By 1965 I knew the inside of my local Honda shop at least as well as my own bedroom. After all, my best buddy had an S90 and I lusted for a Honda to replace my Yamaha. Imagine my surprise when I saw this bike that I had no idea ever existed. It would be like my mother asking me …
Original CB – 1973 Honda CB750 K3
If you’re reading this then the Honda CB750 most likely needs no introduction, but here’s the short version. The modern motorcycle was reimagined, reinvented and then brought to life back in 1969. It was the CB750 and Honda was its surname. The basic architecture was so sound that it spawned a new golden age of the sport and eventually became …
Step Into The Future? – 2015 Honda NM4
Introduced in 2014, the NM4 represents an attempt by Honda to expand their brand, piquing interest in the sport towards young consumers who may not have given motorcycles a second glance. It’s also another foray into the future to remind the world that Honda Motor Company remains an innovative design leader. Does it work? Well, despite the naysayers, the limited …
Soft Custom- 1954 Ariel Square Four
Do you remember the Johnny Cash song about building a Cadillac in his garage from parts he stole one at a time? This bike might be similar (according to the listing story). Seems there was a guy that was involved in the air freight business from the US to England that loved Ariels and he ‘found room’ on many flights …
Beautiful Restoration – 1975 Honda CB400F
Post Listing Update: This restored CB did not meet reserve at $4,222.69. The most distinctive feature of the Honda CB400F was the exhaust – some people referred to the headers as “waterfall pipes.” It wasn’t as fast as its competition, but this little four cylinder was smoother, quieter, and gave better gas mileage.
The Dream – 1968 Honda CA160
In 1968 there was a welter of motorcycles available to all. It really was the start of the popular revolution fueled by MILLIONS of motorcycles from Japan. The CA160 was near the top of the line for Honda, and it wasn’t a Benley (though it looked the part). It was officially the CA160 Dream and Honda said it was a …
1968 BSA B44 Shooting Star
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times (sorry Mr. Dickens). The 1968 Shooting Star was the road version of the legendary BSA Victor, often considered BSA’s best single. In fact, the legend for BSA’s singles mostly came from the motocross track where they were dominant in the middle 60s. The actual bikes you could buy …
Sitting Since ’75 – 1961 BMW R27
The R27 was BMW’s last shaft-driven single. An evolution of the R26, the 27 got power bump up to 18 ponies and rubber engine mount. Here’s one of the 15,364 examples that were produced.
1947 Norton 16H
Post Sale Update: This 16H did not meet reserve despite 10 bids on eBay up to $8,000. However, it was relisted twice and eventually sold for $7,700 after 6 bids. Between 1911 and 1954, Norton produced a series of bikes all around a 490cc side-valve engine. These bikes were referred to as the 16H – H stood for Home, as …
2013 Cleveland CycleWerks Ace
There are two quotes that I always remember when I see small displacement, lightweight bikes. 1. “Simplify, then add lightness” – Colin Chapman 2. “It’s more fun to drive a slow car fast than drive a fast car slow” – Abner Perney These quotes were directed by car people at car people but in reality, apply just as perfectly to …
Military Police – 1972 BMW R50/5
Classic BMW /5? Good. Military Police variant of a /5? Very, very good. A strong running international example of a Military Police variant of a /5 with free shipping to the US? Now we’re talking.
Curmudgeon Project Collection – 10 Bikes For Sale
Someone named Dave Nisse runs Curmudgeon Motorcycle Restoration, and he’s in the process of dumping some of his project bikes.
1975 Honda CB200T
Introduced in 1973, the CB200T was fairly popular as a cheap runabout. This restored example looks great – and with an asking price of $1,600, it can still play the role of cheap transportation in your daily commute.
1978 BMW R100/7
Between 1976 and 1980, BMW produced 12,029 examples of the standard R100/7. Here’s one of them that’s claimed to still run like a Swiss watch.
1965 Norton Atlas – Race Horse or Plow Horse?
After 20 years of dominating English motorcycling with their legendary singles it became obvious to Norton that they needed a twin to compete with Triumph and others. In 1948 Norton introduced the Model 7 which was essentially a twin mounted on a single frame. Not a good effort for Norton. They improved with the model 88, 99 and 650SS and …