Back in the 60’s some of the major US department stores sold European small-displacement motorcycles in the American market. Montgomery Wards rebadged Benellis and sold them under the Wards-Riverside name. You could buy them in the store, or from their long-gone catalogs. Here’s one that was ordered straight from the catalog, and while it has been started, it’s never been …
200 Mile Minor Project – 1966 Suzuki K15 Hillbilly
Introduced in 1965, the Suzuki K15 (also known as the Hillbilly) was a 2-stroker for the trail with features like a skid plate, luggage rack, and swappable sprockets. Basic specs were a dry weight of 155 pounds, and 7.3 horsepower from the 80cc single. Top speed with the trail sprocket was 38 miles per hour, and 60 mph with the …
Two Stroke Transplant – Kawasaki Ninja 250 with S2 Engine
Your eyes do not deceive you – this is a EX250-J (the generation between 2008–2012) that now has the 350cc two-stroke motor from a 1972 Kawasaki S2!
1978 Suzuki GS1000
Considered by some to be the best 1000cc four-cylinder of its time, the GS1000 was based on the 750 but had many improvements – Cycle magazine called this bike the “best handling multi of all.”
1985 Suzuki Madura
Post Listing Update: This Madura did not get action at the opening bid of $2,800. A direct response to the ‘mega-cruiser’ Honda Magna, the Suzuki Madura was all about one-upmanship. Honda called their Magna an 1100, so the Madura was called a 1200, even if the engine was actually 1165cc. Honda rated the Magna at 116hp, Suzuki rated the Madura …
175 Miles – 2000 Buell Blast
As most of you know, the Buell Blast was designed as an entry-level motorcycle to get people into the H-D family. This one’s barely been used and seems like it would work just fine at its intended design if a new rider wanted something less ubiquitous than a R3 or Ninja 400.
Rare in the US – 1993 Honda QR50
Post Listing Update: This QR50 did not get any action at the BIN of $2,100 on eBay. Built as a rival to Yamaha’s PW50, the Honda QR50 was never officially sold in the US. It was, however, sold in Canada in 1983 and 1984, so a few have made their way across our northern border. Much like the Yamaha, this …
1975 Honda CL360 Custom
The builder of this custom CL combined “bits and pieces from at least 15 different motorcycles plus a handful of aftermarket parts” to create it. What do you think of the final product?
1960 NSU Quickly
In 1936, NSU introduced a moped called the Quick. It was quite popular – they sold almost 250,000 over a production run that lasted until 1953. Even more popular was the successor, the amusingly-named “Quickly.” From 1953-1968, NSU sold over a million units! Here’s a 60 year-old survivor.
WERA Vintage Racer – 1977 Kawasaki KZ650
Ready to compete in WERA’s Vintage 5 class, this KZ650 looks like a baby ELR.
Original Owner – 1990 Honda CB-1
Originally built for the Japanese market, the Honda CB-1 was a beautifully balanced motorcycle that lost out in an American market that was obsessed with having as much horsepower as possible. On the flip side of things, Japan had a very competitive 400cc market due to a combination of regulations, licensing rules, and taxes. Cycle World called this “a great …
2001 Kawasaki Voyager XII
The aptly-named Voyager officially started in 1983, however Kawasaki previewed it with the “Touring” variant of the KZ1300 back in 1980, which featured a fairing, trunk, and bags. The original Voyager, released in 1983, had the touring features integrated much better in Kawasaki’s attempt to compete with the Gold Wing – like the Wing, it also featured a six-cylinder motor. …
2000 Cagiva Gran Canyon
A street-focused adventure bike, the Gran Canyon presents an interesting option for those of you that want some Italian style and speed with all-day comfort. This one’s had a serious amount of recent maintenance so that it’s ready to criss-cross the country.
Rossi’s Pit Bike? 2007 Yamaha C3
Post Sale Update: The new owner says that they purchased this for $4,000 on Craigslist in Los Gatos, California. Valentino Rossi placed 4th in the US round of the 2007 MotoGP Championship at Laguna Seca. According to the seller, this scoot was what Rossi rode in the pits that year.
Still New – 2013 Gas Gas TXT PRO Racing 250
Post Sale Update: This Gas Gas did not meet reserve despite 7 bids up to $3,850, however it was relisted four times and eventually sold for a BIN of $4,850 on eBay in Vernon-Rockville, Connecticut. The 2013 iteration of Gas Gas’ TXT PRO trials bike was available in four displacements: 125, 250, 280, and 300. Here’s a 250 that’s never …