation – 1986 Suzuki GSXR-750 Limited Edition
7-6-17 Update: Almost a year later (and on the other side of the country), this Limited Edition Suzuki is back up for sale. Over the last 11 months, the seller added OEM turn signals and the license plate light, then took it to the Quail Motorcycle Gathering. Find it with bidding up to $14,100 and the reserve not yet met …
225 of 250 – 1999 Buell X1 Lightning Carbon Fiber Extreme
In 1999, Buell decided to offer two limited editions of the X1, both utilizing a Nuclear Blue frame. The Carbon Fiber Extreme was named for the distinctive carbon fiber that was utilized – it was weaved in with a blue-tinted Dupont Kevlar fiber by deBotech. It was the more exclusive option of the two, with a production run of just …
Video Intermission – Look Out Below!
As soon as the rear wheel fell through the tracks, I assumed this bike was going to fall to its death and that the rider would be very lucky if he didn’t suffer the same fate. Instead, I was rewarded with “I’m holding it all with my balls, go get a picture of me!”