Right now, if you want a brand new two-stroke motorcycle in the US then your only bet is to go dirt biking. But in the UK, a company named Langen has brought two-strokes back to the road. Their limited (run of 100) creation is expensive, full of top-notch components, and unfortunately…not legal in the US. Still, here’s one of the …
1953 Triumph Tiger T110
Let’s start with a slight discrepancy in this ad. The bike is listed as being from 1953. However… although Triumph started manufacturing the Tiger T110 (aka TT110) in 1953, it reportedly didn’t start selling them until 1954. Confusing things a little more: thanks to the meticulousness and transparency of the United Kingdom’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, I’m able to …
1975 Norton Commando Custom
Here’s an interesting custom take on a Norton Commando that was built in the 80s by Specialized Motorcycles, Inc. out of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Dunstall Kit – 1974 Norton Commando
Paul Dunstall’s motorcycle business was humming by the time the 70s rolled around, and he was so successful that he had started shipping completed motorcycles over to contracted delaers in the United States. By the mid 70s, he was almost exactly splitting his production between Norton and Hondas, though he was definitely more famous for his work with the British …
1973 Norton Commando 850
The Norton Commando 850 is no stranger to Bike-urious. By my count, more than a dozen versions of this iconic British twin have appeared on this site over the years. But there’s always room for one more.
1969 Triumph Tiger 650
My father-in-law had a late ’60s Triumph Bonneville when he was a young man in the 1970s ─ hurtling down country lanes in England’s West Country and occasionally strapping a bag to the seat to make his way to France to watch the Bol d’Or. “I loved that bike,” he once told me. “But I was replacing parts on a …
In England – 1957 Dayton Albatross
From Abbotsford to Zapp, at some point in history there’s been at least one British motorcycle manufacturer for every letter of the alphabet. One of the more obscure of those was London-based Dayton Motorcycle Co., which operated sporadically: from 1913 to 1922, then again for one year in 1939 (when it was almost certainly derailed by the start of the …
1992 Goodman HDS 1200
In the earlier 90s, a gentleman named Simon Goodman (the grandson of the founder of Velocette) out of Great Britain built 17 examples of what he called the HDS 1200: a hybrid that combined a Norton Featherbed-style frame with a Sporster 1200 motor.
1995 Triumph Daytona Super III
In the early 1990s, famed engine experts Cosworth assisted Triumph in their quest to build a faster version of the Daytona 900. It was a rare bird, as just 805 examples of the “Super III” were sold, 179 of which made it to the United States.
Trials Bike – 1954 Matchless G80CS
The CS (Competition Suspension) was the top of the line G80 model (except for the super-rare Typhoon G80TCS). Matchless’ marketing suggested that all you had to do to race was remove the lights – so with this bike you’ve already got the first step taken care of.
“The Warthog Sidecamper” – 2011 Triumph Rocket III Custom
Combining a 2011 Triumph Rocket III and a Mini-Mate Camper (normally towed behind the bike), this beast is known as the “Warthog Sidecamper.”
1964 BSA Starlite
Known as the Beagle in the UK, this little 75cc BSA commuter was marketed as the Starlite in America.
Cheney Framed – 1967 BSA 441 Victor
One of the legends of off-road frame design, Eric Cheney started as one of Britain’s best MX riders. Unfortunately, he picked up a blood infection while racing in Algeria and it became so bad that he had to stop racing. That was good news for his competition, as he applied his skills to making better frames and suspension designs for …
325 Mile Project With No Reserve – 2005 Triumph Bonneville T100
The T100 generation of the Bonneville was notable for the way it blended classic styling with modern tech – the best example of which is the fuel injection system that was specifically designed to look like carbs just kidding – as noted by Gee S, that didn’t happen for a few more years! Triumph sold a boatload of them, so …
#248 of 250 – 1998 Triumph Daytona 1200 SE
In the early 90s, most major motorcycle manufacturers entered a gentlemen’s agreement to cap horsepower at 125. Triumph decided that when they were going to bring the bikes back from the new plant in Hinckley, that the best way for them to get attention was to ignore said agreement: enter the 147 horsepower Triumph Daytona 1200. A year after the …