One of the things I’ve been complaining about over the last few years is how Ducati and MV Agusta have ruined what I think of when I hear “special edition.” Ducati in particular used to make sure that if they made a special edition bike, it came with top-notch components (and usually engine work) to complement whatever livery they wanted …
1989 ATK 406
Over on the auction site we’ve got one of the most interesting American-built dirt bikes of all time. ATK was founded by Horst Leitner, an Austrian motorcycle racer who came to the US in a quest to build his own bikes. In 1981, Leitner developed and patented what he called “Anti-Tension Kettenantrieb”, a device designed to eliminate chain torque. He …
Press Release – Try Out The Lightfighter!
I first learned about Lightfighter while racing with AHRMA a few years ago. As many of you have seen, I’ve been racing a Kramer 690 in Sound of Singles 1, which is why I frequently find myself in Kramer’s pit during race weekends. As Lightfighter notes in their own blog, they were sharing a lot of resources with Kramer and …
1993 Yamaha Seca II
I have a bit of a soft spot for the Seca II – I bought one for $600 to start riding again after some time away from riding during school. It wasn’t particularly great at anything, but the riding posture was much better suited for commuting that the average 600cc ‘sport’ bike. The relative lack of excitement around the model …
“Hardon” – Norton Featherbed Frame with H-D XL1200 Engine
Usually when I see a Harley motor stuffed into a Norton frame, the resulting creation is called a Narley or Norley. The builder of this went…a different way.
2001 MZ Baghira Black Panther
Normally a manufacturer releases a bike with multiple color options and it’s not a big deal. But when MZ wanted to update their “Street Moto” model called the Baghira with different colors on the plastics, they created separate model names such as the “Forest” for a military green or the “Black Panther” for…well, you can guess.
346 Miles – 1997 Moto Guzzi Sport 1100i
More of a sport-tourer than an outright sportbike, the 1100i (i is for fuel injection) is a beautiful anomaly from the usual Guzzi fare of torquey cruisers. Don’t worry – this still packs the trademark V-Twin, but in this incarnation the motor is surrounded by Brembo brakes, WP suspension, Marchesini alloy wheels, Bitubo steering damper, Pirelli tires, and more.
Super Single Racer – 1986 Yamaha SRX600
The Yamaha SRX600 is a cult classic, but it started as a commercial flop. In the US, it sold for just one year, and it was during a time when American riders valued power above everything else. A relatively light weight bike with a 41 horsepower motor just didn’t cut it – but for riders who can appreciate the styling, …
First Year – 1981 Yamaha PW50
Yamaha’s PW50 has been the first motorcycle for generations of dirt bikers over the years, so it’s cool to see a nice example from the first full year of production that started it all.
#36 of 100 – 1998 Ducati 748L Neiman Marcus Edition
The little brother of the bike that put Ducati back on the map, the 748 was produced in many variations. None were more rare than the Ducati 748L, also known as the Neiman Marcus edition. Only 100 were produced in 1998, and they were exclusively sold through the Neiman Marcus catalog. Though the 748L is the rarest of the 748’s, …
213 Miles – 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 …
1986 Honda VFR750F
Piggybacking off the success of the race-oriented VF750, the VFR750 Interceptor was Honda’s decision to appeal to the masses with a more approachable roadster. As named on the fairings, the VFR offered gear driven cams.
1966 Benelli Sprite 125
By 1962, Benelli had combined forces with MotoBi and were utilizing the famous “power egg” engine in 125cc and 200cc variants (which would eventually become 175cc and 250cc options).
1987 Moto Guzzi Le Mans 1000 SE
5-9-26 Update: Five months later and this bike is still up for sale, though there’s a slight discount. Find it with a BIN of $5,650 or best offer here on eBay.
1981 Honda CX500 Custom
We go from a turbocharged CX to a custom naturally-aspirated model with this 500 built by Bexton Craft Motorcycles.