Normally I feature bikes for sale, but today I get to feature something you can ride your bike in – if you have the guts. Also known as a silodrome, the ‘wall of death’ was a famous carnival sideshow where riders would circle the interior of a cylinder, pressed against the edge thanks to friction and gravity. The seller says …
Misleading Cosmetics – 1937 Harley-Davidson Servicar
Post-Sale Update: This Servicar sold for $20,000 after 45 bids on eBay. When I first saw this listing, I assumed this Servicar hadn’t run since about 1938. Thankfully, my assumption was wrong – this thing works just fine!
1949 Salsbury Imperial Model 85
Post Listing Update: Despite 30 bids on eBay, bidding did not meet reserve at $8,100. Back in 1936, a man named E. Foster Salsbury co-developed the Salsbury Motor Glide, a scooter with an enclosed drivetrain underneath the seat. His later development of the first CVT to be used on a scooter made his product such a success that he even …
Needs Some Work – 2 1973 Alouette AX125 Projects
Normally when you think of motorcycle makers based out of Canada, the first thing that comes to mind is Can-Am. But some of you may remember Alouette, a Canadian snowmobile manufacturer that expanded into dirt bikes so that their dealers would have vehicles to sell and service during the summer. The AX125 was introduced in 1973, but sales were abysmal …
Ex-Moto GP Racer – 2006 Honda/Kenny Roberts KR211V
I try to avoid featuring motorcycles for sale that don’t have an asking price, but some times, you just have to make an exception. This is one of those times. In 2006, Kenny Roberts Jr. rode this KR211V (a home-brew build from Kenny Roberts Racing powered by the engine from Honda’s incredible 250-horsepower RC211V) to two podium finishes. It is …
Needs Some Work – 1979 Chrysler Snorunner
Post Sale Update: This Snorunner sold for $1,065 after 25 bids on eBay. The Chrysler Snorunner has an interesting history, though there isn’t 100% consensus on the origin story. Some people claim that Chrysler built them for the Army, which was looking for light weight snow transport that could carry a soldier for 30 miles. Unfortunately, the finished vehicle was …
2013 Janus Halycon 50
Post-Listing Update: This Janus did not meet reserve with 28 bids up to $2,376. The last time I featured a Janus Halycon, the manufacturer was only making a 50cc version. They’re now taking deposits on a 250cc variant (and another model with different styling), but if you want an example of this interesting styling right now, you’ll have to snag …
Hontang – 1953 Mustang Stallion with Honda 500 Engine
Over the long life of the Mustang (which started as a homemade bike built by an employee of Gladden to commute on during World War II), there were several different models. By the time they hit Model 4, they had evolved a Standard line and a Special line, the latter of which was differentiated with performance upgrades. The Special eventually …
The Prototype – 2012 Raven MotoCycle
Over several years, Jeff Gundlach made a name for himself designing magazine covers for motorcycle mags like Cycle News and Cycle Magazine. In 2009, he started building “something unique, powerful, light, functional, and a classic look.” A couple of years later, the Raven was born. At the time, Jeff created a 750cc prototype and was planning on offering displacement options …
1922 Johnson Motorwheel
Based out of Terre Haute, Indiana, four bothers came together to form the Johnson Motor Company. Despite some initial trials and tribulations, they had set half-mile dirt track records and sold over 17,000 units by 1921. Unfortunately by that point Henry Ford was making vehicles like the Motorwheel obsolete with the Model T. A few years later and the Johnson …
One Year Only – 1962 Harley-Davidson Ranger
After World War II, Harley got blueprints for the DKW RT125 as war reparations from Germany. With those designs, Harley built the Hummer, also known as the Model 125. The Hummer had many variations between 1948 and 1966, but one of the rarest was the off-road Ranger, only built in 1962.
The Survivor – 1974 Harley-Davidson Custom
Post Sale Update: After being relisted several times, the Survivor sold for $2,450 after 17 bids on eBay. Built by Bob Cecchini on an Arlen Ness frame, “The Survivor” was the cover bike for the July 1974 issue of Custom Chopper thanks to cool features like forced induction, one piece body/gas tank, and “progressive one-pedal brakes.” It has since been …
Needs Some Work – Harley-Powered Cushman
When this Eagle left the Cushman factory in 1957, it had a 318cc engine that produced 8 horsepower. This one’s a little bit different, thanks to a 1,000cc Harley engine. Insert joke here about how few horsepower a Harley engine makes anyway.
1991 Harley-Davidson FXDB Sturgis
In 1991, Harley released a customized FXDB to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Sturgis rally. One year later, they did the same to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the rally in Daytona. Approximately 1600 and 1700 of the limited models were released, respectively – here’s #1,295 of the former.
Tube-Framed Buell – 1997 Buell Cyclone
If ever there were a philosophical mis-match in the moto world, it had to be the marriage of Erik Buell and Harley-Davidson Motor Company. An avowed motorcycle racer and sport bike enthusiast, Buell built his first competition motorcycle in 1983 and went on to design and build Sportster-engine based street bikes. Harley began acquiring Buell’s company in 1993 and had …