Based out of Galesburg, Kansas, the Shaw Manufacturing Company produced engines to attach to bicycles to convert them to motorcycles, among other products.
Modern Vintage – Janus Halcyon 50
It’s like the great great grandson of a Brough Superior – the Janus Halycon is a 50cc 2-stroke which is clearly inspired by motorcycles from the 20s and 30s. The 50cc engine is good enough for a top speed of 55 miles per hour while getting 60 miles per gallon.
A Different Kind of Triple – 2003 Feuling W3
Post-Listing Update: As you could guess, this bike got no action at the quarter million dollar ask. Note – there’s some warning signs in this listing: terrible photos, zero feedback for the seller, and a sky-high Buy It Now price. Caveat Emptor. But if this listing is legit, it’s for a hell of a cool bike. Because all the pictures …
Mini Indian – 1969 Indian MM5A
The Indian MM5A, also known as the Indian Mini Mini, was a mini bike designed for little children (4-5 year olds) to become familiar with motorcycles, but also the Indian brand. There were two marketing goals with this bike – encourage older riders to share the Indian experience with their children, and also prime the pump for the next generation …
1948 Indian Chief
This Chief (VIN: 3483009) was almost completely restored by Robin Markey (an AMCA National Judge) of Bob’s Indian – it then sat for several years. The remainder of work was completed by another AMCA Indian expert and turned into what you see here. The seller suggests that you can call it rebuilt, but that from a mechanical perspective, it’s good …
TV Hero – 1950 Harley Panhead Custom
First, a confession – I gave up on Sons of Anarchy after the first season. Luckily for the show, I don’t represent the average American, and it went on to have 7 seasons with impressive ratings. The series finale aired last month, and this Panhead (which was used in Season 5) is now up for sale.
Needs Some Work – 1970 Micro Power Folding Minibike
Post-Sale Update: This little scoot sold for $1,025. Built by Micro Power Products of San Jose, California, this bike features a 22 cubic centimeter engine built by Ohlsson & Rice. Unfortunately, the engine isn’t currently working. The bike also lacks the muffler, air cleaner, and the original suitcase that this bike packed into. So it will need some work, but …
1980 HMV Freeway
The brain child of David Edmonson, High Mileage Vehicles (HMV) sold about 700 units of the HMV Free-way, a three-wheeled oddity that you’re about to learn a little bit about.
Custom Cafe Racer – 2003 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200
Here’s a custom Harley Sportster that caught my eye – it’s a 100th Anniversary bike (VIN: 1HD1CAP353K448761) that’s been turned into a cafe racer. It also caught the eye of judges at the 2013 Cafe Racer Magazine Show, where it won Best American/European Cafe Racer.
Couple of Unexpected Off-Roaders
The Suzuki SV650 and Harley-Davidson Sportster were originally designed to stay on pavement. But thanks to some creative owners, I can show you two examples that have been converted into bikes that can handle pavement or dirt.
1994 Harley Pro Street Custom
Here’s a hefty Harley (VIN: 1D9SS64DXRH251140) featuring an Atlas Pro-Magnum frame. As you can guess, it’s got all kinds of custom work, but it’s all wrapped around an 89 cubic inch engine and 4 speed transmission. It’s also got an EMC “Torque Multiplier”, which was a supercharger developed by Eagle Motor Company that claimed to yield 30-50% more torque and …
1970 Chair-E-Yacht
The Chair-E-Yacht got no action at the opening bid of $899. The cleverly named Chair-E-Yacht was designed to help people in wheelchairs get around town easier. The idea is that you could roll a wheelchair up the ramp, lock yourself in, and then use the ‘yacht’ to navigate smaller streets. It was capable of hitting 15-20mph thanks to what looks …
3 Cannondale Motocrossers
I’ve featured Cannondales before – the Cannondale X440 was the swansong of Cannondale motorcycles, a subsidiary of the well-known American bicycling company. In the late 90s, Cannondale tried to move into motorsports, with an off-road bike and an ATV. Long story short, it was a disaster. $80 million later, the company declared bankruptcy, having left behind an interesting story of …
Bike Review – 1000+ Miles with the 2014 Indian Chieftain
I should start this off by noting that I’m not much of a cruiser guy. But I’ve been very excited by the revival of Indian and the presence of a legitimate competitor to Harley-Davidson, so I figured it was time for me to finally get on one of Polaris’ new bikes for a little trip.
1977 Harley-Davidson XLCR
Post-Listing Update: This XLCR was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. The Harley Davidson XLCR was one of the many bikes in history that was initially hailed as an instant collector bike…that no one bought. Designed by Willie G. Davidson, this bike was supposed to be a black beauty featuring HD’s most powerful production engine yet. The lovely …