The easy complaint with what manufacturers are calling “ADV Bikes” nowadays is that they’re just too damn big. If you also subscribe to that theory, let me go back in time a few decades with you. The middle weight of the Honda NX line-up (which also included a 125 and a 650) was the NX250, which was available for just …
1960 Matchless G80CS
Post Listing Update: After 32 bids on eBay, this Matchless did not meet reserve at $6,700. CS stands for Competition Suspension, and for several years it was the top-of-the-line variant of the G80 (if you ignore the 125 examples of the rare Typhoon G80TCS). In Matchless’ mind, all you had to do was pull off the headlight and you’d have …
Ending Soon – 1981 Honda CT110 with 300 Miles
Post Sale Update: Initially, this CT110 did not meet reserve with 44 bids up to $3,050. The seller then relisted it and it sold for a BIN of $4,500! Honda’s Trail 90 (or CT90, depending on the market) was a popular entry point for youngsters to learn how to ride in the dirt. One of the reasons it was so …
250 Miles – 1974 Suzuki TS100
Post Sale Update: After 24 bids on eBay, this TS100 sold for $1,225 to reader Chris C! A street scrambler variant of the TC100, the TS100 Blazer was introduced in 1973 and it was relatively successful in the United States. This example has less than 250 miles as the original owner bought it for his daughter with one rule – …
Diesel Power – 2009 Kawasaki M1030M1
Post Listing Update: The seller lowered the asking price to $14,000 from the original $30k but that still wasn’t enough to attract any attention. KLR fans, take a close look at that motor. If it looks different than what you’re used to, it’s because this is a diesel-powered Kawasaki built by Hayes Diversified Technologies for the US Marine Corps. Hayes …
1989 Yamaha TDR250
I didn’t feature a TDR250 for years, but now this is the third one I’ve seen in the last month! Considering how unique it is, I’m OK with that – a dual-sport frame with a retuned two-stroke motor from a TZR250 sportbike is a recipe for success in my book. Yamaha called it “Ultimate Dual”. I call it weird. Whatever …
First Year – 1988 Honda XRV650 Africa Twin RD03
Post Sale Update: This Africa Twin sold for $8,700 after 37 bids on eBay. The first generation of the Africa Twin was introduced in 1988 in response to Honda’s success with the NXR750 racebike – it would end up winning Paris-Dakar four years in a row, starting in 1986. Honda already had the single-cylinder NX650 and the V-Twin Transalp, but …
Built for Baja – 2010 KTM 690 Enduro R
If yesterday’s KTM factory Dakar racer tickled your fancy but you can’t justify spending over $20k on a non-street-legal bike, here’s a 690 Enduro R that’s been well-prepped for off-road exploration.
Best of the Bolts – 2014 Yamaha Star Bolt
9-19-17 Update: Over two years later, this Hageman build is back up for sale. It’s moved up north a bit, so you can find it in Charlottesville, Virginia with bidding up to $3,100 and the reserve not yet met or a BIN of $14,900 here on eBay. Post-Sale Update: After being relisted, this Yamaha Star Bolt sold for $16,250. Back …
Santa Barbara – 1964 Yamaha YA6
The YA6 was best known for being Yamaha’s first production bike with automatic oil injection – you may remember the feature by the name of “Autolube.” The oil injection was immensely popular and was offered throughout Yamaha’s lineup for decades. The YA6 was much less successful, making them a rare find nowadays. This survivor has remained in good shape and …
Why Buy New? 1989 Yamaha TW200
Post Sale Update: This TW200 sold for $1,526 after 28 bids on eBay. Over the years, Yamaha’s TW200 has barely changed – they just announced the specifications for the 2018 model a couple of months ago and it’s still going to be rocking carbs instead of fuel injection. In fact, over a 30+ year model run Yamaha has only given …
Triumph and Tribulations – Exploring the UK, Day 4
June 20th, 2017 – Christchurch, England to Cardiff, Wales: ~120 miles Missed Day 3? June 19th, 2017 – London, England to Christchurch, England: ~120 miles Here’s the next day of our summer UK trip to tide you over in case I can’t get service during Saturday’s 24 hour race…
2008 BMW G650X Xcountry
Last week I featured a BMW Xmoto, one of the three G650X variants BMW Motorrad produced starting in 2006. While the Xmoto only saw a single year of production, BMW made the Xchallenge for four years, and Xcountry for six. Despite a half dozen years in production, Xcountry “Xamples” are surprisingly rare as it appears not that many were made, …
Original Owner – 1971 Honda CL450 Scrambler
The dual-sport cousin of the Black Bomber, Honda’s CL450 was the best selling of the scramblers of the day. Because of this, you can find one with relative ease even though they haven’t been made in 40+ years. With that said, this one stands out from the rest as it’s impressively being offered by the original owner.
Your Alaska Steed – 1989 Honda Transalp
Need a bike for a long trip? It needs to be reliable, comfy, and not too complicated to fix if it needs work in some far-away place. Here’s your bike. It is a 1989 Honda XL600V Transalp. While it was common in Europe for many years, not that many were sold in the US. It is a 600cc V-twin that …