For many minibike collectors, the Silver Shadow is the Holy Grail. Speedway called it the world’s fastest mini-cycle thanks to a 12.5 horsepower Sachs 2-stroke motor and a weight of just 147 pounds. It’s also incredibly rare (I’ve seen estimates that just 22 were built), which means it can be surprisingly valuable – I’ve featured one in the past that did not meet reserve despite bidding up to $7,500!
Speedway was a small (both in terms of numbers of employee and the type of two-wheelers they made) bike manufacturer formed by a few defectors from Rupp. They boldly started a factory in the same town of Mansfield, Ohio and went on to make some classic minibikes like the Scorpion and the Widowmaker. The 125cc Sachs motor was paired with a 5-speed transmission – a specification chart in the seller’s listing shows that top-speed was calculated to be 77.40 mph, which is much faster than I’d want to go on those 10″ wheels. Silver Shadows were built in 1970 and 1971 – the ’71 models differed in that they got a seat cowl.
This example (VIN: 848372939403) is restored by a claimed expert restorer named “Mr. Paul” that I’m not familiar with, and there’s 4 miles on the odometer. There are also some minor needs: “coil or points checked” and “oil in front fork suspension.”
Find this Silver Shadow for sale in Naples, Florida with a BIN of $5,500 or best offer