Post Listing Update: This CB750 did not get any interest at the opening ask of $6,500. This CB750 shows 23,077 miles on the odometer, but it’s been kept in good shape by the original owner (who only sold it to the current eBay seller a couple of weeks ago).
3,590 Miles – 1979 Kawasaki KZ1300
Post Listing Update: This KZ did not meet reserve despite 29 bids up to $9,250. In a period review, Cycle World called Kawasaki’s KZ1300 “an incredible hulk”, saying “There are motorcycles with more speed, but not with the same combination of power, strength, comfort and handling…the sophistication is incredible, the size is enormous.” Displacement-wise, it was the biggest of the …
No Reserve Project – 1956 NSU Super Fox
Post Sale Update: This Super Fox sold for $2,900 after 47 bids on eBay. When this bike was produced, NSU was the world’s largest motorcycle producer – but the Superfox was one of their rarer models, with just 4,130 ever built. Here’s one of the few examples that made it over to the US, and it looks good!
Black Beauty – 1976 BMW R75/6
View Post2000 Kawasaki W650
Before Triumph brought the Bonneville back in the early 2000s, your best bet for a “Modern Classic” Bonnie actually came from Japan. Kawasaki’s W650 was a retro standard inspired by their W1, itself a copy of the BSA A7. The W650 was only exported to the US for two years, but during that time it was the best option for …
1956 Zundapp KS 601 EL
Post Listing Update: The new asking bid of $15,995 did not get any interest. 2-26-18 Update: Over three years later, reader Rob B has discovered that this rare Zundapp is back up for sale. The last time I featured this bike it did not meet reserve with 3 bids up to $10,400. It has since sold and the new owner …
Restored – 1970 Kawasaki Avenger A7
The A7 Avenger was one of Kawasaki’s earliest models, though upon its release was a pretty advanced and noteworthy machine. The 350 – technically 338cc – was a bored-out version of the marque’s earlier, quarter-liter A1 Samurai. The A1 itself was derived from Kawa’s 650cc W1 model. The A7 would lay the foundation for what would become the S2 Mach …
In Germany – 1960 Horex Imperator 400
Horex is a German motorcycle company first established back in the early 1920’s by the son of Friedrich Kleemann, the financial manager at a preservative jar manufacturing business based in Bad Homburg, Germany. Kleemann purchased Columbus Motorenbau AG, a relatively small motor production factory and operation. Three years later Kleemann’s son, Fritz – an avid racing enthusiast – founded Horex-Fahrzeugbau …
1955 BSA B33
Post Sale Update: This B33 sold for $6,750 after 20 bids on eBay. Introduced in 1947, the B33 gets very little glory compared to BSA’s performance bikes like the Gold Star, but this is what got many Brits around for many years – production ended in 1960. The B33 was a sales success because it was reliable, and they’re still …
1983 BMW R80ST
Post Listing Update: Despite 36 bids up to $4,109, this ST did not meet reserve on eBay. For two years, BMW created a street-focused variant of the R80GS. They only sold 5,963 examples of what was named the R80ST, and approximately 15% of them were exported to the US. This fairly original example has just 14,230 miles.
1964 Lube-NSU Condor
Founded in 1947 by Luis Bejarano Morga, Lube was a relatively popular Spanish motorcycle manufacturer that utilized NSU motors starting in 1952. In their best years, they sold almost 1,000 bikes a year and it went out of business in 1967. This Condor is from 1964, the last year for NSU powerplants.
1 of 10 – 1921 Megola Touring 640cc
Megolas are fascinating for many reasons, but the obvious one is the 640cc 5-cylinder radial engine built into the front wheel. Yet, that’s somehow not even the craziest thing about this powertrain. It has only one gear, and no clutch. So you either had to bump start it or get the front wheel spinning with the bike on the center …
Ending Soon – 1960s Ariel Leader
Post Sale Update: This Leader sold for $4,676 after just 3 bids on eBay. For good or bad, the Ariel Leader was appropriately named – it may have even been too far ahead of its time. It was never officially sold in the US, but a few examples from the 1958-1965 production run have made it across the ocean.
1 Mile – 1971 Honda CB350
Post Listing Update: This CB350 was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. With over 250,000 units, the CB350 was one of Honda’s most popular bikes. Despite the high production numbers, I can’t imagine there are very many left like this one, which has never been ridden and shows just 1 mile on the odometer. The original owner acquired …
Magazine Feature – 1978 Honda CB400A Hawk Hondamatic
In 1976, Honda debuted the “Hondamatic” transmission on their popular CB750. It was designed to help bring in new riders who may have been intimidated by the requirement of using a clutch, but Honda quickly figured out that newbies may not necessarily want to start on the big 750. So two years later, the Hondamatic transmision found its way to …