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1998 Yamaha TRX850

In Japan, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

The TRX850 was a little bit of a ‘parts bin’ special – it was a blend of the TDM850 and the FZR that came together in an attempt to challenge Ducati’s 900cc SuperSport (note the trellis frame). This bike was never officially sold in the US, so if you’re looking to stand out with your ride among people in the …

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Zero Miles – 2003 Ducati 999R FILA #0005

In Italy, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

Over on the auction site we’ve got an impressively original example of the bike that Ducati built to celebrate its 200th win in WSBK. The Italian firm released just 200 examples of their top of the line 999R in the Team Ducati FILA livery of 2003 – 75 were supposed to make it to the US but it’s possible that …

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2x Honda VTR250s

In Japan, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

Sold in the US for three years, the Honda VTR250 has become a cult classic for riders that love small bikes. The liquid cooled 250cc engine was paired with a six-speed transmission, and interestingly, an inboard front disc – though by 1990 the front brake would change to the industry standard. Someone in Wisconsin is selling a pair of them …

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1979 Dunstall/Suzuki GS1000 Competition Special

In Japan, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

Paul Dunstall is a legend in the classic motorcycling world. Originally a motorcycle racer, he set up a workshop where he turned Nortons into world-beaters with engine and cosmetic modifications. Fast forward to the 1970s, Dunstall’s business had expanded to a point where he was shipping complete bikes directly to dealers in the US. At this point, he was splitting …

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2023 Bimota KB4

In Japan, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

Bimota’s latest model is the KB4 – it features the 1,043cc inline-four (good for 142hp and 82lb-ft of torque) pulled from a Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX. Bimota calls the KB4 a sport-tourer, though it only has one seat and no luggage.

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No Reserve – 1983 Suzuki XN85 Turbo Project

In Japan, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

On the market for less than a year, Suzuki XN85 was the first factory bike to feature a 16-inch front wheel – previously reserved for race bikes. That wheel, combined with low clip-ons and a Suzuki Full Floater rear suspension made it a nearly peerless handler for the time. It also featured a low pressure turbo that helped boost power …

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485cc – 1984 Yamaha RZ350 Custom

In Custom, Japan, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

The last street-legal two-stroke sportbike officially imported into the US, the RZ350 is very much a sought-after collectors bike in the US. Only sold in the states from 84-85, these bikes were incredibly fast for 350cc, and absolutely look the part. As you can tell from the headline, this one’s been the recipient from quite a bit of custom work.

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1984 Kawasaki GPz1100

In Japan, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

In 1983, Kawasaki gave the GPZ1100 a serious redesign with new bodywork, anti-dive forks, and the Uni-Trak rear suspension. Power output was also bumped to 120 horsepower (104 at the rear wheel), though this was gained at the expense of low-end torque.

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1990 Moto Morini Dart 400

In Italy, Less than 5k, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

When the Dart was introduced, Moto Morini was owned by Cagiva – at the time the latter had no mid-sized bike in their model range. They decided to remedy that by taking the frame of their Freccia 125, and then shoving in a Morini 350cc V-Twin. It’s a little odd to see an air-cooled engine surrounded in plastic, but hey, …

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1995 Bimota YB9SR

In Italy, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

In 1990, Bimota created the YB9 Bellaria – a 600cc-powered (from the Yamaha FZR600) sportbike that was their first two-seater. A couple of years later, Yamaha built a new motor for their upcoming YZF600, and Bimota utilized it to create a new model: the YB9SR. The YB9SR was not officially sold in the US, though in a review for Cycle …

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#248 of 250 – 1998 Triumph Daytona 1200 SE

In England, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

In the early 90s, most major motorcycle manufacturers entered a gentlemen’s agreement to cap horsepower at 125. Triumph decided that when they were going to bring the bikes back from the new plant in Hinckley, that the best way for them to get attention was to ignore said agreement: enter the 147 horsepower Triumph Daytona 1200. A year after the …