Here’s your chance to start a museum…or a spec race. The seller has just acquired a collection of bikes from a retired collector, and is now unloading 5 Honda CB750s – including one sandcast model.
1984 Honda Ascot VT500
Named after Ascot Park, a former flat-track raceway in Los Angeles, the Honda Ascot (also known as the VT500) was a V-Twin standard that was styled after flat-track bikes. I always thought the front headlight looked silly, and in the process I unfairly over-looked the Ascot. It didn’t sell well, but owners are passionate about this bike – an excellent …
1966 BSA Lightning 650
Post Sale Update: After being relisted multiple times, this Lightning sold for $3,500 on eBay. The BSA Lightning 650 was the British firm’s attempt at an all-around streetbike, slotting between the Spitfire and Thunderbolt. At the time, it was one of the fastest motorcycles available – able to top hit 108 miles per hour, and it’s one of the lasting …
2006 Yamaha FZ1N
Yamaha is making waves nowadays with the FZ-09 naked triple, but our European riding brethren have been able to enjoy powerful naked bikes with the tuning fork logo for years. A distinct example of this would be the Yamaha FZ1 – the fantastic engine of a R1 (albeit retuned for more of a sport touring application) with a riding position …
Basketcase – 1965 Volkswagen Apex
Post-Sale Update: Whatever this mystery bike is (probably a re-badged Gilera), it sold for $1,009 after 36 bids on eBay. Alright, you know I try to avoid featuring non-running motorcycles. But I have to make an exception when I encounter something I’ve never heard of before, which is why you now see a Volkswagen Apex in front of you.
Police Project – 1969 Honda CB450 Police Special
I have a weakness for older ‘service’ bikes, like a previously featured Honda Dream Fire Bike and this Honda CB450 Police Special, which may have also been officially called the Honda CP450. According to the AMA, just 25 were imported to the US to pilot an entrance into the police motorcycle market.
1956 James Captain
The James Cycle Company was a British firm that had a 70 year run that abruptly ended in 1966 when Japanese imports started to dominate the market. Until then, they produced plenty of bikes (most of which were painted maroon) with Villiers and AMC engines. One of their more popular models was the James Captain you see before you.
2012 Moto Guzzi V7 Racer
When someone like Frank Charriaut says the V7 is one of the best looking motorcycles currently available, I try to find one for you! So here’s a beautiful example with some choice (but removable) modifications.
1974 Honda CB350 Four
When introduced, the Honda CB350 was the smallest four cylinder to be mass produced. It produced 34 horsepower and was capable of just under 100 miles per hour, and it featured some of the coolest exhausts in the business – unfortunately it an effort to save weight the pipes were thin, and most have either rotten out or been replaced …
2000 Kawasaki W650
The Kawasaki W650 is a retro standard that was imported to the US for only 2 years. A reference to the Kawasaki W1, itself a copy of the BSA A7, the newer bike is also inspired by the Triumph Bonneville. The W650 actually preceded the rebirth of the Bonnie and for a brief moment in time in the early 2000s, …
1984 Honda Ascot VT500
Named after Ascot Park, a former flat-track raceway in Los Angeles, the Honda Ascot (also known as the VT500) was a V-Twin standard that was styled after flat-track bikes. I always thought the front headlight looked silly, and in the process I unfairly over-looked the Ascot. It didn’t sell well, but owners are passionate about this bike – an excellent …
2003 IZH Jupiter 5
IZH, also known as Izhevsk Machinebuilding Plant, has been making motorcycles since 1928. But that’s not why you know them. You know them as the manufacturer of the ubiquitous Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle. But seeing as this website isn’t called “gun-curious”, let’s talk about one of their more recent models, the IZH Jupiter 5.
1 of 122 – 1970 Indian Velo 500
After Indian went out of business in 1953, it lay dormant for quite a while. But in 1967, former West Coast distributor Floyd Clymer bought the rights to the Indian name and tried to bring the company back. He initially tried to partner with a couple of German companies to create the ‘new Indian’, but that never got past the …
1980 Yamaha SR500
The Yamaha SR500 has been a popular bike for decades, due to clean styling and a reliable single-cylinder engine. These traits have also led this bike to be the base for thousands of custom works, including choppers, dirt-trackers, and cafe racers. Here’s one in “truly outstanding condition”, which is one of the nicer ones I’ve seen in a while.
No Reserve – 1963 Norton Atlas 750
You’ve got to love no reserve auctions. Named after the ICBM, the Norton Atlas was released in 1962, earning a so-so reputation before being replaced by the classic Commando. Built to appeal to American aesthetic preferences, it was initially only produced for export. The Atlas produced 55 horsepower, with plenty of torque available low in the rev range. Utilizing Norton’s …