A friend of mine in the motorcycle industry is letting go of the GB500 that he’s owned for over a decade, and it’s a beauty. It’s also a salvage title, which I know might put some of you off but it’s been fixed nicely (the damage was cosmetic only) and I trust the seller completely.
As you all know, the GB500 Tourist Trophy has become a cult classic, which belies the fact that it did not sell well during the two years that Honda imported it to the US. The combination of classic British styling with Honda reliability sounds great on paper but in 1989 and 1990, American buyers were more interested in high horsepower sportbikes. This relatively expensive standard couldn’t keep up on straightaways or in sales figures. The engine was a sleeved-down unit from the XL600 dual-sport, while the aesthetics were a tribute to 60s Isle of Man racers like the Manx Norton and AJS 7R with clip-on handlebars, a solo seat with a seat hump, and the lovely pin-stripes.
Let’s look at this specific example, which has just 3,700 miles. The salvage title came about from a low speed tipover which happened in the early 90s – per the seller, the majority of the cost was due to dents in the tank but it was apparently more than what the bike was worth. After the insurance company totaled it, the owner bought the bike back because the damage was solely cosmetic. When my friend bought it, he determined there was no damage to the drivetrain or frame, so he replaced almost all of the damaged parts with NOS units, including the tank. Exceptions include a small dent in the rear fender and a small crack in the left footpeg hanger – photos below:
Otherwise, this bike looks great and the seller has made a point of riding it monthly and being meticulous about maintenance. He notes that it has newish tires as well as a recent battery and oil change. The sale includes the original toolkit and owner’s manual. I know that a salvage title can be a dealbreaker for some, but in this case I wouldn’t be bothered because I would use this as a rider, not some sort of collection piece. I bought back my K75C after it got totaled in an accident where I was rear-ended, and then I proceeded to put another 30k miles on it (up to about 145k) before selling it. Also, if you don’t live in California there’s a possibility that the salvage designation would drop off the title once re-registered, but that’s for you to figure out.
The seller is based in Camarillo, California and he’s asking for $6,500 or best offer. To get in touch with him, send me an email: abhi AT bike-urious DOT com.