Alchemy was a medieval attempt at science that was all about the attempt to convert base metals into gold. That, presumably, is the inspiration behind Alchemy Motorcycles, a San Diego based firm that specializes in the restoration and customization of vintage motorcycles. Here they’ve worked their magic on a Honda CL160, a relatively rare bike that shared the engine from …
1994 Honda VFR400R
Post Listing Update: This VFR got no interest at the BIN of $9,000. Just a few days ago, I featured one of the greatest 400cc sportbikes ever built – the Honda RVF400. Seems like a lot of you enjoyed that one, so here’s another example of the breed, though this one (VIN: NC301107468) offers two distinct features: it has plenty …
1989 Kawasaki KR-1S
In the late 80’s, Kawi had some success with their KR250 road racer, and released the Kawasaki KR-1 as a wonderful little two-stroke race rep. It was quite successful, triggering increased competition from the big 4, and it set off a 250cc 2-stroke war among the Japanese – unfortunately us Americans didn’t get to enjoy these little demons. Well, 25 …
1977 Seeley Honda CB750
I’ve featured a Colin Seeley bike before, but here’s as close as Seeley got to a ‘production’ bike. Certain estimates suggest that 300-500 were built, and they’re delightfully 70s. Unfortunately, there isn’t much information on this specific bike, but if you want more information on the general bike, check out this review from an unnamed source that’s been rehosted on …
1969 Suzuki Stinger Custom
Seeing this Suzuki Stinger for sale on eBay made me chuckle – when BikeEXIF featured it 5 months ago, I noticed a surge of traffic to a non-running Suzuki Stinger that I had previously featured (which sold for less than a grand). That says two things to me – first, BikeEXIF has a lot of clout, and second, not enough …
The Baby RC45 – 1995 Honda RVF400 NC35
Post Sale Update: This NC35 sold for $5,150 after 30 bids on eBay. The RC45 is a bike of legend, but it’s also out of the financial reach of most motorcycle enthusiasts. That’s why I’m excited to feature the RC45’s baby brother, the Honda RVF400 NC35. Only officially sold in Japan, grey market imports occasionally made it out the UK …
1 of 500 Race Replica – 1989 Suzuki GSX-R750RR
Post Sale Update: This GSX-R750RR sold for $22,000 after 47 bids on eBay. A limited run of 500 models, the Suzuki GSX-R750RR was a race replica, just like the Honda RC30. Changes were plentiful but the end goal from designer Takahiko Kawaguchi was to have a “straight out of the crate racer” that would be easier to tune by racing …
1972 Honda CL100 Suitcase Cycle
Post-Listing Update: This Honda CL100 Suitcase Cycle did not get any bidders at $3,499. The 1974 Honda CL100 was a one-cylinder scrambler that with a 99cc engine that produced 11.5 horsepower. What makes this specific example so special is that it has been converted by a third party company to fit into a suitcase for easy transport on airplanes!
1974 Kawasaki H1R Replica
A 500cc race bike built to compete in Grand Prix racing (the predecessor to MotoGP), the Kawasaki H1R was based on the H1 and was powered by a two-stroke inline triple. The bike debuted in the 1970 season where Kawi took second in the Constructors Championship. Here we’ve got a replica that was acquired from a private collection and the …
1975 Honda TL125
Most people don’t know this, but Honda built a trials bike straight from the factory (that didn’t have Montesa’s name on it). Built to tackle obstacles at the lowest of speeds, this air-cooled 4 stroker is truly piece of history for those few people who love trials bikes. It has slight patina which shows its age, but the bike is …
1977 Rickman Kawasaki Z1
Post-Listing Update: Despite 25 bids on eBay up to $8,600, this Rickman Kawasaki Z1 did not meet reserve. Rickman made kits for the Kawasaki Z1 (also known as the Z900) Super Four, which was the most powerful Japanese 4-cylinder 4-stroke ever built, at the time. 82 horsepower yielded a top speed of 130 miles per hour, but companies like Rickman …
1991 Honda Cub EZ90
Designed to make motorcycles more friendly, the Honda EZ90 hid all of its mechanicals inside the futuristic plastic bodywork, and it even offered an electric start, in addition to the kicker. Powered by an oil injected, 2-stroke 90cc engine, this scoot was faster than you’d expect. No clutch is required for the ‘automatic’ transmission. The swingarm functioned as the rear …
1979 Honda Gold Wing GL1000
Post Listing Update: This Wing sold for $2,475 after 25 bids on eBay. This excellent example of the first generation Honda Gold Wing (VIN: gl14112748) has just 18,000 miles and looks great in my favorite color scheme for these bikes: black and gold. (Cue the Sam Sparro song) It has a recent service with plenty of work, and it comes …
1988 Honda NX650 Dominator
I’m a big fan of the Honda NX650, known as the Dominator in certain non-US markets. In fact, I bought myself a beater example of the breed to learn how to ride in the dirt with, and it was the first bike that I sold through this site (feels like so long ago).
Couple of Kawi 250s
Here we’ve got an interesting pair of Kawasaki 250 off-roaders. First, a KX250 – one of the few I’ve seen that are still highly original. A 212 pound, 34 horsepower rocket, this 39 year old bike was apparently ridden for just two seasons before it was put away in storage. It was brought back to life just last year, and …