Until I came across this bike, I had never heard of Derbi – the Spanish (or Catalonian, depending on your geo-political perspective) brand that started producing small-capacity bikes in the early 1940s. The story of the company started, however, in 1922 when Simeón Rabasa i Singla opened a bicycle shop in Mollet del Vallès, near Barcelona. That business would go …
1971 HPE Muskin El Tigre MX
Post Listing Update: This El Tigre did not get any action at the opening bid of $2,500. I had never heard of HPE Muskin until I saw this ad, but it turns out I’ve ridden one of their bikes. HPE Muskin was a California-based company that specialized in making swimming pools. But ─ because why not? ─ they also manufactured …
1985 Garelli Monza GT
Garelli is not a well-known marque in the world of motorcycling, but this moped was released while they were in the middle of an impressive run of 6 consecutive 125cc 2-stroke World Championships from 1982 to 1987.
Homemade Jet Ski Scooter
Here’s something we can all agree on: a Sea-Doo that’s been jerry-rigged into a scooter is both wonderfully terrible and terribly wonderful. Even the police officer who pulls you over for not having a license plate will be heartened at the sight of this thing.
2006 Kawasaki ZG1000 Concours
Post Listing Update: This Kawasaki originally sold for a Best Offer under $1,800 but that deal fell through. The bike was relisted and then pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. The Kawasaki Concours (aka Connie) has always been one of those “if you know you know” bikes: really awesome motorcycles that inspire an almost fanatical devotion from those …
1975 BMW R60/6
This is, admittedly, not the most beautiful R60/6 you’ll ever see in your life, but it appears to be in pretty good condition, the seller says it runs, and, most importantly, it’s an R60/6. I often daydream of owning one of these. The R60/6 was the smallest of BMW’s /6 models, produced from 1974-1979 (the others being the R75/6 and …
1967 Yamaha YDS-5
Yamaha is an interesting company, isn’t it? It makes all kinds of things and tends to be pretty good at making those things, but doesn’t seem to be very good about keeping track of those things or effectively telling their stories. Here’s an example. Sitting next to me as I write this is a probably-1969 YSL-352S trombone. If you know …
1981 Kawasaki KZ550 LTD
That Windjammer fairing is chef’s kiss, and an iconic story in and of itself. Before the days of full-dresser Gold Wings and the like, entrepreneur Craig Vetter was producing aftermarket fairings that allowed long-haul riders to go further, more comfortably.
2018 Panther ScootCoupe P50
How is it that I have been writing about motorcycles for so many years and had never come across a ScootCoupe?! Until stumbling upon this ad I had never before heard of them. Is this a thing? Have you seen these? Apparently they’ve been around since 2004!
1984 Can-Am 240 Trial
I feel like the readers of Bike-urious tend to be pretty knowledgeable. So, perhaps you know about Can-Am ─ a Canada-based brand that was created in 1972 as a way for snowmobile makers Bombardier to sell motocross and enduro motorcycles.
1959 Cushman Super Eagle
The 1950s seem to have been a magical period in motorcycling, when manufacturers all around the world were happily throwing everything at the wall. The Cushman Super Eagle managed to stick for a while, though not as long as its makers would have hoped. Yes, Cushman, makers of the vehicle that mall cops used to chase you with when you …
1960s Sears Allstate Compact
When I was a boy, one of my favorite things to do in the weeks leading up to Christmas was get a hold of the Sears Wish Book, go through it with a marker, and circle all the toys I wanted. You need to be of a certain age to know what the Sears Wish Book was, I suppose. It …
1975 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing
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.
9.2 Gallons – 1996 Honda PC800 Pacific Coast
I will never not click an ad for a Honda PC800 Pacific Coast. It is the Joe Biden of motorcycles ─ the reliable stalwart that nobody wants. But if you take the time to really look at a PC800 some part of you ─ the sensible dad that’s deep down in your soul ─ will fall in love with it.
1971 Honda Trail CT70
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 …