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1983 Yamaha Riva XC180

In Japan, Scooter by Chris Cope7 Comments

I’ll admit I am not well enough versed in scooters to know by sight which model Macklemore rides through a wall in his music video for “Downtown,” but I know that this Yamaha Riva instantly made me think of it*. I also know that I agree with Macklemore’s sentiment that: “Eight-hundred cash, that’s a hell of a deal.”

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My Old Track Bike – 2019 Kawasaki Ninja 400

In Japan, Race by AbhiLeave a Comment!

You guys all know that my track/race bike is a Kramer 690, but the bike that really got me into track riding was a wonderful Ninja 400 that I remember fondly. I sold it last year but the bike is back at Iconic as the owner has to unfortunately but his track aspirations are on hold due to injury and …

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1985 Yamaha XT350

In Dual-Sport, Japan by Abhi5 Comments

“Between the small and the large, though, there is a perfect size that enhances the multi-functional nature of these “dual-purpose” motorcycles. That balance seems to be right around 350cc. This is enough displacement so that freeway travel won’t spin an engine’s heart out, without the weight and bulk that can limit off-road use mainly to smooth dirt roads.” Those are …

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“OEM Plus” – 1990 Suzuki GSX-R1100

In Japan, Sport by Abhi3 Comments

Introduced in 1986, the Suzuki GSX-R 1100 was a speed demon’s dream thanks to 137 horsepower and a wet weight of 434 pounds. Even better, it was released right after the United States lowered the import tax on bikes above 700ccs to 24.4 percent (from over 39 percent), so it actually felt like bargain to American riders. The seller of …

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2001 Kawasaki LeoStar

In Japan, Scooter by Abhi3 Comments

A few days ago we featured an imported Honda NSR50 and commenter Zebulon Pike mentioned that the seller also had an interesting imported underbone scooter and I had to make sure you all saw it as well. Meet the Kawasaki LeoStar!

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1998 Honda NSR50

In Japan, Small Displacement, Sport by Abhi2 Comments

The NSR50 was in Honda’s lineup for decades before they blessed the USA with a chance to officially try it for ourselves in 2004. Before that year, Americans had to either order one directly from HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) or try to import one through the gray market. It was well worth the effort, because Honda used components that made …

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1975 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing

In Japan, Less than 5k, Touring by Chris Cope8 Comments

In its modern iteration, I wholeheartedly believe that the Honda Gold Wing ─ relative to its intended purpose ─ is the greatest motorcycle in the world. It is very hard to find another bike that does what it’s supposed to do as well as the Wing. So, this (somewhat suspiciously) affordable first-gen model speaks to me.

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1971 Honda Trail CT70

In Custom, Japan, Less than 5k, Small Displacement by Chris Cope5 Comments

Sometimes you can’t resist a bad idea. Spending thousands of dollars on a 53-year-old vehicle that fits in your closet is, probably, a bad idea. But when the vehicle in question is a Honda Trail CT70, is it really that bad of an idea? After all, some bad ideas can be a whole lot of fun. The Trail CT70 was …

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1986 Yamaha TZR250 1KT

In Japan, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment!

Loosely based on Yamaha’s TZ250 racer, the TZR was a 2 stroke sportbike built between ’86 and ’99 – in 1986 it was the first production 250cc motorcycle to lap Isle of Man’s TT course at over 100 miles per hour.