In 1979, Kawasaki brought two shaft-driven models to the US – the six-cylinder KZ1300 and this somewhat rare variant of the KZ1000, the ST. It was similar in many ways to the big bad MkII, though the ST obviously had the shaft drive and different bodywork (such as a larger fuel tank). The ST was only offered between 1979-1980, making …
Built by Woolie – 2021 KTM 450 SMR
As a bike that you could take straight from the dealer floor to the racetrack, the stock components on the SMR are impressive enough. But over on the auction site we’ve got that’s been taken to the next level by the builder/seller, Michael “Woolie” Woolaway of Saddlemen (and previously of Deus Ex Machina).
First Year – 1977 BMW R100RS
Known by insiders as the “RS77”, the first year of BMW’s legendary R100RS differed from following years with silver/blue paint paired with blue pinstriping and blue anodized calipers.
2,676 Miles – 2001 Ducati 750SS
The last generation of Ducati’s air-cooled Supersport bikes was introduced in 1998. As Bennetts puts it, “the 900SS is a fabulous bike whose look has certainly mellowed with age.” They don’t get as much love as other Ducatis from the time, but here’s a 750cc version that’s been well-preserved if you’ve had a hankering for one.
4 Miles – 1977 Harley-Davidson XLCR
When it was released, the Harley-Davidson XLCR (CR stood for Cafe Racer) was supposed to be an instant success powered by Harley’s most powerful production engine to date. It was a jet black departure from HD’s usual chrome fare. It didn’t sell well at all – now it’s a cult classic, and today I’m sharing the nicest XLCR I’ve ever …
CA Plated – 1989 Honda CR250R
Honda’s CR250R is one of the most legendary models in motorcycling. As Dirt Bike Magazine put it, “In the auto world there was the Mustang. In aviation it was the P-51 and in bicycles there was the Schwinn Sting Ray. There are timeless classics in each field, and in the dirt bike world, there’s nothing that has reached that status …
Original Owner – 1981 Honda CBX
The ’81 and ’82 models of the CBX aren’t as collectible as the earlier models, however this one’s worth a special look as it’s offered by the original owner.
Guess That Bike Revealed – Amusing Phrasing Edition
Congratulations to Roger, who was the first to identify that this amusing phrase is from the tail section of a Yamaha SRX 250! The US got the SRX 250 for one year only – that version was white/red with a fairing: The Japanese version ditched the fairing but it shared the frame and the 17-hp 250cc 4-stroke single. It also …
Italian Superbike Prototype – 1990 Gallina-Hayashi Quattro 750
Roberto Gallina is an Italian motorcycle racer who competed in Grand Prix events in the 1970s on machines from Laverda, Motobi, Benelli, and Ducati. In the 1980s, Gallina founded his own race team, (Team Gallina) which went on to win back-to-back 500cc world championships in ’81 and ’82. He eventually opened a race shop in his hometown of La Spezia, …
2016 Moto Guzzi Griso SE
The Moto Guzzi Griso SE is a special edition of the venerable Griso, and it differed from the base bike with a fancy paint job, some blacked out parts, and spoked wheels. Mechanically, you also got adjustable suspension, and giant Brembo brakes – this bike was an interesting balance between the style of a custom with the components of a …
Art Deco Custom – 2010 Piaggio MP3
When I first saw this, I thought it was Randy Grubb’s Deco Tri-Pod. Upon closer inspection, all I can tell you is that it’s not the Deco Tri-Pod – but the seller of this example unfortunately doesn’t give much information on it beyond saying that it has a handcrafted aluminum and copper body.
Question Intermission – What To Buy For $29K?
While I was writing my review of the Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak, I couldn’t shake a question – if I had $28,995 to spend on bikes at a US dealership right now, would I blow it all on the (very impressive) Ducati or would I get two cheaper bikes? Then I decided I wanted to hear what you thought…
1985 Yamaha FZ750
Post Sale Update: This FZ750 sold for $8,101 after 27 bids on eBay. Upon its introduction in 1986, Yamaha’s FZ immediately took the 750cc sportbike crown – MCN says it was “as fast as a Kawasaki GPZ900R” and called it “a wonderful piece of engineering.”
1978 Rizzato Califfo
Cesare Rizzato founded the Atala bicycle company in 1921, and like most Italian bicycle manufacturers they eventually went on to add motors to their two-wheeled creations. One was the Rizzato Califfo, which was built in 1977 and 1978 and named for the Califfo-built 49cc two-stroke engine with a 1-speed transmission. It was imported to the US by Promark Products of …
Ending Soon – 2006 Kawasaki ZZR600 With Zero Miles
In 1995, Kawasaki replaced the ZX-6 with the ZX-6Ras their top-of-the-line 600cc sportbike. But they kept the ZX-6 around as a cheaper option that was a better all-around bike. In 2004, the model got a name change to ZZR600, and then in 2005 Kawi pulled off the generational gap again – they took the ’04 ZX-6R (which had been replaced …